Clem’s Chronicles: Patrick Swayze/NYC Terror Investigation/Obama on Wall Street

Happy Monday folks-sad news tonight. The actor Patrick Swayze has lost his battle with pancreatic cancer. More on that story on tonight's NIGHTLINE and tomorrow's GOOD MORNING AMERICA.

PATRICK SWAYZE-The actor Patrick Swayze has died, according to his publicist, after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Swayze's publicist Annett Wolf says the 57-year-old "Dirty Dancing" actor died Monday with family at his side. He came forward about his illness last spring, but continued working as he underwent treatments.

NYC TERROR INVESTIGATION- New York City police and the FBI raided properties in the borough of Queens early today as part of an investigation into suspected terrorism, focusing on one man who has been under surveillance, officials said. Brian Ross, filing for WORLD NEWS, noted that “today’s action follows a long weekend for the FBI as it tracked a young man who arrived in New York from travels to Pakistan. Intercepted conversations led authorities to believe another plot against New York might be in the works.” And this was serious enough to warrant briefing congressional members in DC-Republican Congressman Peter King of New York noted in Ross’ piece that “there is very good reason to believe that there is a connection to al-Qaeda or to al-Qaeda supports. This does not appear to be self-starters.” As to how far along, Congressman King adds “They would not have moved as quickly as they did if they did not believe there was real potential and perhaps more than that.”

FINANCIAL CRISIS/A YEAR LATER-OBAMA SPEAKS-President Obama came to Wall Street earlier today to speak to financial leaders one year after this nation’s biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression began to unfold. While the economy appears to be stabilizing, this was no victory lap for the President. As Jake Tapper noted in his WORLD NEWS piece, “with headlines returning about inflated bonuses and risky lending, the President cautioned the crowd about returning to days of reckless unchecked excess.” The President took the opportunity to remind those gathered of regulatory reforms he had proposed earlier this year. Tapper: “among them, a powerful new Financial Services Oversight Council given more powers to regulate ‘too-big-to-fail’ companies such as AIG…and powers to take control of them before they go belly up.” Charles Gibson noted after Tapper’s piece that “one year ago-Lehman Brothers went bankrupt, with no bailout from the government…and suddenly there were real fears of financial Armageddon.” Fears that too often became reality.Gibson again: “In our new (ABC NEWS/WASHINGTON POST) poll (on the economy), 65% of Americans polled say they’ve been hurt financially by the meltdown. 47% say someone in their household has taken a pay cut, been laid off or lost a job in the past year.” Betsy Stark looked at “Where Things Stand” a year later, focusing specifically on jobs. She re-introduced us to Olimpia Rubino, who had lost her job as an executive assistant at a big pharmaceutical company a year ago and was featured in a piece we did on job fairs. Stark tells us “one year later, she is one of 15 million Americans still looking for full-time work. She’s applied for hundreds of office jobs. The only offer (she received) paid less than what she gets on unemployment.” We also met Rick and Lori Hirst, who both lost their jobs earlier this year at Microsoft. The Hirsts are hurting-Rick has had some temporary work but his wife has been unable to find even that. Stark looks at their financial difficulties: “With four kids and a condo, monthly expenses come to $6000. Unemployment covers about $4000. For now, they make up the difference with savings-and last week they turned over the condo to the bank. They’ve prepaid the rent on the new place for six months.” With jobs for the jobless so few and far between, Stark notes the out-of-work are “more likely to downsize their expectations or reinvent themselves altogether. We learned that Mark Strabrawa, who lost his job at an Indiana paper plant in December, has re-trained to be a truck driver. Larry Brush, laid off from a Wall Street job in March, is heading to nursing school.” And what about those who are able to find work? Stark tells us about Jason Poles, who after a “year of job-hunting and life as a stay-at-home Dad, found a new job in banking-but it pays $50K less than his old one.” Poles attitude is commendable-“One thing we learned through what happened was how to differentiate between what we want versus what we need, and we learned that we can live with a lot less and be happy.”
Diane Sawyer sat down with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner today. When asked about “recoveries”, both corporate and personal, Geithner was blunt: “I would say there’s no recovery yet. We don’t have in place a real recovery. We define recovery and the President will define recovery as people back to work. People able to get a job again. Businesses investing again. And we are not at the point where we can say that yet.” You can see the full fruits of Sawyer’s interview with Geithner tomorrow morning on GOOD MORNING AMERICA.
 
