TONIGHT ON "NEWSWATCH,"

REFORMING THE N.S.A., A LOOK

AT THE PRESIDENT'S NEW PLAN

ON THE AGENCY SURVEILLANCE

PROGRAM.

Wendy: PLUS, CEASE-FIRE

IN SYRIA.

HOW A NEW PROPOSAL FROM THE

GOVERNMENT COULD HELP

UPCOMING PEACE TALKS.

Mark: AND FIND OUT WHAT

IT TAKES TO BECOME A COAST

GUARD RESCUE SWIMMER.

ALL OF THIS AND MORE TONIGHT

ON "NEWSWATCH."

GOOD EVENING.

I'M MARK MARTIN.

Wendy: AND I'M WENDY

GRIFFITH.

PRESIDENT OBAMA TODAY

DEFENDED THE GOVERNMENT'S

MASSIVE DOMESTIC SPYING

PROGRAM, BUT ANNOUNCED SOME

CHANGES.

Mark: THOSE CHANGES ARE

AIMED AS CALMING PUBLIC AND

CONGRESSIONAL OUTRAGE OVER

THE NATIONAL SECURITY

AGENCY'S PROGRAM.

DALE HURD HAS MORE IN

TONIGHT'S TOP STORY.

Reporter: TODAY THE

PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED THAT THE

N.S.A. SPYING PROGRAM WILL

BE REFORMED.

President Obama: I

BELIEVE WE NEED A NEW

APPROACH.

Reporter: THE SO-CALLED

META DATA, PHONE NUMBERS OF

HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF

AMERICANS AND DETAILED OF

WHO THEY CALLED AND WHEN

WILL STILL BE COLLECTED, BUT

NOT STORED BY THE

GOVERNMENT.

IF THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO

ACCESS THE MASSIVE DATA

BASE, IT WILL NEED COURT

APPROVAL.

BUT THE DEVIL IS IN THE

DETAILS.

HOW MUCH OF THIS REFORM

CONVERSATION IS GOING TO BE

ABOUT CURTAILING THE

SPECIFIC PROGRAMS, AND HOW

MUCH IS GOING TO BE ABOUT

IMPROVING THE CHECKS AND

BALANCES ON THE PROGRAMS

THAT ALREADY EXIST.

Reporter: THE WHITE

HOUSE AGGRESSIVELY ARGUED

THAT THE SURVEILLANCE

PROGRAM HAS BEEN CRITICAL IN

PREVENTING TERRORIST

ATTACKS, EVEN THOUGH ITS OWN

REVIEW PANEL CONCLUDED THE

PROGRAM HAS NOT PREVENTED

ANY ATTACKS.

President Obama: WE

HAVE TO MAKE IMPORTANT

DECISIONS ON HOW TO PROTECT

OURSELVES WHILE UP HOLDING

THE CIVIL LIBERTIES THAT OUR

IDEALS AND OUR CONSTITUTION

REQUIRES.

Reporter: A FIRESTORM

WAS SPARKED BY THE LEAK OF

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION BY

FORMER N.S.A. CONTRACTOR

EDWARD SNOWDEN.

LAST MONTH THE WHITE HOUSE

PANEL OFFERED PRESIDENT

OBAMA 46 RECOMMENDATIONS,

INCLUDING SHUTTING DOWN THE

PHONE SURVEILLANCE PROGRAM

BECAUSE IT PRESENTS A

LURKING DANGER OF ABUSE.

BUT ALREADY CRITICS SAY THE

PRESIDENT'S ANNOUNCEMENT

WILL MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT

FOR THE INTELLIGENCE

COMMUNITY TO DO ITS JOB.

THAT'S A PRE-9/11

MINDSET.

AND THAT WOULD MAKE ME

UNCOMFORTABLE.

Reporter: PRESIDENT

OBAMA WANTS THE INTELLIGENCE

GATHERING CHANGES IN PLACE

BY APRIL.

DALE HURD, CBN NEWS.

Wendy: AND FOR MORE ON

THIS WE TURN NOW TO DR. MARY

MANGIKIAN, AN OBSTRUCT

PROFESSOR AT REGENT

UNIVERSITY'S ROBERTSON'S

SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT.

TODAY THE PRESIDENT WAS

TRYING TO CALM CRITICS OF

THE N.S.A. MONITORING

PROGRAM.

DO YOU FEEL HE SUCCEED?

