washing up in the marshes near the mouth of the mississippi river and government scientists say a small portion has reached the so-called loop current which could take it to florida and up the east coast. kelly cobiella has the latest tonight from venice, louisiana. >> this is devastating. >> reporter: this is louisiana's nightmare: heavy black oil killing the grasses that make up these vital marshes. >> this is the monster that we're fighting. it's like a serial killer. it's just tough to track. >> reporter: p.j. hahn is the director of coastal management for plaquemines parish. he's seen the oil pop up virtually overnight in pockets like this. >> we have a whole series of booms booms that come out here off the barrier islands. how's it getting in here? it's coming out under the booms. >> reporter: the oil in the marsh is thick, it's black, it almost feels like molasses in your hands. it sticks. it's been in this marsh for only about 24 hours, it's already made its way all the through and is covering the top few inches of these reeds. and this is how b.p. is cleaning it now: more boom to soak it up. >> it's like having a patient come into the e.r. with both arms off and your health care only allows for two band aids. >> reporter: the oil kills everything in these wetlands which biologists say act as an incubator for life throughout the gulf. yet on monday, b.p.'s c.e.o. says he expects the environmental impact to be minimal. he called it very, very modest. >> tell that son of a [no audio] to get on a plane and take a look at what we've got in our backyard. >> reporter: louisiana governor bobby jindal toured the area today. he's pushing for permits to build protective sand berms and running up against golf governmental red tape. >> this is the day everybody was worried about. that day is here. >> reporter: the crude's carnage could extend well beyond louisiana's marshes, satellite images and noaa confirm a long tendril of light oil has now entered the powerful loop current. it could start washing up in the florida keys in a week, maybe two. as we were obviously splattered by oil today, b.p. actually had another small success to report. that pipe that is connected to the leak on the sea floor is now bringing up more oil to the surface. b.p. says about 3,000 barrels a day. katie? >> couric: kelly cobiella in venice, louisiana. kelly, thank you. as we heard, b.p. may be having some success but no one really knows just how much oil is leaking from the blown out well. sharyl attkisson tells us congress hopes to find out by examining video from the bottom of the gulf. but some members say the oil company hasn't been much help. >> reporter: any hope of immediate access to real-time undersea video evaporated today. b.p. refused to deliver anything more than brief, edited clips. >> b.p., i think, thinks that it's their ocean so they should be able to control all of this information. it's... this is b.p.'s spill but it's the american people's ocean that they are polluting right now. >> reporter: congressman markey didn't stop with b.p. he blasted the coast guard for letting b.p. call the shots. coast guard officials were hon a boat with b.p. contractors that stopped our cameras from viewing an oily beach. and the coast guard, which is in charge of the investigation, admits it's had access to live video since day one but won't let congress or the public see it. today interior secretary ken sell czar seemed to think the video had been turned over. >> my understanding it that those materials are available. >> reporter: when we told him they aren't, he said "it will all come out in the investigation." today independent scientists told congress the video is crucial to stopping the leak, figuring the impact, and seeing what tactics work. >> can you think of a reason why b.p. and the coast guard would withhold the video from public viewing? >> i can't. >> reporter: the scientists also couldn't explain why b.p. and the government are using the figure of 5,000 barrels or 210,000 gallons a day, an independent oil flow expert said it's at least two leaks totaling 95,000 barrels, or four million gallons a day. as for b.p.'s number: >> i don't see any possibility, any scenario under which their number is accurate. >> reporter: late today, b.p. said it will give select members of congress only access to the lye undersea feed of the leak soon. katie? >> couric: sharyl attkisson, thanks very much. the federal government has closed off 19% of gulf waters to fishing. more than 45,000 square miles. and a lot of fishermen are wondering when they'll make their next catch. and michelle miller reports businesses along the coast are bracing for the worst. >> we need something quick. >> reporter: it's been a roller coaster month for louisiana businessman jesse morris. his restaurant business is doing extremely well, up from 150 to 800 meals a day thanks to the high number of oil spill workers in town. but his other investment-- a charter fishing company-- is on the verge of shutdown. how many cancellations. >> we've had... all of may canceled. >> reporter: to help out his fishing buddies, he's offered several of them jobs in his kitchen. he's hoping they can hold on until this crisis passes. >> it will pay a lot of families' bills. that's the goal, to help people. >> reporter: across town, eric tiser is one of those who needs help. since hurricane katrina he's been live nag fee pa trailer. he's a commercial shrimper and he's scared. >> this could wipe out our livelihood. >> two weeks ago he received $5,000 in compensation from b.p. for lost wages. >> this is me on the boat. >> reporter: shrimp boat deckhand melissa mott collected her $2500 check just this week. >> it's better than nothing, you know? it's way better than nothing. i'm going to end up having to look for another job. >> reporter: she might want to apply for work at jesse morris' place. he's now expanding his restaurant. my motto is i'm going to get better or bitter and i'd rather be better. >> reporter: but as the oil gets closer, morris expects things to get worse. he's hoping a few weeks from now