president unleashes a new attack on the gop. housing hangover. home foreclosures hit their highest since the beginning of the mortgage meltdown. family outrage. an ohio mother accused of teaching her 2-year-old so smoke an ohio mother accused of teaching her 2-year-old so smoke marijuana. captioning funded by cbs good morning, everyone. appreciate you joining you us. i'm terrell brown for betty nguyen this morning. beginning with the upcoming midterm elections. a new poll shows voter frustration running high. neither party escapes criticism and the president is taking plenty of heat. the number one issue among voters, the economy. a record number of american voters want new blood in congress, 55% say it's time for their representative to go. voters are frustrated with both parties. 58% disapprove of the democrats. 68% disapprove the republicans.

tara, good morning to you. >> good morning. midterms, believe it or not, are now just seven weeks away. both parties are under growing pressure to prove they can fix the economy. with bitter midterm battles looming, president obama is taking a fresh shot at republicans. >> we don't have time for any more games. i understand there's an election coming up. >> reporter: wednesday, he accused the party of blocking his plan to extend all bushehr regard tax cuts for families making less than $250,000. just so wealthy americans can avoid a tax hike. >> they want to hold these middle-class tax cuts hostage -- >> if we're serious about helping our economy this month, we need to stop the tax hikes and we need to cut spending. >> reporter: but republicans aren't the only ones refusing to get on board. more than 30 house dem signed a letter urging the taxes be extended for everyone. with unemployment stuck near

double digits, the economy is still the top concern for most americans. and, according to a new poll, only one in five thinks it's improving. >> it's not being fixed. it's being smoothed over to make it look like people are filling jobs. >> reporter: only 38% think the president has a clear plan for creating jobs. and some 46% think the stimulus package has had no impact on them. one in five thinks it made matters worse. >> it's too soon to make any final assessment of his presidency. >> reporter: today, president obama and the democrats could get one of their last chances to prove themselves to voters. the senate is expected to vote on a long-stalled measure that would boost lending to small businesses. and by some estimates, that measure could create up to a half million jobs. terrell. back to you. >> tara, good to see you. thank you. violent weather pounded parts of eastern kansas,

tornadoes hit south of wichita. but, it was the powerful hailstorms that did most of the damage. some of the hail was as big as grapefruit. hail and high winds broke windows and damaged roofs and power lines. residents were urged to stay inside. no injuries were reported. illegal drug use in this country reached its highest level in nearly a decade. the government reports hast year's drug use increase was fueled bay sharp increase in marijuana, ecstasy and methamphetamine use. almost 9% of the population say they used illegal drugs last year. an ohio mother accused of giving marijuana to her 2-year-old daughter. this is video recorded on her cell phone of her child alleg allegedly smoking the drug. at one point, she's herd on the video telling the child, don't blow on the joint. >> i'm just grateful that somebody in the community was

savvy enough and smart enough and cared enough about this little girl that they forwarded it to another phone and brought it to authorities. >> she remains behind bars facing 11 and a half years in prison. the fbi has launch ad civil rights investigation into the beating of a suspect by dallas police. the suspect was african-american but the police chief says he doesn't suspect race played a role in last week's incident. sandra hughes reports this morning. >> reporter: the dashcam police video shoals the arresting officers chasing the 28-year-old black suspect on his motorcycle, driving on a sidewalk when the officers caught up, they delivered a savage beating with batons and fists. the dallas police chief says so far an internal investigation does not reveal racial motives by the six white and hispanic officers. >> there's no evidence, either verbal or any known motivation, that's been shown to us through our investigation at this point.