I DON'T FEEL HE CALMED

ME.

IT WAS AN INTERESTING

APPROACH.

HE TOOK US THROUGH 200 YEARS

OF HISTORY OF INTELLIGENCE,

AND WHAT HE REALLY SHOWED US

WAS THAT SECURITY AND

LIBERTY ARE TWO VALUES THAT

ARE INTENTION.

AND THEY'RE ALWAYS GOING TO

BE IN TENSION.

Wendy: MARY, HAS THE

DAMAGE ALREADY BEEN DONE?

I THINK THAT ONCE YOU

DISCOVER NEW TECHNOLOGY LIKE

THIS, YOU CAN'T PUT IT BACK

IN THE BOX.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT I SEE.

WE HAVE ALMOST LIKE A

SURVEILLANCE ARMS RACE.

HE SAID IN THAT SPEECH,

CHINA AND RUSSIA AREN'T EVEN

GOING TO HAVE THIS

CONVERSATION.

SO WE DON'T REALLY HAVE THE

LUXURY OF SAYING WE'RE NOT

GOING TO USE THIS

TECHNOLOGY.

THERE IS REALLY NO WAY TO

HAVE A MORAL HIGH GROUND.

Wendy: IS THE

GOVERNMENT MOVING IN THE

RIGHT DIRECTION NOW TO TRY

TO PROTECT AMERICA'S

PRIVACY?

I THINK HE DID WHAT HE

COULD, BUT I THINK THIS IS

JUST THE FIRST STAGE OF A

CONVERSATION THAT IS GOING

TO GO ON FOR A VERY LONG

TIME.

Wendy: MARY, SHOULD

AMERICANS HAVE THE RIGHT TO

TRANSPARENCY FROM THE

GOVERNMENT WHEN IT COMES TO

PRIVACY ISSUES?

I DON'T REALLY SEE THIS

SO MUCH AS A PRIVACY ISSUE

AS I DO AS A SECURITY

ISSUE.

WE DON'T HAVE A RIGHT TO

KNOW WHERE ALL OF THE SHIPS

ARE STATIONED IN THE PERSIAN

GULF.

WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO

HAVE THE CODES FOR THE

NUCLEAR LAUNCH SITE.

Wendy: THANK GOODNESS.

THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO

TRUST OUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS,

BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO ACT

ON OUR BEHALF AND SOMETIMES

WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE.

Wendy: FROM AN

INTERNATIONAL STANDPOINT,

HOW HAVE THE N.S.A.

REVELATIONS HURT AMERICA?

AND DO YOU THINK WE CAN

RECOVER FROM THIS?

I THINK IT MADE US LOOK A

BIT HYPOCRITICAL.

THERE IS THAT KIND OF DO AS

I SAY AND NOT AS I DO.

I THINK HE ADDRESSED THAT

VERY WELL IN HIS SPEECH AS

WEM.

HE SAID THAT AMERICA SOMEHOW

OR ANOTHER HAS TO BE A

DEMOCRACY AND STILL FIND A

WAY TO USE SURVEILLANCE TO

PROTECT AMERICANS AND THAT

IS A TRICKY JOB.

Wendy: MARY, THANK YOU

FOR COMING OVER FROM THE

REGENT SCHOOL OF

GOVERNMENT.

WE APPRECIATE YOUR

INSIGHTS.

THANK YOU.

Mark: CONGRESS HAS

PASSED A $1.1 TRILLION

BIPARTISAN SPENDING BILL.

IT PAYS FOR THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF

OBAMACARE.

DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS

SAY THE MEASURE IS A

COMPROMISE TO PREVENT AN

ELECTION YEAR GOVERNMENT

SHUTDOWN, BUT NOT EVERYONE

IS HAPPY.

SENATOR TODD COBURN OF

OKLAHOMA SAYS LAWMAKERS

IGNORED AN OPPORTUNITY TO

ELIMINATE WASTEFUL

PROGRAMS.

Wendy: PRESIDENT OBAMA

SAYS HIS ADMINISTRATION IS

COMMITTED TO PROMOTING

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM ACROSS THE

GLOBE.

CBN'S WHITE HOUSE

CORRESPONDENT JENNIFER

WISHON ASKED PRESS SECRETARY

JAY CARNEY TO GIVE HER SOME

EXAMPLES OF HOW, AND TO

ASSURE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

THAT THE OBAMA

ADMINISTRATION IS DOING

EVERYTHING IT CAN TO HELP

PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS IN

IRAN.

