alaska, oil giant shell starting to drill into the sea. environmentalists concerned about a repeat of bp's gulf oil disaster. he's had four neck surgeries and missed the entire 2011 football season. that does not matter for peyton manning. the denver broncos quarterback looks like the manning of old. looks like the manning of old. "newsroom" starts now. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com good morning. happy monday to you. i'm carol casostello. thank you so much for joining us this morning. it's 8:00 a.m. in chicago. but on this school day teachers are out of the classroom and on the picket line. nearly 30,000 union members are now on strike. their goeshs negotiations broke last night. cnn's casey wian is live outside an elementary school. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, carol. this is the sight parents in chicago did not want to see. teachers not in their classrooms. instead, outside of their schools walking the picket line. that started about 6:30 a.m. local time this morning after, as you mentioned, those talks broke down last night. those talks were described over the weekend as very intense, very productive. the two sides have said that they're very close on the issue of teacher pay. they're offering a 16% raise over four years for the average teacher. but the school board says they basically cannot offer anymore. they did all they could. here's what the school board president had to say. >> the mayor said last night that this was a strike of choice, choice by the teachers. teachers' union. that it was avoidable, and it was. for the last several days, we have been negotiating intensely. we've made over 20 proposals to improve this offer. apparently we were making proposals at the time they were out walking out on strike. >> reporter: now, some of the teachers we've spoken with this morning here, also the teachers union, saying that there are other issues that they are striking over. and the chief of those issues remain the working conditions that the teachers have in the schools, specifically a new way of evaluating these teachers that are tied to test scores. the teachers union says that could result in the dismissal of up to 6,000 teachers over the next one or two years. they're also very concerned about health benefits. they say they do not want changes to their existing health programs. in the meantime, carol, what this means for parents, they're scrambling. working parents scrambling to find arrangements for child care for their school age children. schools like this have been opened for four hours this morning, starting in about a half hour. that's a temporary fix. it's not a full day. and it remains to be seen how many parents are actually going to be willing to drop off their kids for a temporary arrangement. have those kids actually have to cross this picket line, carol. >> tough. casey wian reporting live from chicago this morning. a controversial drilling project in alaska now under way. shell oil is building an offshore oil well in a sea 90 miles off the north slope between the united states and russia. just the possibility of a disaster like the one in the gulf back in 2010 has people in alaska very concerned. alison kosik is at the new york stock exchange. this project has been in the work for six years now? >> there has been. there's even been a two-year delay for more safety testing because of the bp disaster that happened in the gulf of mexico. i want to give you an idea just what this project looks like. this is the animation from shell oil of the site we're talking about. what's happened here is the obama administration, it gave the go ahead to start what it calls limited preparatory activities. that includes installing a blowout preventer. we all learned that term two years ago when pb's blowout preventer failed in the gulf of mexico and launched the biggest oil disaster. that prompted a moratorium on all offshore drilling on new projects. the u.s. geological survey estimates we may be able to get more than 90 billion barrels of oil, carol, from this part of the world. that's about a 13-year supply based on how much crude americans use every day. carol? >> shell says it could handle a big oil spill. environmentalists are not so sure. why? >> oh, yeah. you know this. environmentalists, gosh, they've really fought for this for decades. first of all, they don't want drilling to disrupt the fragile wildlife habitat there. second, there are big safety concerns with bp still very fresh on their minds. shell insists, though, it's taken every precaution. sierra club disagrees, saying approving this project is, quote, like building -- like a building inspector letting a developer start construction on a skyscraper on shaky ground before the safety plans are even complete. loek cals are also worried abou what a potential problem would do to animals in the region that residents depend on for survival. again, carol, the government has put shell through the wringer on this. it took six years to get approval. the project is going forward. everybody's just hoping for the best. carol? >> alison cottkosik, thank you. congress is getting back to work today after a five-week recess. live picture of capitol hill. looks lonely yet. that's because nobody, as in lawmakers, arriving just yet because the gavel doesn't come down until 2:00 p.m. eastern. they'll start arriving then. question is, will law mamakers actually accomplish anything when the gavel does come down? gallup poll shows only 10% of americans approve of what congress is doing. with 58 days to the election, are they expected to do anything to turn that around? senior congressional correspondent dana bash joins us now. what can we expect on the hill today? >> reporter: well, let me put up on the screen for you what we really expect between now and the election. i'm not sure if you can consider one item a list. let's look at it. fund the government. it is congress's basic function to make sure that the government is funded. the real job is to pass about a dozen spending bills. none of that has happened. they all understand that it is politically dicy, to say the least, for both parties to allow the government to shut down. they're going to make sure it's funded for six months. there are some things that may get done between now and the election. i emphasize "may." the first on that list is helping victims of this summer's drought. particularly the farmers. of course, victims of the hurricane. underneath that is a farm bill. that is going to be a pretty heavy lift if they can get it done. farm bill is done for five years. it is