ANNIE LE IDENTIFIED: The body found behind a wall at one of Yale’s research facilities has been positively identified as missing student Annie Le.  Sharyn Alfonsi, reporting for WORLD NEWS from New Haven, tells us “police say the crime was ‘not random’ and ABC News has learned that a possible suspect in the case has failed a polygraph test.  Sources say that suspect has ‘defensive wounds.’  It’s unclear if they knew Le.  And New Have police would only say…no other students are involved in the case.”  Investigators are reportedly testing clothing found in the ceiling of the lab building for DNA evidence that could link a suspect to the crime.  Tonight students and friends of Le gathered at a quad on Yale’s campus to mourn the loss of the medical student.  Le was reported missing last Tuesday.  She was due to be married yesterday in Long Island. (thanks to Marisa Bramwell for this story)

GARRIDO HEARING-Hearing today for Phillip and Nancy Garrido. A Northern California judge set bail for Phillip Garrido at $30 million. Nancy’s attorney did not ask for bail. The two have pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, rape and false imprisonment charges. Next hearing will be October 29th at 11:30am ET. 

ONCE BITTEN TWICE SHY/COAST GUARD-Rich Esposito: “The U.S. Coast Guard will be conducting mock tactical maneuvers in coordination with a film crew on the East River, Hudson River, and New York Harbor between 9 AM and 3 PM on Tuesday 9/15/09.  Expect additional Coast Guard vessel activity in these areas.”         

OTHER STUFF-
–US/IRAN TALKS- The State Dept today confirmed it plans to partake in a meeting with Iran on October 1. The P5+1, which has sought to discourage Iran from advancing its nuclear program, recently accepted Tehran’s offer for talks. Significant here is that the meeting comes after the UN General Assembly meeting later this month, when the US and others wanted to begin the push for new sanctions on Iran while their leaders were all in New York. Holding this meeting after will certainly set the difficult process back some time… since, despite Iran saying it won’t ever denuclearize, countries like Russia and China will be reluctant to begin talks on tougher measures until they hear from Iran at the October meeting. (Kirit Radia)
–CONGRESSMAN JOE WILSON RESOLUTION- A House Democratic leadership aide tells ABC that the resolution formally admonishing Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC, over his “you lie!” outburst last week will be offered on the House floor tomorrow. It’s likely to be introduced for a vote tomorrow afternoon by House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-SC. (Rick Klein)
–SOMALIA/AL QAEDA- U.S. special forces in helicopters attacked a car in southern Somalia today and may have killed one of east Africa's most wanted al Qaeda militants, Somali and U.S. sources said. Kenyan-born Saleh Ali Saleh Nabhan, 28, was suspected of building the truck bomb that killed 15 people at a Kenyan hotel in 2002, as well as involvement in a simultaneous, but botched, missile launch at an Israeli airliner leaving Mombasa airport. (Kirit Radia/Dana Hughes/Luis Martinez/Jason Ryan)
–GAS PRICES-The Energy Department says the price of gasoline has dropped for the fifth week in a row. In the past seven days, the national average price fell a penny to $2.58. Prices are now 33% lower than they were a year ago ($3.84) (Dan Arnall)
–WELLS FARGO PARTY PALACE- Wells Fargo & Company said today that its internal investigation into alleged team member misconduct at a bank-owned residential property in Malibu, Calif., has concluded and that the employment of the team member involved in the incident has been terminated for violation of the company’s policies. Although Wells Fargo did not name the employee in their press release, the bank did confirm the terminated employee was Cheronda Guyton, a Wells Fargo Senior Vice-President. (Zunaira Zaki)
–JODY POWELL DEAD- ABC NEWS has learned that former White House press secretary Jody Powell has died. This afternoon at his house on the Eastern Shore in Maryland, Powell had an apparent heart attack, a family friend said. The former press secretary for President Jimmy Carter was the CEO of the PR firm Powell Tate. He was 65. (Jake Tapper)