>> reporter: but dallas police have filed criminal charges against three officers accused of beating the man. >> no one is above the law of this great country. >> one of the officers has been fired, five others suspended. one of the officers is also suspected of moving the camera during the arrest to conceal the beating. sandra hughes, cbs news, los angeles. swimmers be ware, the swirling giant hurricane igor could jen vate life-threatening rip tides along the u.s. east coast over the weekend, a category 4 with winds up to 135 miles per hour. it is churning far out at sea. hurricane julia is another potent force, at category 3. a historic state visit the first ever by any pope to the united kingdom begins today. pope benedict left rome for the four-day visit. his first stop, he will take part in a parade. before that he will visit the queen head of the church of england. a tell-all from france's

first lady could ruffle feathers on this side of the atlantic. she quotes michelle obama as saying the first job, or the job as first lady is, quote, hell. the book alleges mrs. obama says she can't stand it. bruni's book -- is due to hit french bookstores this month. on the "cbs moneywatch" stocks in asia retreated this morning. ashley, good morning to you. >> good morning to you, terrell. asian markets edged down this morning japan's nikkei lost a fraction and the hang seng was also mostly lower. today wall street gets the latest on inflation and weekly jobless claim. wednesday stocks rallied to a five-week high, the dow climbing 46 points, the nasdaq gained 11. foreclosures at their highest level since the start of the housing crisis. new data shows more than 95,000 homes were repossessed last month. that's up 3% from july and an increase of 25% when compared to

august of last year. more than 2.3 million homes have been lost since the recession began and another one million are projected to be repossessed this year. president obama will appoint wall street critic elizabeth warren to oversee the creation of a new consumer protection agency. warren would report to the white house and treasury department but will not have to be confirmed by the senate because of her lack of support in the financial industry. she could have faced a tough confirmation battle. if you are thinking of buying one of those new 3d tv sets and banking on 3d movies to go with it, well, think again. according to the rrn firm screen die jest, many movie studios already have exclusive deals in place with tv manufacturers that will limit your options. right now, just three hollywood movies are available without being tied to a specific brand. and presenting the official 2010 best public rest room in

america. the fountain restaurant in st. louis won through an online vote with a restroom that boasts hand-painted murals, or nate fixtures and designer mirrors. bathrooms were judged on exceptional hygiene, style and open access to the public. terrell, speaking for myself but if i'm voting on the best public bathroom, i think hygiene take as precedent whether or not it is stylish. >> absolutely. i think so, too. you know, i like designs and the way it looks. you've got to have a nice bathroom, ashley. i could vote on some of the worst if america. i think i've been in a few. >> i don't care how stylish it is, if it is not clean it doesn't get my vote. >> drew: make a good point. thank you. >> just ahead a new lawsuit stemming from the death of michael jackson plus caught on tape, a police officer is cleared of wrongdoing after a brutal attack. this is the cbs morning news. ♪ [ male announcer ] ever have morning pain slow you down? introducing bayer am, an extra strength pain reliever

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size does matter for the tall sdets and smallest. the k-9 world celebrated extraordinary dogs. they met in new york's central park wednesday. the rendezvous sponsored by the guinness book of world records. new york's mayor bloomberg wants to expand a smoking ban to include some of the great outdoors forbidding smoking in new york city beaches, parks, even the open seating area in times square. the dangers of second-hand smoking or smoke were cited. the pressure will go to public hearings before a vote. men and women rush to help new york's ground zero after the 9/11 attacks. nine years later thousands say the toxic dust made them sick and urge congress to cover their health care and compensation. >> reporter: fire department paramedic david russell spent weeks in what 9/11 first responders called "the pit." >> imagine a fresh snowfall six

to eight inches high. it's not snow but six to eight inches high of dust. >> reporter: now he's never without his inhaler. he's also taking medication for an auto immune disease and thyroid condition. >> i never had these problems prior to 9/11 and they all began to come out about five, six years later. >> reporter: fellow 9/11 rescue and recovery workers joined lawmakers on capitol hill to push for legislation to provide free health care and compensation. >> my question to our elected officials is this. do they know what sacrifice about. >> reporter: the exact number who have become ill from their work here is not clear but last year, 16,000 people sought treatment through medical programs set up for september 11th-related illnesses. the house failed to pass the bill in july because it needed a two-thirds majority and many republicans oppose ad corporate tax to pay for the $7.4 billion measure. when the bill comes up for a new vote next week, it will just