he's still optimistic. michelle miller, cbs news, venice, louisiana. >> couric: in politics, it was the biggest day so far in the battle for control of congress. three key senate primaries yesterday in a special election for a vacant house seat. jeff greenfield is our senior political correspondent. jeff, let's start with senator arlen specter who's a long... long time political career is officially over. he lost to congressman joe sestak despite the fact that the democratic establishment was firmly behind specter. do you think his strategy of "i'd rather switch parties than lose" came back to haunt him? >> reporter: absolutely. you here in a democratic primary, inspects can't vote, you're asking democrats to vote for somebody who was for ronald reagan and george w. bush and sarah palin and clarence thomas. no matter what the leaders said, voters won't going to do that. i think there was a hidden underground issue, arlen specter is 880, had health problems and i think that was a real problem. >> couric: let's go to the district of pennsylvania because of the death of congressman john murtha. his long-time aide critz beat tim burns, the republican challenger. is the g.o.p. disappointed about that? >> no question about it. this was a district that went for john mccain no '08, they thought this was going to be a similar symbol of big gains in the fall and they lost for a wide margin. the not so good news is that the victor, mr. critz was very far away from the national democrats. he said he would have voted against a health care bill. so it's a half full/half empty glass i think. >> couric: they're calling it a big victory for the tea party movement in kentucky. rand paul won by a huge margin. >> reporter: mitch mechanic connell, the republican leader in the senate wanted trey grayson, the secretary of state, as the candidate and the republican voters in kentucky said absolutely not, we're going with the tea party fellow. democrats in kentucky think mr. paul may be just too far to the right and they think they have a shot at picking up this open republican senate seat. >> couric: in arkansas, senator blanche lincoln was fighting for her political life and apparently she still is because she's not liberal enough? >> she moved toward the center, wouldn't support the public option, broke with labor and labor and some liberals went well behind the lieutenant governor. but whoever wins that runoff, the democrat will be an underdog to the republican nominee. the republicans think that's a seat they'll pick up in november. >> couric: chip reid is standing by at the white house. chip, how is the white house assessing or spinning yesterday's election results? >> reporter: well, katie, the spin from the white house is that this was a very good day, but they're focusing almost exclusively on that race in southwestern pennsylvania where the democrat beat a republican. they say it shows that a democrat in a district where obama is not very popular can win and they say that's good news for november. they may not lose as many seats as they had feared. katie? >> couric: jeff, what do you think the overall takeaway message is? >> i think it's don't put a lot of stock in november results based on the primaries. primary voters are engaged, they're ideological and i would not read a lot for the fall. we'll have to wait and see how these things play out, katie? >> couric: jeff greenfield and chip reid, thank you both. turning now to afghanistan where the taliban are once again stepping up their attacks on u.s. forces. today they tried to storm bagram airfield, the control center for u.s. operations. but they didn't get far. terry mccarthy reports, though, they did send a message. >> reporter: it was a brazen attack against the biggest u.s. airfield in the country and it clearly took american forces by surprise. before dawn, some 30 taliban crept up close to bagram and fired rockets, grenades, and automatic rifles. one rocket landed inside the base, setting a building on fire and causing minor damage. one u.s. contractor was killed and nine american soldiers were wounded. as helicopter gunships circled overhead, u.s. troops returned fire, killing ten of the attackers, according to a u.s. military spokesperson. it took eight hours before u.s. and afghan forces finally managed to secure the area around the airfield. last week, the taliban announced a spring offensive against the u.s. and its allies. today's attack suggests that offensive may have already begun. katie? >> couric: terry mccarthy reporting from kabul tonight. in bangkok, thailand today, there was chaos in the streets. army troops attacked protestors who had been occupying the downtown business district for weeks demanding new elections and a new government. some of the protest leaders surrendered today but hard-liners set fire to a shopping mall, the stock exchange, and several banks. at least five demonstrators and one journalist were killed. still ahead here on the "cbs evening news," t.s.a. agents specially trained to spot terrorists at the airport. so why haven't they caught one? for me to breathe. advair is different from most other medications because it contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help you breathe better. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. i'm glad you came, grandma. oh, me too. if copd is still making it hard to breathe, ask your doctor if including advair will help improve your lung function for better breathing. 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if it worked, you would catch them. >> reporter: and scientists are split over whether it's even possible to recognize terrorists simply by behavior detection. this 2008 report found no evidence it works. >> t.s.a. is doing a number of things in the area of behavioral detection and i personally think that some of them are shams. >> reporter: in a statement today, the t.s.a. called the program a vital layer of security based in science that has resulted in more than 1,700 arrests for illegal activities like drug smuggling. the report, based on the g.a.o. investigation, is due to be released tomorrow. it will recommend across-the-board improvements, one it is t.s.a. is expected to accept. armen keteyian, cbs news, at reagan national airport. >> couric: an american soldier is in line for a rare honor00 147 years after his death. the secretary of the army today approved a request to award the medal of honor to union lieutenant alonzo cushing. cushing died commanding an artillery unit on the last day of the battle of gettysburg. badly wounded and in extreme pain, he stayed with his men ordering them to hold their ground, and they did. >> what? 