john hendren, abc news, the white house. >> hmm. >> fascinating. perry. >> palin. we don't know? >> end of the month. should know by friday. we'll see. >> wide open. >> your monday forecast, everybody. showers pittsburgh to cleveland. nashville, periods of heavy rain and thunderstorms, around the carolinas, atlanta much of the gulf coast. showers from milwaukee to detroit. chicago, indianapolis, saint louis. also wet and blustery in the pacific southwest. >> 56 in seattle. 76 in salt lake city. 69 in omaha. 80s, dallas to atlanta. 76 in boston. >> i must ask you how is the weather in d.c. this weekend because that's where you were, because you, you should know out there this morning, we are in the midst of an award-winning journalist. >> that's sweet. i do want to shout out to the association. they were very sweet. north american menopause society, north american award for excellence in media journalism. very nice. all the health reporting that i normally do for "good morning america" health. >> your other job when you are not filling in. >> day job. >> congratulations. well earn

here's john hendren. >> reporter: it's enough to make you lose your appetite. >> the third most deadly foodborne outbreak in the united states. >> reporter: attorney bill marler represents about a dozen people made sick from eating cantaloupe. just one food crisis in a spate of others that recall beef, lettuce and tomatoes. that's everything in a burger but the bread. >> people die. we all will. but you shouldn't die from eating cantaloupe. you shouldn't die from eating food. you shouldn't die from having a meal with a friend. it just shouldn't be that way. >> reporter: perhaps the most frightening of the most recent outbreaks, is listeria in cantaloupe, killing at least 16 people, making it the most deadly food crisis in the united states in 10 years. it's believed the cantaloupes came from here, jensen forms in holly, colorado. the cantaloupes were supposedly shipped from july 29 th to september 10th. because you haven't shown symptoms doesn't mean you're in the clear. >> you ingest a small amount of listeria. it doesn't make you feel sick right away. >> reporter: it can take two mon

abc's john hendren has details on that from washington. >> reporter: security experts worry these could become al qaeda's next weapon. an intelligence bulletin from the department of homeland security and the fbi, says violent extremists with knowledge of general aviation and access to small planes poses significant potential threat to the homeland. although, they have no information a specific attack is in the work. there's 228,000 general aviation planes. too many to monitor. small planes like these come and go without the scrutiny faced by passenger airline jets. as soon as one lifts off here in college park, maryland, it's in view of the capitol, the pentagon and the white house. al qaeda is no longer determined only to sur sue massive, 9/11-style attacks. >> if they try a lot of smaller attacks, they're just as effective as far as the fear factor. they get more bang for their buck. >> reporter: last year, a man with a grudge against the federal government, flew this plane into a federal building in austin, texas. two o oicials died in that crash. john hendren, abc news, college par

abc's john hendren has that story. >> reporter: security experts worry these could become al qaeda's next weapon. an intelligence bulletin from the department of homeland security and the fbi says small planes pose a significant threat to the homeland. there are 228,000 general aviation plans at 4,000 airports across the nation. too many to monitor. small planes like these come and go without all the scrutiny faced by passenger airline jets. as soon as one lifts off here in college park, maryland, it's in view of the capitol, the pentagon and just ten miles from here, the white house. intelligent expert, say al qaeda is no longer determined to pursue only massive 9/11-style attacks. >> they try a lot of smaller attacks, they're just as effective as far as the fear factor. and so they really get more bang for their buck. >> reporter: last year, a man with a grudge against the federal government flew this plane into an irs office in austin, texas. two died in that crash. federal officials fear the next time might be far more deadly. john hendren, abc news, college park, maryland. >>> w