ABSOLUTELY.

WE ARE APPEALING TO THE

IRANIAN GOVERNMENT WHEN IT

COMES TO THOSE BEING HELD.

AND I HAVE RAISED IT

FREQUENTLY FROM THIS

PODIUM.

AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT.

BROADLY, WE AGGRESSIVELY

SUPPORT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

AROUND THE WORLD.

AND MAKE CLEAR OUR

OPPOSITION TO POLICIES AND

COUNTRIES THAT RESTRICT

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.

THAT'S A BROAD,

COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT.

Wendy: DESPITE

AMERICA'S NEW NUCLEAR DEAL

WITH IRAN, CARNEY SAYS THE

ADMINISTRATION'S POSTURE

TOWARDS IRAN HUMAN RIGHTS

ATROCITIES AND TIES TO TRRMS

TERRORISM REMAINS THE SAME.

Mark: BENJAMIN

NETANYAHU IS BLASTING THE

EUROPEAN UNION FOR BEING

HYPOCRITICAL.

THEY SAY THE E.U. CALLS IN

ISRAELI AMBASSADORS ABOUT

BUILDING SETTLEMENTS IN

BIBLICAL JUDEA AND SAMARIA,

BUT IT NEVER REPRIMANDS

PALESTINIANS.

WHEN DID THE E.U. CALL IN

THE PALESTINIAN AMBASSADORS

TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE

INSIGHTMENT THAT CALLS FOR

ISRAEL'S DESTRUCTION.

WHEN DID THE PALESTINIAN

AMBASSADORS GET CALLED IN TO

HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE

FACT THAT SECURITY OFFICERS

IN THE PALESTINIAN SECURITY

FORCES ARE PARTICIPATING IN

TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST

INNOCENT ISRAELIS?

I THINK IT'S TIME TO STOP

THIS HYPOCRISY.

I THINK IT IS TIME TO INJECT

SOME BALANCE AND FAIRNESS

INTO THIS DISCUSSION.

Mark: NETANYAHU SAYS

THIS BIAS AGAINST ISRAEL

HINDERS THE PEACE PROCESS

BECAUSE THE PALESTINIAN

THINK THEY WON'T BE HELD

ACCOUNTABLE.

Wendy: LESS THAN A WEEK

AWAY FROM PEACE TALKS IN

GENEVA.

THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT IS

OFFERING A POSSIBLE

CEASE-FIRE IN ONE OF THE

MOST CONTESTED CITIES.

A PLAN THAT IF SUCCESSFUL

COULD BE USED AS A MODEL FOR

OTHER PARTS OF THE WAR-TORN

COUNTRY.

EEPHRAIM GRAHAM HAS MORE.

Reporter: THE SYRIAN

GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS READY

TO IMPLEMENT A CEASE-FIRE

AND EXCHANGE DETAINEES WITH

REBEL FORCES IN THE WAR-TORN

CITY OF ALEPPO.

THEY SAY THE MOVE IS A

CONFIDENCE-BUILDING

MEASURE.

AHEAD OF OF THE GENEVA 2

PEACE CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK.

THOSE TALKS ARE EXPECTED TO

BRING TOGETHER MEMBERS OF

THE SYRIAN GOVERNMENT AND

OPPOSITION FORCES FOR THE

FIRST TIME.

THE GOAL IS TO FIND A

POLITICAL SOLUTION TO THE

NEARLY THREE-YEAR-OLD CIVIL

WAR.

THE UNITED STATES HAS BEEN

URGING THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION

TO ATTEND THE CONFERENCE,

STRESSING THEIR ATTENDANCE

IS VITAL TO THEIR

CREDIBILITY, AND ALSO

EXPRESSING THE CONCERN FOR

THE RISE OF EXTREMISM IN

SYRIA.

THE WORLD NEEDS NO

REMINDER THAT SYRIA HAS

BECOME THE MAGNET FOR

JIHADIST AND EXTREMISTS.

IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE

BE NO GAMES PLAYED WITH THIS

PROCESS.

Reporter: SECRETARY OF

STATE JOHN KERRY ALSO SAYS

THE U.S. WILL CONTINUE TO

FIGHT FOR THE EXCHANGE AND

RELEASE OF CAPTIVE

JOURNALISTS AND AIDE WORKERS

IN ORDER TO TRY TO IMPROVE

THE CLIMATE FOR

NEGOTIATIONS.