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that's... >> because my mom doesn't have any papers. >> well, we have to work on that. we have to fix that. >> couric: coming up next, hunger in america. how are these children of the recession doing one year later? 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[ male announcer ] have a heart to heart with your doctor about your risk. and about lipitor. >> couric: this land of plenty, we sometimes forget that many people in this country go to bed hungry every night, and some are not old enough to put food on the table themselves. tonight, seth doane checks back on some of these children of the recession. >> reporter: these raw, revealing photographs of hungry kids were supposed to shock and stir action. >> legislation moves slowly. >> reporter: one year later, this may be the biggest change. >> so this is the main slide welcome you you the exhibit but you've had to change the numbers. >> right, because it's getting worse. >> reporter: in 2007, 12.4 million children in the u.s. were hungry. now there are almost 17 million. nearly one in four kids. new numbers reflecting the recession's impact. >> this recession is going to be etched on the bodies of those children who will become adults. >> reporter: the exhibit "witnesses to hunger" was mariana chilton's idea. she gave cameras to 40 lower income philadelphia women. >> the pictures that i took before i became homeless. >> reporter: marinette roman had a photo in the exhibit and five hungry kids in a shelter. >> it hurts. you know, i had to put my kids in this situation. >> reporter: her then 13-year-old son louis often went to sleep with an empty stomach. >> i just don't like that nobody knows that i'm hungry. >> reporter: but after almost a year in the shelter... >> oh, my god, i didn't know whether to cry, scream, or what. >> reporter: last october they moved into temporary transitional housing with help from a local nonprofit. do you remember the first day you walked into this house? >> yeah. >> reporter: how was that? >> i was happy. i was... i was laughing. >> reporter: louis settled right in to his own room. >> the bed and the t.v. >> reporter: and marinette hers. >> i'm always in the kitchen. it's kind of like i missed it so much. (laughs). >> reporter: you missed having a kitchen. but she still does not have a job because she can not afford child care. marinette scrapes by with government assistance. still, life is better, says louis' younger brother eric. what's it like to not be hungry anymore. >> better because i can just lay down and go to sleep without being hungry, having to worry and stuff. >> reporter: there is still plenty to worry about. come october, their time this house will run out. >> i am a witness to hunger everyday. >> reporter: imani sullivan had a picture in the exhibit, too. this is her nine-year-old son. tell me about those times that you don't eat. >> i cry. >> reporter: why do you cry? >> because i'm hungry. i. >> it started getting rough for me. >> reporter: she searches for work everyday, cleaning houses when she can. but she fell behind on the rent and lost her home where we met last year. >> my whole life just turned around in the one year's time. >> reporter: it's much different? much worse? >> much worse. give mommy the pillow over there in the corner. >> reporter: now she makes her bed each night on the floor of her mother's house. the kids sleep on the couch. >> sometimes i can't even look my kids in the face. >> reporter: why? >> because it hurts too bad. when i'm feeding them and i know they're going to ask me for more, what am i supposed to tell them? >> reporter: do you know when your mom's having a tough time getting enough food for the house? >> yes. when she comes home her face looks sad. >> reporter: really? when she can't get enough food? >> yes. she looks sad. >> my biggest and gravest concern is that after the recession the middle-class will start to grow and the poor that's always been there will not be able to pull out of the recession with the rest of the crowd. >> you want apple sauce? >> reporter: for those already down, it will be a much more difficult climb. >> go sit down. >> reporter: seth doane, cbs news, philadelphia. >> couric: and finally tonight, in the spirit of collaboration not competition, diane sawyer, brian williams and i will be hosting the second "stand up to cancer" telecast this september 10 on all three networks and several cable channels. the last special raised more than $100 million to fund dream teams of scientists working together to fight this disease. for more information, you can go to standup2cancer.org. thanks for watching. i'm katie couric. from the first local station with news in high definition, this is the 9news now. good evening, tonight in your only local news at 7:00, drinking problems. questions about exactly what the cdc knew about the threat from lead in the district's drinking water and what it told us. wake up call. women say two attacks in a popular part of arlington have them on alert. and, quick thinking. a nine-year-old boy is being abducted and helps police find the suspected kidnapping. i'm suray chin, where police say a nine-year-old boy was riding his scooter when a former school bus driver tried to lure him into a pickup truck. the boy not only got away, but helped authorities nab the suspect. authorities say 51-year-old carl frederick rice driving a tan mazda pickup tried to abduct him. his mom taught him about stranger danger, but the lovely bones ha