November 17, 2009

Digging Deeper-Daniel Kopans and Kimberly Gregory

Mammogram Controversy.  The US Preventive Services Task Force has changed the regulations for mammograms.   Kopans, who started his segment by tooting his own horn, thinks that that the change, which suggest reducing the number of screenings, is too risky.  Gregory, rocking some sweet yellow glasses, was quite capable at reciting the recommendations, while Kopans was great shooting back with facts.  Gregory’s basic idea is that the largest jump is at age 50 and not age 40.  The Task Force’s key reason for reducing screenings, according to AC, is stress caused over false positives.

diggingdeeper

It’s about health.  Why is the government involved?

Killings at the Canal – The Army Tapes

intro

Alpha Company 118 in Iraq.  Totally missed the ball on this one and didn’t catch much.  Would post a video but the audio isn’t synced up.

Three men have been arrested for murder.

 

Digging Deeper – David Bellavia, Scott Silliman, Abbie Boudreau

Bellavia said that the detention facility had a reputation for being a catch and release program for terrorists.  He also said interpretating.  No kidding.  Silliman added that a prisoner taken on the battlefield must be treated humanely and not killed.  It’s very difficult to keep a detainee, Abbie added, due to the extensive paperwork necessary to prove guilt.

Bellavia kept recalling his own experience in the field.  Infantrymen, he said, sometimes think about taking matters into their own hands.  AC asked Silliman for his opinion on the difficulty of detaining prisoners.  He said it creates undue pressure for the soldiers.

killings

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

More info about Hasan

President Obama in China

Hunger in America

Unfriend  is word of the year

Keeping them Honest – Tom Foreman

Palin interviewed Barbara Walters and expressed unfettered support for Israel.  Walters asked her what the US mission in Afghanistan should be.  Palin’s answer: listen to McChrystal.  She gave Obama a 4 out of 10 and twice used the word dithering.

So she’s got a book coming out.  Why does that lend her any additional credibility.  Of course, there were some minor flipcflops.  On Oprah, she said she didn’t asker her kids about running for VP, but in the campaign she said she polled the kids.

360 Raw Politics – Bill Bennett and Donna Brazile

AC asked Bill, yes I call him Bill, about the rampant fact checking that is going on with Palin’s book.  Donna commented on the pettiness of the minor fact checking.  “A little Lexis Nexis is good for all of us.”

Palin HOTNESS!!!!

hot palin

Palin called Newsweek putting the picture on the cover a wee bit degrading.  I call it a wee bit great.

Donna added that Palin should not try to be Hillary Clinton or Ronald Reagan, but only Sarah Palin.

Crime and Punishment

Evidence that Hasan might have had a breakdown in the days before the Ft. Hood massacre.  He wanted to get his patients arrested for war crimes and he spent some extra time on the firing range.  Eugene Fidell spoke on the military version of patient/therapist confidentiality.  While there is a code of silence, imminent threats must be reported.

military psych

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

Guilty Plea in Elizabeth Smart kidnapping

Same-sex marriage in Buenos Aires

Co-ed dorms = risky behavior (THIS IS NEWS?)

Gaddafi’s in Rome and invited a bunch of Italian women to his house.  He gave them religious lessons

The Shot

Goats on a bus

goats on a bus

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November 11, 2009

Carrie Prejean on Larry King, “Young women can learn from my mistakes.”  This was after she refused to take a phone call because of a deal that Larry King supposedly had with her “publicist.”  Poor Larry King.  He kept stretching for good questions, but Carrie kept shooting out lame answers, but at least she looked good doing it.

Breaking News – Suzanne Malveaux

intro

President Obama rejects all current proposals on Afghanistan.  He’s simply not satisfied with them.  He wants a plan that transfers authority back to the Afghan government.  The problem could with Karzei, who is not acting like a good political partner.  Lastly, the President wants a plan with an inbuilt exit strategy.  Troop increases are not off the table, but specifics are necessary.

The US ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, is arguing against those increases.

OH NO IT FINALLY HAPPENED.  BERGENGERGEN IS ALIVE!!!!

gergenbergen

They spoke very briefly about the troop level increases.  I was too taken aback by the sheer  power of the BergenGergen.