a trillion dollars in spending. and it does some reforms, but there are some major party and regional differences over how to get that done, carol. >> okay. we saw the first list. what are some of the things that congress will not be working on? >> i know this is going to shock you. that list is a lot longer. the things they're not going to get done before the election. first and foremost, the so-called fiscal cliff. now, this is the whole idea that congress -- excuse me- that the government will have to cut spending. that's the law right now. and that those bush-era tax cuts will expire by the end of the year. now, most people here realize that is going to be the number one issue that congress is going to work on after the election, because they have to between now and the end of the year. but there are other things that are really important that are likely going to fall by the w waysi wayside. cyber security legislation. many in the intelligence community say is absolutely critical for national security. the violence against women act, the law of the land, that is going to expire. and postal reform. may not sound like that big of a deal, but it really is a big deal for those of us who really still rely on snail mail. >> dana bash reporting live from capitol hill this morning. oh, let's talk sports. the fun kind. it had been 611 days since peyton manning played a meaningful football game. after last night it looked like he'd never been gone. manning and the denver broncos beat the pittsburgh steelers 31-19. manning's first touchdown throw a 71-yard bomb. that was also record breaking. he becomes the fastest quarterback to throw 400 touchdowns quicker than dan marino or brett favre. >> dan marino and brett favre are two of my favorite players of all time. two of the best quarterbacks of all time. i don't really feel comfortable being in that company. but to be mentioned amongst them, it's truly humbling and quite an honor. and it's not one that i take lightly. >> opening weekend ends tonight with a double header. cincinnati bengals travel to baltimore ravens. then the san diego charges visit the black hole for a date with the oakland raiderraiders, 10:1 eastern. serena williams keeps on winning. the olympic gold medalist took home her fourth u.s. open title. williams fought off two match points to beat victoria azarenka. i think she was happy. on the men's side andy murray will try to keep his hot streak alive. the men's olympic gold medalist takes on novak djokovic this afternoon. the president gets a boost in the polls and in the pizza shop. we'll have more on the man who literally gave obama a lift. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still stubbed up. 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[ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels speeds relief to your worst cold symptoms plus has a decongestant for your stuffy nose thanks. that's the cold truth! thanks. you see us, at the start of the day. on the company phone list that's a few names longer. you see us bank on busier highways. on once empty fields. everyday you see all the ways all of us at us bank are helping grow our economy. lending more so companies and communities can expand, grow stronger and get back to work. everyday you see all of us serving you, around the country, around the corner. us bank. you know, ronny... folks who save hundreds of dollars by switching to geico sure are happy. and how happy are they jimmy? i'd say happier than a bodybuilder directing traffic. he does look happy. get happy. get geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. this just into cnn. the fbi says it has now arrested the mayor of trenton, new jersey. tony mac faces a public corruption charge after a two-year investigation. feds have scheduled a noon news conference to explain the case against him. we're making phone kaucalls and will bring you more details as we get them in. new polls show president obama leading his republican rival mitt romney by the largest margin since early july. a gallup poll has the president in the lead by five percentage points with 49% versus romney's 44%. president got a bounce in the numbers in the days after the democratic national convention. at 4:00 p.m. eastern today we'll release our own post-convention, post-job numbers poll. that's not the only lift president obama has gotten lately. >> i can't even -- come on, man. >> look at that. >> man, i'm so excited. >> are you a power lifter or what? >> the president got a giant bear hug from an enthusiastic pizza owner. it reminded us of this picture in july when an olympic wrestler picked up the first lady michelle obama. what is it with picking up the obamas? cnn political director mark preston joins me now. >> what do you think the secret service was thinking when that gentleman decided to pick the president up like that? >> i don't know. what is it? it's so bizarre. that pizza shop owner, i guess, was a republican, right? >> he was overcome with a little bit of excitement. who wouldn't be excited, i guess, if the president showed up at your pizza shop. >> he said as a republican he voted for obama in the last election. i take it he's going to vote for him again this time. mark, let's talk about this latest poll and the latest fundraising figures for the president. he has a lot to be happy about. >> he sure does. he's certainly seen a bump from what we've seen from this gallup poll. as you said, we'll have our own poll in just a few hours that will really gauge where we are in the race after both conventions are over. he has good news when it comes to fundraising. in the month of june, in the month of july president obama was outraised by the republican national committee and mitt romney. but now, however, carol, in the month of august he has outraised mitt romney by a few million dollars. if you look at these in your opinions right now, it shows that president obama raised $114 million in the month of august. mitt romney raised $111.6 million. only a couple million dollars more. but i think in many ways that has got to be a big victory for the obama campaign, which had lost the two previous fundraising cycles there. as we all know, money is the fuel that is going to really generate what happens in this election, carol. >> it was a pretty good weekend for obama. but not a great weekend for the romney/ryan team. yesterday paul ryan appeared on "this week with george stephanopoulos." he had a hard time saying exactly which tax loopholes mr. romney would close. listen. >> based on your experience, i think the best way to do this is to show the framework, show