MEANWHILE, THE UNITED

NATIONS IS RENEWING ITS CALL

ON ALL NATIONS TO TAKE IN

SYRIAN REFUGEES.

THIS IS A RESPONSIBILITY

OF THE INTERNATIONAL

COMMUNITY.

AND THAT IS WHY WE HAVE BEEN

STRONGLY APPEALING FOR ALL

BORDERS EVERYWHERE TO BE

OPEN TO SYRIANS.

NOT ONLY THE BORDERS OF THE

NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES.

Reporter: ACCORDING TO

THE U.N., MORE THAN TWO

MILLION SYRIANS HAVE FLED

THE COUNTRY SINCE THE WAR

BROKE OUT.

EPHRAIM GRAHAM, CBN NEWS.

Mark: BACK IN THE U.S.,

A PENNSYLVANIA JUDGE STRUCK

DOWN TODAY A NEARLY

TWO-YEAR-OLD VOTER I.D.

LAW.

THE MEASURE HAS REQUIRED

NEARLY ALL OF THE STATE'S

VOTERS TO SHOW PHOTO

IDENTIFICATION WHEN AT THE

POLLS.

THE LAW HAS BEEN ONE OF THE

STRICT TESEST IN THE

NATION.

IT WAS EN ENACTED BY THEIR

GOVERNOR IN 2012.

MANY OPPOSE THE MEASURE,

SAYING IT DEPRIVES PEOPLE OF

THE RIGHT TO VOTE.

IT SETS UP A POSSIBLE

COURTROOM BATTLE AGAINST

PENNSYLVANIA'S HIGHEST

COURT.

Wendy: COMING UP, HOW

SMOKING IS WAY WORSE FOR YOU

THAN YOU MIGHT HAVE

THOUGHT.

Wendy: WELCOME BACK.

SMOKING IS A LOT MORE

DANGEROUS FOR YOU THAN YOU

PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT.

A NEW REPORT FROM THE

SURGEON GENERAL NOW LINKS

CIGARETTES WITH A NUMBER OF

DISEASES, INCLUDING

DIABETES, ARTHRITIS, AND

LIVER CANCER.

IT CAN ALSO HURT YOUR IMMUNE

SYSTEM AND CAUSE BIRTH

DEFECTS.

AND EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND

SMOKE CAN CAUSE A STROKE.

TODAY'S REPORT COMES EXACTLY

50 YEARS AFTER THE SURGEON

GENERAL FIRST WARNED ABOUT

THE DANGEROUS OF SMOKING.

Mark: ONE IN FIVE

AMERICANS IS A SMOKER.

IF YOU'RE ONE OF THEM AND

UNEMPLOYED, YOUR CHANCES OF

LANDING A JOB COULD BE

LESS.

LORI JOHNSON HAS THE STORY.

Reporter: FOR YEARS

VIRGINIA'S HOSPITALS HAVE

BANNED SMOKING ON HOSPITAL

GROUND.

BUT NOW THEY'RE BANNING

SMOKERS THEMSELVES.

AS A HEALTH CARE

INSTITUTION, WE BELIEVE IN

SUPPORTING GOOD HEALTH AND

BEING GOOD HEALTH MODELS TO

EACH OTHER.

THE PATIENTS, AND THE

COMMUNITY.

Reporter: THE HOSPITAL

SYSTEM, WHICH EMPLOYEES SOME

12,000 WORKERS, JOINS THE

CLEVELAND CLINIC AND OTHER

HEALTH CARE POWER HOUSES

ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT

SNUFF OUT ANY JOB APPLICANTS

WHO SMOKE.

AND THAT ATTITUDE IS MOVING

BEYOND THE MEDICAL

INDUSTRY.

FOR EXAMPLE, WHEELER

INTEREST IS A SHOPPING

CENTER COMPANY THAT

EMPLOYEES 35 PEOPLE.

BUT SMOKERS NEED NOT APPLY.

JOHN WHEELER INSTITUTED THE

POLICY FIVE YEARS AGO,

MAINLY BECAUSE SMOKERS

WASTED VALUABLE WORK TIME.

