now, actually pretty good since where it started pretty much in the 100 level, stocks are negative even though one of the big three credit agencies affirmed the u.s. government's aaa rating today, calling its credit worthiness exceptional. that's a sharp contrast to this month's downgrade by standard & poor's. we told you this this was going to happen yesterday. it did. protesters make san francisco's rush hour commute a mess. bay area rapid transit shut all four downtown b.a.r.t. stations last night to protesters angry over shootings involving b.a.r.t. police officers. b.a.r.t. blocked cell service at some stations last week so protesters couldn't coordinate on social media. well, phone service stayed on last night. news corps exec james murdoch may have to answer new questions in parliament on that phone hacking scandal. a british lawmaker says murdoch may have misled his committee about settlements paying to hacking victims. they want him clarify his statements. murdoch's father rupert murdoch apparently would not be required to go back and give additional testimony. australia is asking the u.s. to extradite paul douglas peters after his arrest in kentucky last night. police in australia are saying peters is the one who strapped a fake collar bomb to the neck of a wealthy software engineer and left a note demanding money. the girl believed the bomb was real and she had it around her neck for ten terrifying had hours. the fbi says peters does have ties to the u.s. >> mr. peters was arrested without incident by our louisville fbi s.w.a.t. team at the home of his former wife. +5ahj;eé#x%z"ñj believe peters former wife knew about this collar bomb incident or was involved in it in any way. a maryland sheriff wants you to look at this surveillance video, a flash mob. if you can identify anybody, he wants to know. there's about 30 people here swarming a convenience store in germantown in the middle of the night, sunday. they helped themselves to just about everything, candy, chips, sodas, other stuff. the shoplifting spree took about a minute. a much more serious appeal for help from london police. they released this video, a car runs down two police officers who were chasing looters during last week's riots. police hope the video prompts witnesses to come forward. both officers are recovering. police say they're treating this as attempted murder. friends from all over the world descending on graceland. elvis presley died 34 years ago today at his memphis mansion, but he still rakes in big money even though he's been dead almost as long as he lived. "forbes" said elvis' estate made $60 million last year. and as always, your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of today. the big question, is warren buffe buffett's tax talk good or just polit politics? >> it's not often you hear, someone say, oh, please tax me. please. but today's question is, is warren buffett's tax compromise good or just plain politics? now we've had a day to digest buffet's plea to, tax me more, it's time to ask that very question. buffet is largely a twitter hero, but as far as republicans are concerned he's a shield for president obama. buffet begs to differ. he's offering an alternative. instead of raising taxes on americans making $250,000 and up up, he told charlie rose, raise taxes on the very, very rich. >> we're also in the process undertaxing the very rich. what i propose incidentally would not touch the taxes of 99.7%. i'm talking about three tenths of one percent of the american public. the people from $1 million and on should be asked to share in the sacrifice. >> president obama embraced the idea. republicans did not. senator john cornyn tweeted, for taxraising antics like warren buffett, i'm sure treasury would take a voluntary payment for deficit reduction, as in, hey, mr. buffet, just send the u.s. treasury a check. the red dog report says, everybody knows if tax hikes on the rich fails to solve our economic crisis, which we know they will not, then team obama can go back and ask for more, opening at door to a big tax hike on america's middle class. never mind poll showed most americans favor taxing the rich more and many economists say spending cuts alone won't solve our debt woes. sot "talk back" question today, is warren buffett's tax compromise good, or is it just politics? facebook.com/carolcnn. i'll read your comments later this hour. >> thanks, carol. here is a rundown of some of the stories ahead. first, we are waiting live in iowa as the president's tour bus cuts through the heartland there. then parents disgusted and skeptical on atlanta's school system after a widespread cheating scandal. we'll ask ron clark how to win back the confidence of parents. as muslims across the world celebrate ramadan, grieving egyptians remember those who died in the fight for freedom. plus, a car flies off the road and crashes into a riverbed. >> heard this smash, seen a cloud of dust, went down there and cut the woman out of it there and pulled her out of the car. >> heroic. a california homeless man now being called a hero. and do nice guys really finish last? a new study tries to prove why you earn less for constantly saying yes. ♪ mr. grinch [ woman ] jogging stroller. you've been stuck in the garage while i took refuge from the pollen that made me sneeze. but with 24-hour zyrtec®, i get prescription strength relief from my worst allergy symptoms. so lily and i are back on the road again. with zyrtec® i can love the air®. oh, we call it the bundler. let's say you need home and auto insurance. you give us your information once, online... [ whirring and beeping ] [ ding! ] and we give you a discount on both. great! did i mention no hands in the bundler? bundling and saving made easy. now, that's progressive. call or click today. aspercreme breaks the grip, with maximum-strength medicine