john hendren at the white house, thank you. i want to bring in our senior washington editor, rick klein. and we know chris christie said he's not running. we also are going to hear in the coming days that same followup question diane asked him a few months back, which was, why not? here's how he answered her and i want to get your reaction here. >> if you see things falling apart, most people have the impulse to go in and try to save the situation. >> good way to put it. you don't make a decision to run for president of the united states based on impulse. i don't feel ready in my heart to be president and unless i do, i don't have any right offering myself to the people of this country. >> so, we heard him say then, he doesn't have it in his heart. but in politics, can you change the heart quickly? >> that is the big question right now. and there is a concerted effort by big name and big money republicans to get chris christie to reconsider. and if he does change his mind, he would have serious explaining to do. but the bigger

and's john hendren is at the scene this morning. john, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, dan. a decade later, the scars on the pentagon have healed, though, if you look closely, you can still see the discoloration where the new limestone has been laid alongside the old. osama bin laden is dead, thanks to troops who report to commanders inside that building. but al qaeda lives on. that explains today's heightened security now facing a new terror threat. 184 people, , you said, dan, died here that day. 125 of them inside the pentagon, 54 of them on american airlines flight 77. there's now a memorial with benches to commemorate each of them. today around 10:00 eastern, former president george bush and his wife will come to pay their respects, laying a wreath on that memorial. tomorrow, president obama comes to pay his respects. 23,000 people work inside that building and each and every one of them can tell you how they've been personally affected either on that day or in the decade of war that follows. dan and bian

abc's john hendren is following that story this morning from washington. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, bianna. what's notable about the florida straw poll is less who won than who lost. everyone anyone considered a top contender in the gop presidential race. the week's big winner in the republican primary is nobody. >> see you later. >> reporter: not texas governor rick perry. he'd been heavily favored to win yesterday's straw poll yesterday but came in a distant second. a humiliating defeat. likely in part over his policy of giving college aid to illegal immigrants. >> rick perry has lost a lot of conservatives in here by being pro-illegal immigration. >> reporter: not mitt romney, he didn't even campaign for it. not michele bachmann, who won the straw poll in iowa. she came in dead last. the gop presidential contender who came out on top in florida was herman cain? >> herman cain, moi, got twice as many votes as the next contender, rick perry. >> reporter: that's right. the man who brought you godfather's pizza. 37% compared to 15% for r

abc's john hendren is joining us in washington with more on the speech and the reaction. hi, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and tanya. some predicted this could be one of the most important speeches of the obama presidency. it was a speech about the economy. it was also the opening volley in the president's 2012 presidential campaign. president obama painted a stark choice. more jobs or more joblessness. >> the question is whether in the face of an ongoioi national crisis, we can stop the political circus and actually do something to help the economy. >> reporter: if republicans block his new jobs plan, he made it clear he will use it to campaign against them. >> you should pass it. and i intend to take that message to every corner of this country. >> reporter: the plan would give tax credited up to $5,600 for businesses who hire unemployed veterans. $4,000 for hiring anyone unemployed for more than six months. extend the current payroll tax for workers saving $1,500 for the average working family earning $50,000 a year. >> the next election is 14 months away. the p

abc's john hendren joins us with the details. hi, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and tanya. it was a somber night for a man in georgia put to death despite lingering questions over his guilt. he's been on death row for two decades for a murder he says he did not commit. >> that is. >> that is. >> my name. >> my name. >> reporter: that wouldn't be unusual, except 7 of the 9 witnesses who helped convict him agree. all seven say he was not the man who gunned down off-duty police officer mark macphail. in 1989. six say police threatened them if they did not identify davis. supporters who note there was no physical evidence linking davis to the murder called for a last-minute reprieve. >> there's too much doubt for this execution to continue. >> reporter: those hopes dimmed tuesday when the georgia pardons and parole board rejected his clemency bid to the relief of macphail's family. >> we have put up with this stuff for 22 years, and it's time for justice today. >> reporter: macphail was shot to death while rushing to help a homeless man who had been attacked. >> they think i'm