need a simple majority. >> we have at least 55 votes so we can pass it. >> reporter: lieutenant russell says 9/11 responders answered the call when the country needed them. >> if the same scenario happened tomorrow, i think everybody would still do the same thing all over again. >> reporter: now, these men and women who helped so many are counting on congress to help them fight for their lives. randall pings ston, cbs news, new york. meanwhile a policeman in duluth, minnesota has been cleared in the shooting death of a man with a baseball bat. 17-year-old joey karl is seened smashing the window out of a patrol car in august. the officer fired once and killed him after he shattered the driver's side of the cruiser wednesday. the county attorney found the shooting justified. a new lawsuit involving the death of michael jackson. wednesday, katherine jackson filed suit against the promoter aeg live for not protecting her son for his comeback concert. accusing the company of failure

to provide life-saving equipment for the pop star and failure to supervisor the doctors who were supposed to watch over him. straight ahead on your thursday morning, your weather forecast and in sports, the giants take aim on the first place national league west. for strong bones, i take calcium. but my doctor told me that most calcium supplements... aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, so it can be absorbed with or without food. citracal. it was a real shock. i remember being at the hospital thinking, "i should have done more to take care of myself." you should've. that's why i'm exercising more now. eating healthier.

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degrees. time for a check of the national forecast. the latest satellite picture shows passing storm clouds in the plains, nothing but clear skies over the southwest. later today, the northeast and ohio river valley will see thunderstorm activity stretching back towards the central plains. in the northwest a few passing showers and temperatures will stay on the hot and sticky side in the southern plains. in sports this morning, the giants trail san diego by a half game in the n.l. west. matt cain pitched seven shutout innings and they broke a scoreless out there. a two-out rbi single. giants beat the dodgers 2-1, the giants tenth win in 14 games. the phillies increase their lead toley in the east. philadelphia whacked florida, 10-5. tampa bay back in first place in the a.l. east. dan johnson hit a pair of two-run homers off hughes.

rays beat the -- and minnesota goes to a 9-3 win over the white sox. the twins now up in the a.l. central by eight games. when we return another look at the top stories and broken promises. victims of the gulf oil spill still waiting to be compensated. ♪ [ female announcer ] kids who don't eat breakfast may not be getting the nutrition they need to keep their bodies strong. ♪ a nutritious start to the day is essential. that's why carnation instant breakfast essentials supplies the nutrients of a balanced breakfast. so kids get the protein and calcium they need to help build strong muscles and healthy bones. carnation instant breakfast essentials. good nutrition from the start.

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here's a look at today's weather. some areas will get a break in the midwest, thunderstorms move towards the northeast and scattered showers in the upper northwest and parts of florida. another look at the top stories now, weeks away from the midterm election, a cbs news/"new york times" poll show

most are dissatisfied with congress. 557% continuing is time to elect someone new. the republican party is viewed less favorably than the democrats. meanwhile, housing foreclosures at their highest rate since the start of the housing crisis. more than 95,000 homes were repossessed last month. the blow-out bp well in the gulf is expected to be be killed once and for all by sunday, lass than 20 feet left to drill on the relief well allowing crews to permanently seal it from the bottom. more than 200 million gallons f oil spewed from it. 111 workers were killed. mann frustrated residents and businesses affected by the disaster say they are still waiting to be paid back for their losses. >> reporter: for two hours straight, one frustrated business owner after another told kenneth fineberg, the administrator of the $20 billion fund to compensate vehicle tips of bp's oil spill that his system for paying claims is

broken. >> our worst fear was that we would get to this point in the season and not have any money. and we are there. >> i am begging -- begging owe for your help. i needed a check yesterday. >> reporter: when he took over the claims process three weeks ago, he promised checks to individuals in 48 hours and businesses in seven days. jenny aaand chris filed their claim for their once thriving beach wedding company august 23rd. >> i'm hopeful. >> reporter: three weeks later, they still have no check. and perhaps worse, no answers. >> completely let down and deaf anyone it inially not hopeful anymore. >> reporter: before he took over, bp paid out $3795 million. in the past three weeks, fineberg has paid $185 million. but of the 60,000 claims before him, half, 30,000, are still being processed, despite his promises of a quick resolution.