and no embarrassing odor. break the grip of pain with aspercreme. president obama's bus tour of the heartland is rolling through iowa farm country today. the president holding a rural economic forum with farmers and small business owners. during his stop yesterday, he got into an exchange with tea party supporters. that support he was upset over a reported remark by vice president biden comparing tea party members to terrorists. the vice president deny itted making that comment, and the president said the real issue was the debt limit stalemate. take a listen to this. >> when you're talking about -- how is your vice president calling us terrorists? i'd like to understand that. >> okay. i will explain right now, sir. >> he said we were acting like terrorists. >> no. what he said was that for us to be willing to take the economy to the brink was irresponsible. and it was. now, the truth of the matter is, considering what's said about me consistently. >> white house correspondent brianna keilar joins us live from peosta, iowa. you talkeded to that guy, i guess you could call it a confrontation, seemed like just a lively debate to me. what did he have to say? >> reporter: you know, he wanted to ask a question, and the president was calling on people who had their hands raised. and toward the end of it, this gentleman, ryan rhodes, the founder of the iowa tea party, he said he wanted to ask his question. so he just shouted it out. the president, during the town hall, actually said, we'll talk about this later. and he did talk to ryan rhodes about this. but it's been reported, drew, that vice president biden -- and this was happening over once the debt ceiling had been negotiated, the debt ceiling increase -- while he was talking behind closed doors with democrats, multiple democratic sources telling cnn they were venting about house republicans, tea party republicans, and that the reports are that vice president biden used the word "terrorists" to describe those lawmakers. what you heard president obama saying to rhodes there was kind of a semantic, hairsplaiting thing. he said, no, he didn't call you that. he said you were acting like that. again, president obama did talk to rhodes after the town hall meeting, and we had rhodes tell us exactly how the exchange went. >> i don't think he wanted to hear what i had to say and so he stated that i didn't want to hear what he had to say. he just kept saying, my vice president didn't say that, but it's on the news everywhere that he absolutely said it. >> reporter: okay, so we don't have the president's side of this, drew, but suffice to say it sounds like the two men kind of agreed to disagree and really the broad strokes here are that republicans have been frustrated by some of the language the democrats were using, be it it hostage takers or terrorists, talking about what other democrats have sort of called irresponsible brinksmanship, certainly something we've heard the president characterize that debate as, drew. >> well, breanna, the president wanted to get out of washington, d.c., to sort of meet with the people. is he accomplishing what he intended to do on this bus tour? we're just about halfway through. >> reporter: you know, certainly in that regard he is, drew. you can't get farther away from washington than we are right now here in peosta, iowa. and there's a couple of things here. he wanted to come to the rural area, no doubt, because this is a problem that it democrats really had a problem with in 2010. the president had actually done pretty well in 2008 in the counties he's visiting. but just in generally rural areas overall, democrats had a really hard time. that's why they saw themselves losing control of the house. so that's one thing. and then also the president's message has really been to come out here and to slam washington and sort of the business of washington. so being away from washington and having that backdrop has allowed him to do that successfully. the white house would argue, but he's also here unveiling a new plan for rural economic job development. he's going to be meeting today with local business leaders, farmers, unveiling new things like more capital, more loans for small businesses in rural areas, and also some increased job training and technology for economic development in rural areas as well, drew. >> brianna, thanks. wolf blitzer will take you along on the president's bus, i think, and go one-on-one with the president in an interview today. what are his plans to turn the economy around, and can he convince voters in key states? i'm sure wolf will ask him about that little exchange with the tea party fellow. you can see the interview 5:00 eastern today in "the situation room," of course. . checking some of the stories our affiliates are covering across this great story. the coast guard pulls a man to safety off cape cod after he fell off a boat. the guy 77 years old. he had been in the chilly water for an hour. his grandson didn't know how to sail so he couldn't turn the boat around. amazingly, the man is doing okay. the coast guard says that's likely because he had that life jacket and didn't have to tread water. swimmers in surfside, florida, are having to dodge what seems like a jellyfish invasion. huge swarms of them along the shore. a few beachgoers were treated for skin irritation. ocean currents are pulling the jellyfish to shore. and a homeless man being called a hero, mission bay, california. he saw a car kareen off air road and flip into a riverbed. he rushed to the car. he and two other men cut a woman out of her seat belt and pulled her to safety. >> heard this smash, seen a cloud of dust, went down there and cut the woman of there and pulled her out of the car. i didn't think she was alive when i first got up there. she started moving and moaning. >> good for you. another major credit agency rates the u.s. government. find out what fitch has to say about the world's largest economy. and what happens when the world's largest retailer raises prices? 