so, abc's john hendren joins us now from washington with more on the story. hey, john. good morning to you. >> reporter: dan, good morning to you. perry's favored to win in today's florida straw poll. and he's captured the heart of the tea party movement that's now driving the republican party. but as you said, his fumbling performance in the debates have a lot in the gop asking if he can go the distance in the general election. the gun-slinging governor of texas is focusing his fire squarely on his closest rival. >> socialized medicine has already been tried. and it failed. not just in western europe. but in massachusetts. >> reporter: in florida, for today's straw poll, perry's targeting mitt romney, and the massachusetts health care plan critics call romney care. >> it kills too many jobs. it gets in between you and your doctor, whether it's passed in massachusetts or washington, d.c. >> reporter: but even perry seems to concede, in recent gop debates, he's been firing blanks. >> it's not who is the slickest candidate or the smoothest debater that we need to elect. >

abc's john hendren has the details. >> reporter: security experts worry these could become al qaeda's next weapon. an intelligence bulletin from the department of homeland security and the fbi says violent extremists with knowledge of general aviation and access to small planes poses significant potential threat to the homeland. though they have no information a specific attack is in the works. there are 228,000 general aviation planes at 4,000 airports across the nation. too many to monitor. small planes like these come and go without scrutiny faced by passenger airline jets. as soon as one lifts off in college park, maryland, it's in view of the capitol, the pentagon, and the white house. intelligence experts say al qaeda is no longer determined to pursue only massive 9/11-style attacks. >> if they try a lot of smaller attacks they're just as effective as far as the fear factor. so they really get more pang for their buck. >> reporter: l lt year a man with a grudge against the federal government flew this plane into an irs office in austin, texas. federal officials fear the next tim

abc's john hendren is in washington now with a preview. >> reporter: good morning, rob and tanya. we are told that just hours ago, president obama was still working on his address to the nation about creating jobs. but as details of that plan come out, polls are also suggesting the president faces an uphill battle in persuading americans this plan will make a difference. the stakes and expectations for president obama's jobs plan could hardly be higher. >> be bold, mr. president. be bold, congress. the american public is waiting for us. whether it's to hit that home run or throw that hail mary pass. we can do it, we've done it before, there's no reason we shouldn't try. >> reporter: mitt romney panning the plan before it's even out. >> president obama's strategy is a pay phone strategy and we're in a smartphone world. what he's doing is taking quarters and stuffing them into the pay phone. >> reporter: romney offered his own plan, focusing heavily on tax breaks and easing regulations for businesses. the president faces an increasingly skeptical public. >> i just feel that he's not

abc's john hendren tells us what else she had to say to tea party supporters in iowa. [fans cheering] >> reporter: sarah palin's addressed everything you would expect from a presidential campaign announcement with attacks on the other guy. >> the only future president obama is trying to save is his own reelection. all aboard to obama's plan to bankruptcy. >> but her plan was short of details. >> my plan is a bonafide pro working-man's plan, reigning in the things that are a boot on our neck. >> tea partyers hoped to hear her announcement but she teased them. >> barack obama has shown us cronyism on steroids. >> and a new joke. >> polls are for strippers and cross country skiers. >> and she turned her fire on the man who would be her rival, the presumed front runner, rick perry, long-time politician. >> we are governed by a political class. they spend, they print, they borrow, they spend more and then they stick us with the bill. >> palin will face off for the first time against romney in south carolina tomorrow which is expected to get pretendious. he also has been mak

john hendren has details. good morning, john. >> reportete good morning. that's right. first, sarah palin was on. then she was off. now we're told once again she's on for a big speech at a tea party rally in iowa. that, after she reportedly refused to speak if tea party rival christy o'donnell also appeared. the question is, will she or won't she? >> that is awesome. >> reporter: she's the master of the political tease. still undeclared. officially, just 2012 curious. >> i think it's early. it's too early. >> reporter: there are clues she's in it to win it. in 2012. the campaign-style bus tour. last night's meeting with grass roots iowa supporters and key speeches this weekend in iowa and new hampshire. there are clues that the mama grizzly is out. she's scheduled to speak in south korea on a day of a debate in new hampshire. she lacks a national campaign machine. and then there are her supporters, a committed minority. passionate, but not populous. >> in terms of being a serious competitor, i think her moment has passed. >> reporter: the latest polling has her running