only 16,000 have been paid and another 14,000 have insufficient paperwork it back them up. >> you don't have to beg. i'll leave today with your claim and i'll expedite it. >> reporter: he vows to find a way to get checks out faster. >> we can do better. i want to do better. >> reporter: but for many here, promises and apologies only go so far. >> our creditors won't take an apology for payment. >> right. >> reporter: he was short on specifics about how to change the claims process but, with businesses already folding, he says he understands the urgency. this morning on "the early show" a chat with actor ben of a fleck. you can catch that a bit later on. i'm terrell brown. this is the cbs morning news. words alone aren't enough. my job is to listen to the needs and frustrations of the shrimpers and fishermen, hotel or restaurant workers who lost their jobs to the spill.

i'm iris cross. bp has taken full responsibility for the clean up in the gulf and that includes keeping you informed. our job is to listen and find ways to help. that means working with communities. restoring the jobs, tourist beaches, and businesses impacted by the spill. we've paid over $400 million in claims and set up a $20 billion independently-run claims fund to cover lost income until people impacted can get back to work. and our efforts aren't coming at tax-payer expense. i know people are wondering-- now that the well is capped, is bp gonna meet its commitments? i was born in new orleans. my family still lives here. i'm gonna be here until we make this right.

good morning. i'm andrea roane. here's some stories we are following for you. president obama is having trouble getting democrats on board for his tax plan more than 30 democrats have signed a letter urging nancy pelosi to extend the cuts which are due to expire at the enof the year. president obama is blaming the holdup on republicans. the oil well that sent 200 million-gallons of oil in to the gulf of mexico could be permanently sealed by sunday. the government pointman says

the relief well is expected to intersect with the blown our well within 24 hours and then they will much in mud and cement and that's expected to seal it within three or four days. that's good news and we have howard bernstein. hopefully you are delivering good news today. >> going to get rain showers, mainly overnight. >> that's good. >> that is good. not so good that it won't be a big soaking rain but we will take a quarter to third of an inch we will see. this morning, clouds streaming in from the west. you see the clouds in ohio, michigan and.s west of there. generally in the afternoon and even after dark or so. 50s and 60s. not as cool as yesterday morning. 63 right now. 61 manassas. 59 cumberland and here in town we are 69. that is 70 in annapolis right now. with today's highs making it well to the 80s could touch 90

if fredericksburg and tappahannock. the day at a glance, look for more clouds as the day progresses. even a shower threat this afternoon especially knot and west. temperatures by noon 80. highs in the mid to upper 80s. good morning. >> happy thursday, everybody. right now we are waking up to problems out there early on don't know what is going on with this, folks. all week has been like this. still losing all lanes. looks like the accident will keep it this way until 5:00 a.m., maybe 5:30. on the outer loop, construction to watch for near route 1. an then 66 eastbound all clear. westbound approaching 29 centreville, watch for an accident off to the shoulder. if you wanted to know who dc's mayor was going to be on tuesday night you likely had to be willing to sacrifice a lot of sleep. the election results were surprisingly slow coming in and left a lot of us scratching our

heads as to why. though city took on an aggressive and ambitious overhaul of the election process, something that may not have been ready for primetime. >> what we are doing is taking the long way around. >> as if he didn't have enough on his hands, paul takes us room to room, opinion to person, click by click. behind the scenes of the board of elections where he is chief of technology and, yes, they are dealing with speed bumps. >> we all know there was a lot of anxiety about the speed of election results. >> reporter: part of the problem outdated website software that refused to import results last night. >> we have come up with a more streamlined process today and it will be used in november. >> reporter: what is that? >> now i'm going to talk geek. >> reporter: one step board of election members learn about in the rehashing last night, the executive director said was the launch of an election overhaul. speed was not an option.

>> every election across the country when you implement technology like yesterday you will see stories like yesterday. it is not mismanagement but what happens when you have new managements. >> reporter: an when you have transparency he says. >> these are the results that are posted outside of every polling location after booths shut down. >> reporter: at headquarters workers are still counting write ins and stacking up ballots in boxes. >> we look forward to the primary to be a baseline election for us and every election from here on we will make improvements. >> reporter: improvements like the speed of results. >> we are set. >> reporter: brittany morehouse, 9 news now. >> the executive director says in the election business you have three words, accuracy, speed and expense. he said we were cheap and accurate, we'll be