PEOPLE WOULD LEAVE THE

OFFICE, FIVE MINUTES DOWN

THE ELEVATOR, FIVE MINUTES

OUTSIDE SMOKING, FIVE

MINUTES TO COME BACK UP IN

THE ELEVATOR, AND THEY CAME

BACK AND SMELLED LIKE

SMOKE.

THEY WERE DOING THAT EIGHT,

NINE, 10 TIMES A DAY.

Reporter: VICTORIA PAUL

USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE

ASSOCIATES, BUT TODAY SHE IS

SMOKE-FREE, THANKS TO THE

COMPANY'S POLICY AND THE

ENCOURAGEMENT TO QUIT.

THE DELIVERY WAS IN A

SUPPORTIVE FASHION.

AND THE PRESSURE WAS

PROBABLY BOUGHT ON BY

MYSELF.

KNOWING THAT, YOU KNOW,

YOU'RE ONE OF THE ONLY ONES

THAT IS DOING IT.

Reporter: BUT IS IT

LEGAL FOR AN EMPLOYER TO

REFUSE TO EVEN CONSIDER AN

APPLICANT WHO SMOKES, EVEN

IF THEY ONLY DO IT ON THEIR

OWN TIME?

YES, ACCORDING TO REGENT

UNIVERSITY LAW PROFESSOR

BRUCE CAMERON.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF

FEDERAL LAWS THAT PROTECT

YOU FROM DISCRIMINATION.

AND THEY PROTECT FROM

DISCRIMINATION TO AREAS,

BASICALLY WHAT WE CALL IM

IMUTABLE CHARACTERISTICS,

THINGS YOU CAN'T CHANGE, AND

THE OTHER AREA IS THOSE

AREAS WHERE THE GOVERNMENT

HAS DECIDED THAT THE

EMPLOYEE'S CHOICE IS MORE

IMPORTANT THAN THE

EMPLOYER'S CHOICE.

Reporter: THAT INCLUDES

RACE, AGE, GENDER,

DISABILITY, AND RELIGION.

AND WHILE FEDERAL LAW

DOESN'T PROTECT SMOKERS,

STATE AND LOCAL LAWS CAN.

SO IF EMPLOYERS CAN

DISCRIMINATE AGAINST

SMOKERS, WHAT'S NEXT?

OBESITY COMES IN AS THE

SECOND MOST PREVENTABLE

CAUSE OF DISEASE, AND IT'S

COSTLY AS WELL.

AN OBESE EMPLOYEE COSTS THE

COMPANY ON AVERAGE $2,000 A

YEAR MORE THAN THAN THEIR

NORMAL WEIGHT COUNTER-PART.

AN EMPLOYER COULD, IN

FACT, DISCRIMINATE ON THE

BASIS OF THE EMPLOYEE'S

WEIGHT, DISCRIMINATE ON THE

BASIS OF AN EMPLOYEE'S

EXERCISE ROUTINE.

THEY COULD DISCRIMINATE ON

THE BASIS OF AN EMPLOYEE'S

EDUCATION.

IN FACT, THEY DO IT ALL OF

THE TIME.

Reporter: SO THE

COMBINATION OF

DISCRIMINATION AGAIN SMOKERS

AND A TOUGH JOB MARKET MAY

BE THE INCENTIVE TO FINALLY

KICK THE HABIT.

LORI JOHNSON, CBN NEWS.

Wendy: UP NEXT, SEE THE

TRAINING IT TAKES TO BECOME

A GUARDIAN OF THE SEA.

Wendy: COAST GUARD

RESCUE SWIMMERS HAVE AN

EXTREMELY IMPORTANT JOB.

THEY JUMP FROM HELICOPTERS

INTO FRIGID WATERS TO RESCUE

PEOPLE.

Mark: THAT'S RIGHT.

AS I RECENTLY LEARNED, IF

THEY'RE NOT TRAINED

PROPERLY, IT CAN MEAN THE

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND

DEATH.

YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES TO

COMPLETE THE EVOLUTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?

GO!

Mark: A RESCUE SWIMMER

CANDIDATE PREPARES FOR A

MAJOR MILESTONE IN A

GRUELING 24-WEEK TRAINING

PROGRAM.

CHECK YOUR FINS.

CHECK YOUR TRIDENT.

Mark: ONE OF THE

TOUGHEST TESTS IS WHAT IS

CALLED A NON-COMPLIANT

SURVIVOR TEST.