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[ male announcer ] if you're in a ford f-150 and you see this... it's the end of the road. the last hurrah. it's when ford's powertrain warranty ends. but in this ram truck, you've still got 39,999 miles to go. ♪ guts. glory. ram. ♪ keeping a close eye on wall street, stocks started the day with a steep decline, then it looked like things were coming back. alison kosik live at the new york stock exchange. what's happening down there? >> yeah, no such luck. today the bears are out. the focus a little bit is on p europe and the slow economies in the euro zone. also a weak housing report here in the u.s., it remains in the dull drums. but we got some good news, fitch, one of the big credit agencies, reaffirmed the u.s.'s aaa credit rating saying the u.s. has exceptional credit worthiness, that that remains inta intact. however, it gave a warning that if washington doesn't put its fiscal health in order, the u.s. could be up for a downgrade in the future. >> i want to ask you about walmart because so many more people follow wall mortgage t ma -- walmart than fitch. they're out with sales numbers and second quarter not good? >> well, there's a little good, little bad. for sales here in the u.s., stores open at least a year, sales are down for the ninth straight quarter. we like to look at walmart, it's a good indicator of how the u.s. economy is doing in terms of consumer spending. with the latest earnings report with walmart, it looked like walmart could lose its edge. there's concern the company has lost its reputation for always having the lowest prices. in fact, you're seeing the recent survey results on the screen, 86% of walmart shoppers no longer think walmart offers the lowest prices. of course if people believe it, they'll shop elsewhere. we're seeing proof of that because a lot of shoppers are going to dollar stores and spending their money. wall street is reacting positively, walmart shares are up about 4%, looking at the nugget saying that sales at sam's clubs and overseas walmart stores did pretty well so that is keeping the stock at least elevated today. >> alison, thanks. we'll stick with you throughout this trading day. here is a look at today's "choose the news" stories. this is where you text 22360 to vote for the news story you want us to tell you about. first, a condolence letter from a very unlikely source, a pakistan military pilot who shot down an indian plane 46 years ago is trying to make amends. second, a tattoo that could change the face of medicine. it it can monitor your heart and brain activity and possibly save your life. the third possibility, a home for a whopping $160 million. that's all. we'll take you inside one of the most exclusive homes in london, if you vote for it. you can vote by texting 22360, 1 for condolence letter to india, 2 for the electronic tattoos or 3 for a look inside that luxury home. the winning story airs next hour. right now, though, a look at severe weather. check out derby, connecticut. looks like there's a river running right through it. just a mess of flooded backyards and ruined basements. cnn meteorologist rob marciano joins us live. rob, any news on when it will dry out up there? >> little today, more so tomorrow, then a bit more rain. the problem is here, a lot of these spots got two months' worth of rain in one day, hemp p stead, long island, saw a tremendous amount of rainfall, backed yards, driveways, secondary streets flooded. also down in baltimore, they had problems, the baltimore d.c. parkway seeing some issues, amtrak shut down for a time. and this is from the rainfall from yesterday morning, doesn't include what happened the day before that. and a sinkhole from sunday's rain in staten island, concord, staten island. there's the sinkhole because the water around the sewer pipes was leaking, causing problems there. all sorts of issues with the rainfall that's been around the northeast. these are the latest totals just from sunday to monday, jfk, 7.8 inches of rainfall, laguardia -- remember, august gets about 3.6 for the whole month. there you go, two months' worth of rain in just one day. what are we seeing now? little bit of rotation around the back side of this low that's been very slow to move out. philly to d.c. and points further south, we're really starting to see a little bit in the way of some drying. how long will that last? that's a good question. here is our computer model showing the last bit of moisture that's going to be wrung out of the clouds today, tomorrow looks dry. then we've got more rain coming in tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow evening. so that's the issue there. shouldn't be a tremendous amount of rain, but certainly is causing some travel day delays. want to talk about one other thing, the threat for severe weather across the northern plains, down across the south will continue to be hot across texas and tropical storm gert did not become a hurricane so that's a record. since we've been naming storms we've never getting through the g storm without a hurricane. so it's been a very active year, but they've been weak storms that haven't lasted long. we're watching this head into the eastern caribbean. it has the potential to form a tropical storm. it has us a bit on edge. we'll monitor it. >> we've been doing pretty good. >> yes. last few years actually. >> thanks, rob. teachers who feel pressure to cheat. a problem that extends way beyond just atlanta, and mostly hurts the kids. so what's the solution? we're going to find out from this guy, ron clooshg from the successful ron clark academy. 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