the youth lines of these plans then to work with congress to do this. that's how you get things done. >> isn't that a secret plan? >> no, no. no, no. what we don't want is a secret plan. what we don't want to do is cut some back room deal like obama care and then hatch it to the country. >> why not specify the loophole now? why not say right now? >> because we want to do this -- we want to have this -- george, because we want to have this debate in the public. >> but he's talking about after the election. and right now the public has no idea which tax loopholes that governor romney wants to close to make up for these tax cuts that he wants to put into place for the wealthiest americans. >> you have to wonder if they even know what those tax loopholes are themselves right now, carol. in politics there's something to be said about not being very specific about what you want to do but to talk in broad platitudes. i think that's what we're seeing now from the romney/ryan ticket. they would also argue that what they've seen from president obama and from vice president biden is going back to old solutions and, in fact, they don't have the plan. this could potentially hurt them when it comes to the debates. i don't think it's going to hurt them right now. i don't think the american public are zeroed in on the specific point by point proposals. but i think when we get to the debates, when we see president obama up against mitt romney and president obama asks him for specifics to his plan, and if mitt romney doesn't have an answer then, that's when i think this could be problematic for the romney ticket. carol? >> mark preston reporting live from washington, thanks. mitt romney also made interesting comments on the president's health care plan saying he actually likes some health care reform. that's the focus of today's talk back, next. [ female announcer ] roam like the gnome this fall. and get outstanding deals with the travelocity fall hotel sale. you can save up to 40% on select hotels. so book your hotel now and save up to 40%. hurry, offer ends soon. book now at travelocity. now is your chance to talk back on one of the big stories of the day. the question for you this morning, should mitt romney bend on obama care? strange question, yes, since mitt romney has long vowed to kill the bill. >> and i'll tell you one thing, we're going to have to have a president, and i'm that one, that's going to get rid of obama care. we're going to stop it on day one! >> now we're not quite so sure. on nbc's "meet the press" romney seemed to waffle. >> i'm not getting rid of all of health care reform, of course. there are a number of things that i like in health care reform that i'm going to put in place. >> romney said he wants to keep provisions requiring insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions and allowing children to stay longer on their parents' plan. the romney camp says their candidate has consistently endorsed these positions. keep in mind, romney is not embracing the individual mandate, the requirement that we all buy insurance, the one that health experts say will pay for all of that expanded coverage. and, yes, governor romney says he will still repeal obama care. but do his latest comments make you more likely to vote for him? so the talk back question this morning, should romney bend on obama care? facebook.com/carolcnn. facebook.com/carolcnn. comments later this hour. out of the classroom and on the picket line. teachers strike against the nation's third largest school system. a veteran educator, a teacher, explains why. [ woman ] dear chex cereal, you've done the impossible. made gluten-free cereals in a bunch of yummy flavors. like cinnamon chex, honey nut chex, and chocolate chex... we're in cereal heaven. so thanks. from the mcgregors, 'cause we love chex. so thanks. from the mcgregors, my name is adam frucci and i'm the i love new technology,om. so when i heard that american express and twitter were teaming up, i was pretty interested. turns out you just sync your american express card securely to your twitter account, tweet specific hashtags, and you'll get offers on things you love. this totally changes the way i think about membership. saving money on the things you want. to me, that's the membership effect. nice boots! it is 26 minutes past the hour. good morning to you. i'm carol costello. thanks for joining us today. stories we're watching right now in the "newsroom," we're a couple of ways away from the opening bell. investors looking ahead to see what the federal reserve will do when it meets this week. the central bank's two-day meeting begins on wednesday. the opening bell, by the way, will be rung by representatives from some top businesses in colombia. in south florida police are investigating a crash that killed one of their own while escorting president obama in a motorcade. the 20-year veteran died yesterday after a truck hit his motorcycle. the white house says the president did not see the crash. the president has expressed his condolences to the officer's family. in new york people are still cleaning up after two tornadoes touched down over the weekend. the first one hit a queens neighborhood. moments later another one with winds around 110 miles per hour slammed into brooklyn. the storm knocked down trees, power lines and damaged buildings. no one was hurt. this morning in chicago most public schools are empty. and the classrooms silent. teachers are now on strike. nearly 30,000 union members are off the job after months of negotiations finally broke down last night. the main sticking points? pay raises and a new way to evaluate teachers. that means some 400,000 public school students are out of class indefinitely. >> i am disappointed that we have come to this point, given that all the other parties acknowledge how close we are. because this is a strike of choice. and because of how close we are, it is a strike that is unnecessary. >> let's talk to a veteran educator who will join the picket line today. josephine hamilton perry has spent 30 years in the classroom. most of it as a teacher for the chicago public school system. welcome. >> good morning. >> i want to ask you first about what mayor rahm emanuel said. if you are so close in negotiations, why decide to strike? >> well, i want to say that i would not believe that. because if we were that close, we would not even have spent as many hours and months that we have spent talking about this contract. >> there are many people in america without jobs right now. they would say, are you crazy? you teachers should be grateful you have a job. >>