abc's john hendren has the latest from washington. good morning, john. >> reporter: good morning, rob and yunji. the economic news keeps getting worse and all the wrong things are up, number of people applying for unemployment insurance is up, layoffs are up and defaults are up. the stagnant economy showing more signs of dragging. >> i'm just hopeful that things turn around. >> reporter: the number of people applying for unemployment benefits last week rose by 11 t. highest level in three months a sign layoffs are on the rise and the sign that the president faces a tough re-election fight. >> eveas a loo donirec that even barack obama is taking this country. >> president obama speaking at a formal dinner is using the crunch to pressure congress on his jobs plan. >> not just here but all across the country lift up your voice, make yourself heard. if you think it is time to pass a jobs bill that will put millions of americans back to work call on congress to do the right thing. >> reporter: hour jo n. >> if we wan we creates jobs ineric

john hendren is covering a big speech that palin just gave out in iowa. john, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning to you, dan. is was a match made in campaign heaven. the potential candidate and the people of iowa. she paid tribute to hawkeyes football. they shouted run, sarah, run. and then, everybyby waited for sarah palin to seal the deal. sarah palin's fiery address had everything you would expect from a campaign announcemenen >> thank you, iowa. it is so wonderful to be here. >> reporter:r:t has lacerating attacks on the other guy. >> the only future that barack obama is trying to save is his own re-election. all aboard obama's bullet train to bankruptcy. >> reporter: it has a jobs plan, one typically short on details. >> my plan is a bona fide pro-workingman's plan. free from the regulations that are a boot on our neck. >> reporter: it had everything. everything except the announcement so many tea party faithful were waiting to hear. that nevererame. but she teased them with a folksy, new catchphrase to appeal to regular folks. >> corpora

abc's john hendren has details. >> reporter: first came the plan now comes the pressure. >> this is the bill that congress needs to pass. no games. no politics, no delays. >> reporter: president obama is following up on the $447 bilillion jobs plan he outlined to congress last week with a push to pass it. he spoke in the rose garden, flanked by those who would benefit most, teachers, police officers, firefighters, and construction workers, hoping for the roughly two million jobs t expected to create. >> reporter: the bottom line when it comes to strenheni the economy and balancing our books we have to decide what our priorities are. do we keep tax loopholes for oil companies, or do we put teachers back to work? >> reporter: white house officials in a rare move writing the bill themselves are sending it to congress, the democratic national committee is not waiting already upping the pressure with the new ad. >> the next election is 14 months away. and the people who sent us here, they don't have the luxury of waiting 14 months. >> reporter: the president began a campaign-style sweep last

abc's john hendren has an eye on the sky he is watching. good morning, john. >> good morning. your odds of getting hit by space junk got slimmer. if you are some where in north america you are almost certainly safe. a big change. scientists were saying two dozens fast moving hunks of space junk will come hurtling out of the sky and strike ground in texas or michigan or florida or they'll plunge harmlessly into the atlantic ocean. >> it is just, not under control at all. that makes it very difficult to predict where it is going to come down. >> reporter: don't panic. that was then. now scientists say it's clear the bus-sized 6 1/2-ton satellite will crash north of australia or near the coast of chile maybe. as this simulation shows, most is expected to burn as it enters the atmosphere. two dozen pieces are expected to fall to earth as far as 500 miles apart. the odds of anyone getting hit are long, one in 3,200 according to an early estimate. >> chance of a car wreck is one in 16. this isn't much to worry about. >> reporter: ask this woman. she was on a walk in tulsa when she w