[Lemon:] There's no law against driving a private vehicle if you don't speak English, but this woman was one of nearly 40 people in Dallas, Texas, issued traffic tickets on that charge over the past several years. We first told you this story last night on CNN. Even as police acknowledged it was a mistake, many of you shared the daughter's outrage. [Begin Video Clip, Wfaa, Thursday]
[Brenda Mondragon, Mother Given Ticket For Not Speaking English:] At first, I thought it was a joke, I said, I can't believe it. I actually laughed. I was like, oh, my God, mom, I've never seen this before. We moved from California two years ago, so I was like, well, maybe it's a law here.
[Sgt. Warren Mitchell, Dallas Police:] We regret this happening. And although we believe it was a sincere mistake, we're just there's no excuse for it.
[Lemon:] Traffic citations for not speaking English carried $204 fines. Police say any outstanding tickets will be dropped. People who already paid the fines will be reimbursed. They're calling it the Tea Party Express
[Ii:] Countdown to Judgment Day. The rolling caravan of anti-big government activists is back on the road for a second nationwide bus tour. CNN all-platform journalist Patrick Oppmann is on the road with the tea party activists in California. Patrick, I understand you're on I-5, somewhere between San Diego and L.A. How's the traffic holding up?
[Patrick Oppmann, Cnn All-platform Journalist:] That's right, Don, we're actually in traffic right now and going from their first rally which was held in San Diego, as you said, on to their next one today which will be in Los Angeles. And they had a pretty enthusiastic reaction to this first rally in San Diego. A lot of people there with some signs made famous at previous tea parties, calling the Obama presidency a socialist government and really getting it front and center that they are not happy with this government and they want to take on the Obama administration
[Lemon:] Patrick, how many people are we talking about here that actually attend the event and then go with the bus in the caravan?
[Oppmann:] Right now, the caravan, it's a collection of vehicles, the people who run this operation, a couple of media people, the bands to perform. We had a couple hundred guys on motorcycles actually following us for the better part of the trip. And in San Diego, there were hundreds of people. It was a bright sunny day. It was a beautiful backdrop. And there were, you know, perhaps as close to or more than 1,000 people there, many with signs, many people who freely said that they were both afraid and very angry at the way the direction this country's going in.
[Lemon:] Hey, let's listen let's listen to some of those people right now, at least one person, Patrick.
[Unidentified Female:] We need to get back to the days when we were responsible and we assumed the responsibility of ourselves and our families, and the government is not a part of my daily life. I am I really resent the government taking up so much of my time that I'm down here having to protest right now.
[Lemon:] So, Patrick, the rally in L.A., is it today or tomorrow?
[Oppmann:] This evening, it's going to be in little less than an hour, about 45 minutes if we get there on time. We're in some of that famous California traffic right now, Don.
[Lemon:] Yes, on I-5. Patrick Oppmann, our CNN all-platform journalist traveling with the Tea Party Express
[Ii:] Countdown to Judgment Day thank you, Patrick. Tea party activists aren't the only ones looking ahead to future elections. President Obama is raising huge amounts of campaign cash for Democratic candidates who support his agenda. And he's hitting the trail again tomorrow for events in Jacksonville and Miami. We get more now from CNN's Dan Lothian.
[Dan Lothian, Cnn White House Correspondent:] President Obama in Cambridge, Massachusetts, pushing his clean energy policy...
[Barack Obama, President Of The United States:] The Recovery Act provides the largest single boost in scientific research in history.
[Lothian:] It's the appetizer in a day of big fundraising meals. First, a reception for friend and Massachusetts governor, Deval Patrick. Then, off to a Connecticut dinner to raise cash for Senator Chris Dodd.
[Kevin Madden, Republican Strategist:] He's trying to help the people that are helping him up on Capitol Hill. Secondly, the president is the one that's drawing all the star power right now. He is the fundraiser-in-chief as much as he is the commander-in-chief.
[Lothian:] Even as he debates the way forward in Afghanistan and fights for health care reform, Mr. Obama has been doing a flurry of fundraisers all across the country. Since taking office, more than 20 events compared to just six during former President Bush's entire first year. However, that's also when 911 happened. Mr. Obama is a presidential ATM machine fighting for his party's future, so far, helping to raise more than $25 million.
[Stu Rothenberg, Rothenberg Political Report:] The Democrats are aware of significant vulnerabilities in next year's midterm elections. They want things to go well now. There's a special in New York and governor elections in Virginia and New Jersey, that they don't want to start a ball rolling against them.
[Lothian:] But some warn there's a danger to the administration's ambitious fundraising effort.
[Madden:] When you're engaged in this type of travel and you're engaged in nonstop fundraising, what happened is, the White House begins to start begins to look very hyper-partisan, hyper-political, and that can then hurt the Obama brand.
[Lothian:] But White House spokesman Robert Gibbs suggested, this level of fundraising is necessary because of the president's strict contribution rules.
[Robert Gibbs, White House Press Secretary:] This president doesn't accept money from PACs, doesn't or doesn't accept money from PACs or lobbyists and doesn't allow lobbyists to give at fundraisers that he's at as well.
[Lothian:] A spokesman for Governor Patrick says the events raised $600,000. Now, the stepped-up fund-raising effort doesn't end now, President Obama will appear at events in Florida and Virginia early next week. Dan Lothian, CNN, Boston.
[Lemon:] Drunk at the wheel with children in the car. One New York woman is accused of doing just that. And if that doesn't make you pay attention, wait until you hear about the guessing game she played with her kids along the way. Do you know this teenager? She is a Jane Doe found wondering in Times Square. One CNN viewer says she knows her identity and she may have helped reunite her with her family. And a beautiful day for a picnic. But why are all these people doing it on one of the most famous bridges in the world? We're going to tell you.