AFTER JUMPING OFF THIS

15-FOOT PLATFORM INTO THE

POOL BLOW, THE RESCUE

SWIMMER MUST SAFELY GET

CONTROL OF AN UNCOOPERATIVE

SWIMMER AND PUT HIM IN THIS

RESCUE HARNESS.

[YELLING]

Mark: PLAYING THE

VICTIM, AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE

AVIATION TECHNICAL TRAINING

CENTER IN ELIZABETH CITY,

NORTH CAROLINA.

OTHERS GRADE THE TEST FROM

INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE POOL,

CRITIQUING EVERY MOVE.

THE RESCUE SWIMMER GETS

THREE TRIES TO PASS.

FAIL THE TEST, AND YOU PACK

YOUR BAGS.

A LOT IS AT STAKE FOR THESE

COAST GUARD AIRMEN.

THEY HAVE ALREADY INVESTED

10 WEEKS IN THE MOST

DEMANDING TRAINING PROGRAM

IN THE COAST GUARD.

APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70%

WILL NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE

PROGRAM.

ALTHOUGH WE GET SOME

INCREDIBLY GIFTED ATHLETES,

THE TOUGHEST PART OF THE

TRAINING IS DEFINITELY IN

THE POOL.

IT IS A COMBINATION OF

PERSISTENCE, COURAGE, AND

COMFORT IN THE WATER.

SOME OF THE STUDENTS HAVE

IT, AND SOME DON'T.

IF THEY DO, WE CAN ENHANCE

IT.

IF THEY DON'T, THERE IS

NOTHING YOU CAN COULD TO

GIVE THEM THAT.

WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN FOR

THOSE DETERMINED TO SEE THEY

WILL SUCCEED.

Mark: THAT INCLUDES

20-YEAR-OLD TYLER POOLE, ONE

OF THOSE TO PASS.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT,

COME IN WHOLE HEARTED.

FOR ME, THERE IS NOTHING

ELSE.

I'M STUCK IN THE COAST GUARD

FOR ANOTHER FIVE YEARS, AND

THERE IS NOTHING I WANT TO

DO BESIDES BE A RESCUE

SWIMMER.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT, GO

ALL OF THE WAY.

Mark: POOLE SAYS THE

2006 FILM "THE GUARDIAN,"

INSPIRED HIM TO BE A COAST

GUARD RESCUE SWIMMER.

I COINED THE PHRASE, "WER

THE GUARDIAN ANGELS."

PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE IN

DISTRESS.

IT IS DARK AND STORMY.

THEY'RE AT THEIR MOST WORST,

AND THEY'RE MORE THAN LIKELY

PRAYING TO JESUS TO SAVE

THEM.

AND WHO COMES OVERHEAD?

THEIR GUARDIAN ANGEL IN AN

ORANGE HELICOPTER.

Mark: IN 2011, THE

COAST GUARD REPORTED IT

SAVED THE LIVES OF AROUND

THREE OUT OF FOUR PEOPLE IT

WENT AFTER ON THE WATER.

COAST GUARD HELICOPTER CREWS

SAVE APPROXIMATELY 850 LIVES

EACH YEAR.

IN 2005, THAT NUMBER SPIKED

TO 7,500.

THE VAST MAJORITY BEING

HURRICANE KATRINA VICTIMS.

KEITH KNOWS FIRSTHAND THE

IMPORTANCE OF THE JOB.

HIS CHRISTIAN FAITH ALSO

MOTIVATES HIM TO SEE

RECRUITS SUCCEED.

I PRAY EVERY DAY FOR

THESE STUDENTS.

I GET ON MY KNEES IN MY

OFFICE BEFORE I COME OUT

BEFORE THEY GET IN THE POOL

AND I ASK FOR HIS GUIDING

STRENGTH, AND THE HOLY

SPIRIT TO FILL THESE

STUDENTS, THAT THEY ALL MAKE

IT THROUGH THE SCHOOL.

Mark: FIRST CLASS ROB

MORGAN SAYS THE FLEET'S

CURRENT NUMBER OF RESCUE

SWIMMERS IS ABOUT 80% OF THE

IDEAL TOTAL.

HE SAYS A RECENTLY REVAMPED

TRAINING PROGRAM WILL HELP

GROW THAT NUMBER WITHOUT

COMPROMISING SKILL LEVEL.

I THINK THE WAY WE

REDESIGNED THE PROGRAM IS

WHAT IT HAS DONE IS PROVIDE

A HAND TO THE PEOPLE.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING

STRONGER, THE ONES THAT ARE

FOCUSED.

