[Blitzer:] Over the past few years, credit checks have become an important part of the employment process, and bad credit could be an important factor for some companies out there as they decide who to hire. Now the Massachusetts Democrat Senator Elizabeth Warren wants to put a stop to the practice. Brian Todd is joining us. Brian, you just finished speaking with Senator Warren. What exactly is she trying to stop and why?
[Brian Todd, Cnn Correspondent:] Wolf, she's introduced a bill that would prevent potential employers from requiring potential employees, applicants to go thru the credit checks to get their job, and it would also prevent potential employers from rejecting an applicant because of a bad credit check. Senator Warren cites several factors in wanting to do this. One of them, she says there was a report this year from a left-leaning think tank, called Demos, that said one in 10 unemployed Americans have been denied a job due to the information on their credit reports. Senator Warren points out that a lot of the time, people have bad credit for reasons they can't control or are not their fault, they lose a job, they might lose heath insurance, they might have a family calamity, going through a divorce, things like that, where their credit, their finances get impacted and their credit becomes worse through factors they may not be able to control. I spoke to Senator Warren a short time ago when she talked about the bill.
[Sen. Elizabeth Warren, , Massachusetts:] There have been studies that show no correlation between your credit check no or little correlation between your credit check and your ability to do the job.
[Todd:] And Senator Warren is proposing an exemption for people who need clearance, some kind of security clearance to get their jobs. She's fine with them having to go through the credit checks but not people who have ordinary jobs who are maybe struggling with these problems that a lot of people go through. One thing we have to point out is there is opposition to this bill. We just spoke to someone from the National Federation of Independent Businesses. They represent a lot of small businesses. They say the credit checks are an important tool for potential employers for reasons that don't have much to do with people's finances. One of the people there said employers can tell whether you've lied about a job you had in your past, and they can tell through a credit check sometimes about a source of income or something like that, whether someone has lied about a job they had. They say these credit checks are an important screening tool, and they don't want this bill to go through.
[Blitzer:] What's the expectation? How likely is it the bill will become the law?
[Todd:] That's a little unclear. Senator Warren introduced the bill yesterday. We're told it does not have bipartisan support in the Senate yet, but this just got introduced so it's very early on in the process, Wolf. Not sure about the House side yet, either. There are some 40 organizations, though, advocacy groups for people seeking employment and things like that, and for others, that do support this bill. So there is a lot of support initially out there, outside of Congress. How it fares in Congress, that's another story.
[Blitzer:] Certainly is. All right, Brian. Thank you. As we told you earlier, the Obamas won't be attending the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, in February. Instead, some of the picks for the U.S. delegation seem to be a direct response to Russia's controversial anti-gay laws. The White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said, just a few moments ago, that the choices are only meant to reflect the diversity of the United States. Joining us now is the former Olympic medal winning hockey player, Caitlin Cahow. Caitlin, thanks very much for joining us. I know you're opening gay. You'll be part of the opening delegation attending the ceremonies, the opening and closing ceremonies. What do you think? What is your initial reaction, for example, for having been selected by the president?
[Caitlin Cahow, Former Olympic Hockey Player:] Well, first off, Wolf, thanks for having me. It's an incredible thrill. It's a deep honor for me to represent my country. I did it at two Olympics and I'm just thrilled to even be considered as part of this great group of delegates. I can't wait to go to Russia and support Team USA and show the nation and the world what American athletes are capable of and what we stand for back home.
[Blitzer:] Clearly, you'll be sending a message to the people of Russia, especially those who support this anti-gay propaganda law that was recently enacted that has caused so much criticism around the world, right?
[Cahow:] Absolutely. I think that the president's decision to send the delegation he has is definitely a statement, albeit, a respectful one in many ways, allowing the athletes to take center stage and allowing the delegates to do their job and support them. At the same time, he is making a statement about what the United States will tolerate and the kind of rights that we espouse, and I think in addition to making statements in Russia, it's a great opportunity for us to put the mirror to our own faces back home and say we have come a long way. It's been remarked, but we have a lot more to do, and we'll take the enthusiasm and inspiration from the Olympic Games and bring it home and get back to work.
[Blitzer:] You were never among those who were calling for a boycott of the winter Olympic Games because of the anti-gay laws in Russia right now, right? You never supported any boycott?
[Cahow:] No, I didn't. In fact, in statements I made about this, likening the situation to Jesse Owens in Germany. He didn't go over with the view he was going to protest and make a scene. He went over and competed peacefully and won and demonstrated the greatness of who he was. I think the athletes headed to Sochi are there to do the best they can and compete and win and represent the country, and just show the greatness of American athletes.
[Blitzer:] Will you be making any statements, do you think, when you're in Russia during the winter Olympic Games? Supporting equal rights for gays and sending a direct message to the people of Russia or will you be mostly on the sidelines watching the games, ice hockey in particular, and the other sporting events?
[Cahow:] My number-one goal is to support the athletes, my teammates, all of Team USA, and to represent my country with dignity. If that means making a statement, then so be it, but my main goal is to go over and be as supportive as I can and be in Russia and have my presence there demonstrate that this sort of regulation won't be tolerated in the United States because we believe in dignity and equality. That's what we're sending over with our athletes, we're sending those values.
[Blitzer:] I know you suffered some concussions and you had some serious medical problems. How are you feeling right now, Caitlin?
[Cahow:] Actually, Wolf, to be honest, I sat a three-hour long constitutional law exam, so I'm doing OK, as OK as I'd could be. I've had a really tough road with concussions, with serious injury, something I do hope to speak about as part of this delegation, but I'm doing great and looking forward to a great experience in Russia.
[Blitzer:] How did you do in that? I know you're at Boston College Law School. You are a graduate of Harvard. How did you do on that constitutional law exam?
[Cahow:] I don't know. Maybe we can give a shout out to my professor. But it's blind grading, so I'm not sure it would help. I think I did pretty well. A lot of it was on the 14th Amendment, so I feel like I have been pretty well versed as of late in a lot of these issues.
[Blitzer:] We need another lawyer in the United States, as you well know, right?
[Cahow:] Yeah, so I've heard. So I've heard.
[Blitzer:] All right, Caitlin, thanks very much. I know you'll do an excellent job representing all of us in Sochi, in Russia. Enjoy the Winter Olympic Games and cheer on our team. We'll all be cheering from back here as well. Thanks so much for spending a few moments with us.
[Cahow:] Thank you, Wolf.
[Blitzer:] A terrifying close call for a blind man and his service dog. Cecil Williams and his Labrador retriever fell on a set of subway tracks in New York right as a train was approaching. An alert MTA employee rushed over, told the man to lie still between the rails and not try to climb out. The conductor of the approaching train applied his brakes when he saw Williams, but couldn't avoid running over the tracks where Williams and his dog were lying. Rescue crews managed to pull out both of them. Neither were seriously hurt. Williams' girlfriend calls it all a miracle. Before we go, this quick reminder. We need your votes for the top stories of 2013. Go to CNN.comyir for "Year in Review." There, you'll see 20 of the biggest news stories of the past 12 months. We need you to choose 10. Results will be announced online and on TV on December 30th, 9:00 a.m. eastern. That's it for me. Thanks very much for watching. I'll see you at 5:00 p.m. in "The Situation Room." NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.