Inside the Massacre

Sgt. Kimberly Munley, who ended the Fort Hood massacre, spoke to Oprah today.  Saanjay Gupta interviewed a few more shooting victims.  One guy described bullet holes in the back of a friend’s head.  Then he fell silent.

woundedvet

Spc. Logan Burnette, the first speaker, said that Hasan said Allahu Akbar before opening fire.  Burnette is expected to make a full recovery, but with a good deal of rehab.

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

Alleged Blackwater pribes.  The company may have paid for image protection

Dow up to 10,291!

Lou Dobbs is leaving CNN.  THANK HEAVENS!

Homegrown hate – Up Close – Nic Robertson

This seems like the same clip from last night, but in a different country.  Now it’s a group in London whose plan is to turn Buckingham Palace into a mosque.  Anjem Choudary, leader of Islam4UK, listed off all of the things that would be banned.  Whew.

islam

Roberston said that the tactics employed in the UK and Europe are bound to end up on America’s shores.  They’re using the Internet to recruit new, young Muslims for terrorist training.

Peter Bergen was back on to discuss this phenomenon.  He called these groups Al Qaeda support groups.  Bergen said that current radical Islamists might have been memebers of the Weather Underground in a former  life.  I’d argue that religious terror is a great deal different from political terror.

Keeping Them Honest – Randi Kaye

Steven Burton is a bank employee who has been pretending to be a marine.  He’s going to confess to the crime tomorrow.  The crime is the unauthorized wearing of military medals.  He had a purple heart, a bronze star, and a navy cross, ALL AT ONCE.  These cases are called “Stolen Valor” cases.

stolenvalor

Randi Kaye said that Burton might have stolen valor in order to get better parking spaces or preferential treatment at a VA hospital.

Raw Politics

Sarah Palin, who loves Facebook, said that she had a good chat with Oprah today.  Seriously, are we going to have to listen to this nonsense for the next 3 years.  If she gets elected President, I’m going rogue.  Seventy-one percent of Americans find Palin unfit for the Presidency.

palin

Two young authors, Shushannah Walshe and Scott Conroy, have written a book about Sarah Palin.  Shushannah said that she resigned because she couldn’t take the daily grind of state politics.  It makes a presidential bid unlikely.

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

Follow: US Airlines pilot who was pulled off the plane for being drunk is sued

AIG  Chief claims poverty

Roadside Rockslide in Tennessee

The Shot

Whoa, it’s deja vu.  Carrie Prejean almost walking out on Larry King is tonight’s shot.

And the aftermath

November 10, 2009

 

AC Intro

Motives for Murder – Drew Griffin

The first family was in Fort Hood today for the memorial service.  About the killer, Obama said that no faith justifies murderous acts.

 

Obama

 

 

The question is whether or not this is an individual act of violence or a jihadist terror attack.  According to a federal source, most terrorists hide their religion to try to blend in with their environment.  Pat Brown, a criminologist, likened him to a mass murderer.

In his classes, Hasan (the shooter) argued against the United States and was found to possess a Powerpoint presentation with jihadist inklings.

Griffin commented on the thorough investigation.  People are digging through dumpsters to find any shred of evidence.

Upclose – Drew Griffin

 

Griffin and Hasan

 

 

Radical Islam in the United States in New York City.

Outside of a mosque in New York, a radical sect called the Brothers of Revolution Muslim (or something like that) is trying to recruit people for terrorist activities.  The leader of the group said that the Quran requires that Muslims terrorize non-Muslims.  He quibbled over the definition of terrorism. Younes Abdu

llah Mohammed, this leader, was born and raised in America, lives in New York, and hates America with a passion.

Drew Griffin spoke with Yousef Al Khattab, a member of Brotherhood Muslim, said that he loves Osama bin Laden with a passion.  He also says he would love to see Israel wiped off of the face of the planet.

Digging Deeper – Jeffrey Toobin and Peter Bergen

 

Bergen

 

 

Toobin began by talking about the line between free speech and inciting violence.  AC brought up the fact that the Brotherhood Muslim is being watched intensely by the FBI and local police.  Toobin talked about how the Justice Department is now in the buisiness of preventing crime.

“Leaders of terrorist group have a track record of not carrying out suicide attacks.”  Another wonderful statement of the obvious, but even Bergen isn’t perfect.

Yowzers, that was a short digging  deeper.