Mark: A NEW

MULTI-MILLION TRAINING

FACILITY CAN BE CREDITED.

KEITH SHOWS THE TOUCH-SCREEN

PROGRAM THAT PRODUCES WAVES

IN THE POOL.

IT TRIGGERS NOZZLES WHICH

SPRAYS SHEETS OF RAIN.

AND CONTROLS SOUND EFFECTS,

THUNDER, ROTORS, JETS, FOG

HORNS, AND SIRENS, JUST TO

NAME A FEW.

28-YEAR-OLD GRAHAM MCGINNIS

RECENTLY GRADUATED FROM THE

RESCUE SWIMMER SCHOOL.

IT WAS HIS SECOND TRY, AND

YET HIS PERSEVERANCE PAID

OFF.

NEW ORLEANS IS HIS NEXT

ASSIGNMENT.

I'VE LEARNED SO MUCH

ABOUT MYSELF, AND I'VE

LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT THE

POWER OF GOD, AND WHAT HE

REALLY CAN DO WHEN YOU NEED

HIM THE MOST, ESPECIALLY.

SO IT HAS BEEN A BIG

JOURNEY.

IT HAS BEEN A LOT FOR ME.

Mark: A LOT OF PRAYER

FOR YOU?

ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTE MANY.

LY.

IT IS AMAZING WHERE YOU CAN

SQUEEZE IN A PRAYER.

AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT A

SPARE SECOND, YOU'VE GOT

TIME TO MAKE A PRAYER.

Mark: MCGINNIS IS

CHRISTIAN, AND SAYS HE WAS

EIGHT YEARS OLD WHEN HE KNEW

HE WANTED TO BE A RESCUE

SWIMMER.

GOD HAS A HIGHER CALL FOR

ME, AND FOR ME IT IS JUMPING

OUT OF HOSPITALS.

Mark: AND RESCUING

THOSE IN THE WATERS BELOW.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, WENDY,

THOSE GUYS ARE IN INCREDIBLE

SHAPE.

AND THEY NEED TO BE BECAUSE

IT IS A DANGEROUS JOB.

Wendy: IT IS NOT

SOMETHING THEY MIGHT DO.

THEY'VE GOT TO DO IT.

Mark: AND THEY ARE LIKE

GUARDIAN ANGELS OUT THERE.

Wendy: NO DOUBT ABOUT

IT.

Mark: WE'LL BE RIGHT

BACK.

Wendy: UP NEXT, THIS

YEAR'S SUPER BOWL BRINGS

TOGETHER SPORTS AND FASHION

IN NEW YORK.

Mark: FINALLY TONIGHT,

ONLY WEEKS AWAY FROM THE

SUPER BOWL IN NEW JERSEY,

JUST ACROSS THE STATE LINE,

NEW YORK CITY IS TAKING

FOOTBALL TO ANOTHER LEVEL.

Wendy: YEAH, FASHION.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE CITY

FOUND A WAY TO BRING FASHION

AND FOOTBALL TOGETHER FOR A

GOOD CAUSE.

JOINING FORCES FOR THE NFL

BLOOMINGDALE'S HAS CREATED

FASHION'S DREAM TEAM.

BRINGING 48 OF THE COUNTRY'S

TOP FASHION DESIGNERS

TOGETHER TO CREATE FOOTBALL

HELMETS TO BE AUCTIONED OFF

FOR CHARITY.

IT IS AMAZING TO SEE THE

ENTHUSIASM PEOPLE HAVE FOR

THE CFDA, AND ALSO FOR

CHARITY, WHICH IS REALLY

IMPORTANT TO

BLOOMINGDALE'S.

Wendy: THE BIDDING

BEGINS AT A LOW $248 A

HELMET.

100% OF THE PROCEEDS ARE

GOING TO THE NFL FOUNDATION

YOUTH FOOTBALL PROGRAM THAT

FOCUSES ON HEALTH AND

SAFETY.

OOH, I LIKE THAT ONE.

Mark: I CAN SEE YOU

WEARING A MOHAWK.

Wendy: I LIKE FUR

ANYWAY.

$248?

COME ON.

IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE.

Mark: YOU MAKE THE BIG

BUCKS.

Wendy: LET'S PRAY FOR

HIM, EVERYBODY.

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION

OF "NEWSWATCH."