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

Clinton presses lawmakers trying to get health care passed before next year

Nowak, the ex-astronaut, makes a plea deal

Michael Jackson’s mom drops her court case re: Michael’s will

Facebook hacked

AC’s already plugging tonight’s shot.  Yikes.

DC Sniper Executed

 

AC

 

 

John Muhammad was executed at 9:11 EST.  His killing spree lasted 3 weeks back in the autumn of 2002.

For those who don’t remember, this guy drove around Washington D.C. in an old car randomly killing ordinary citizens.

OMG.  AC on AC.

Jeanne Meserve spoke about her interview with Muhammad.  Muhammad apparently tried to intimidate her with random bits of knowledge.  She called it intellectual bullying.  The one thing that he refused to talk about in the interview was the murder.

The Shot

I missed most of it.  A drunk woman fell in front of a train and the train stopped.  Nothing like Wesley Autrey, however.

AC Follow – Randi Kaye

So sick or Randi Kaye.  So sick of Carrie Prejean.  Prejean has a book out now.  Prejean dropped a suit against the Miss America pageant due to the “coming out” of her sex tape.  In the book, Prejean wrote about how mainstrream pornography has become.  “Outer beauty can only get you so far in life.”

 

Kayejean

 

 

Lisa Bloom came on to talk about it!  What does a legal analyst have to do with Carrie Prejean.  AC only asked her about the allure of Prejean.  Lisa Bloom, socialite!!  The question now is whether or not Prejean’s privacy was violated.  Be careful before you track down Prejean’s tape, she was only 17 at the time.

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

United Airlines pilot pulled from a plane for being drunk on duty

A Florida judge finds against two teens arrested for burning another boy

The Letterman extortion plot begins to unravel!

Madoff’s personal belongings are being auctioned off on Saturday, including an $87k watch

November 4, 2009

What better way to get ready for AC than listening to Larry King serenade the voluptuous Mariah Carey?

mariah carey

Raw Politics – Tom Foreman

Anderson Cooper

Nancy Pelosi claimed that last night was a win for the Democratic Party, clearly focusing on the house election in northern New York.  Michael Steele, on the other hand, hailed the dawning of the Republican Renaissance.

Foreman said that the deciding issue is the economy.  People are scared, angry, scared, and stressed about the economy.  A large number of voters in Virginia and New Jersey shifted from independent to Republican.  Tom Foreman’s quote of the night regarding elections: “Turnout can make a huge difference.”  I used to like the magic wall, but tonight made me hate it.

Liz Cheney, GOP strategist, commented on the loss in NY-23.  She blamed the defeat on the Republican candidate, who withdrew from the race and threw her support behind the Democratic candidate and not the “conservative” candidate.  According to CNN, Conservative is now a political party.

liz cheney

Anderson asked Cheney about the big tent and the supposed purge of moderates in the Republican party.  AC kept calling Cheney out, saying that the policies that her idealized conservatives cry out against in the current administration were upheld by her father’s administration (she’s Dick Cheney’s daughter).

Health care reform came onto the table.  AC mentioned the fact that the governor of Virginia is for reform, and Cheney countered by saying that the governor wants tort reform rather than systemic change.

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

11th body found in Ohio

H1N1 vaccine slow to reach troops

Fed keeps key rate steady

A 56-year old lady in PA held up a sign to get shamed for stealing from a 9-year old

Interview – David Plouffe

David Plouffe was Obama’s campaign manager and has written a new book called The Audacity to Win.  He said that the NY-23 win was good in that it might be indicative of a move to purge moderates from the Republican party.  Wow, they’re replaying the SAME part of the interview they played 15 minutes ago.

david plouffe

Plouffe also inserted the point that the economy will not reform without health care reform.  Eeeeeenteresting.  AC said that Plouffe created the grassroots movement that got Obama elected.  Plouffe replied that the grassroots movement didn’t get as much coverage as the teabaggers because the teabag leaders were loud and irresponsible.

Nation Divided – Evan Wolfson and Tony Perkins

Oh god.  The pro-marriage equality guy has a lisp.  Maine, as we all now, passed a bill that forbids gay marriage.  Perkins called gay marriage a special-interest agenda.  I’m afraid that I can’t write about this.  They’re arguing about the definition of marriage and applying to unseen authority.

nationdivided panel

If I had a dollar for each time Evan said actually, I’d have a lot of dollars.  Perkins said that he wanted to preserve the right to teach his children his values.  Evan called him out for trying to make himself the victim.

Beautiful question from AC: Do you think the tide of history is moving against your position?

Keeping Them Honest – Randi Kaye

Phillip Garrido was on parole for ten years but was largely left alone during that time.  AC called damning the new report on the Garrido case.  Seems like the parole officers even saw a 12-year-old girl on his property when he was visited.  Agents ignored malfunctions in his ankel bracelet more than 200 times.  Had agents paid more attention to his transponder, they might have noticed that he spent a great deal of time in the concealed compound.

randi kaye for some reason not talking about education as promised

Digging Deeper – Jeffrey Toobin and Lisa Bloom

Toobin commented on the ankle bracelet, saying that “you can have all the technology you want, but if people can’t use it then the technology is worthless.  As to legal ramifications, Blooms says the cops are covered.  The parole officers weren’t trained for home visits.

toobin bloom

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

Help for jobless and home buyers

Presidential event cancelled

Carrie Prejean dropped her lawsuit against Ms. California after a sex tape surfaced.

prejean

The shot

Animal massages

the shot

November 3, 2009

It’s a special election night show, but there’s a few non-political items on the agenda (I hope).  On another note, my video is back!!

OK, maybe not the most flattering pic of Anderson Cooper

New York – District 23

John King is at the big wall showing Virginia.  It’s a red sea unlike in 2008 when Barack  Obama fared reasonably well there.  The question is: could this be a referendum on Barack Obama.  Midterm elections are never a good measuring stick, in my opinion, because none of the regular people show up; it’s just the extremists.

john king at the wall

New Jersey is still up in the air.

The House seat in New York is leaning Democratic, but just by a narrow margin.  The margin is razor thin in the New York mayoral race.  Bloomberg is up by only 4,300 votes.

Digging Deeper – David Gergen, Ari Fleischer, James Carville, Pamela Gentry

the panel

James Carville opened up by saying that he really has his eye on New Jersey, but the NYC mayoral race is particularly surprising, especially considering how much money Bloomberg put into this campaign.

Fleischer said that the Democrats’ 3-year cycle is at an end, but that it’s too early to look forward to 2010.  He called this a significant check on Obama’s 1st year in office.

Gergen called many of these votes “against the incumbents.”

Pamela Gentry, political analyst for BET, thinks that tonight’s results might deflate Obama’s influence on the hill.

AC asked Gergen about the possibility that there won’t be a health care bill until next year at the soonest.  Gergen expressed disdain for such dallying.

Gentry brought up the very obvious point that this was not a national election night so the younger voters, who largely vote democratic, aren’t coming out.

Soledad O’Brien showed some startling numbers.  While now only about 37% of people say that they think the country is going well, a little less than twice that amount think that the country will be going well one year from now.

After the break, the Republican candidate for governor of New Jersey is winning.  Bloomberg has inched farther ahead in the NYC mayoral race, and Bill Owens is pretty soundly ahead in the House 23 race.

360 Bulletin

Bones in Ohio

Madoff’s accountant pleads guilty

The Louisiana judge who didn’t give a marriage to an inter-racial couple has resigned

Swine Flu hits Boys 2 Men…making him miss the Soul Train awards.

Politics

CNN projects that Chris Christie will take the gubernatorial election in New Jersey.  This is a strong blow to the Democrats, as the president himself campaigned in New Jersey.

With five political minds on the ball, nobody seems to sense that people might vote for president differently than they vote for governor.  Maybe it’s just me.

Oh no!  Roland Martin.

the martin

John King was back at the wall playing with the states again.  Rather than comment on what the colors represent, he frames everything in terms of red and blue.

There’s a referendum in Maine about gay marriage.

Sorry, snoozed off there for a minute.  This really is a snooze fest.  I feel like CNN has been running the same stuff all day.  Sorry, AC, but I’m just not feeling you.

Next Tuesday, we’ll have a special report about an army murder.  Sweet, sweet next week when midterm election madness will be at an end!  Hey, at least we’re not talking about Nicolas Cage.

Bloomberg is projected to win the mayoral race.  I can see why this is important to AC, but what about the rest of the country?  Bill Owens is still a few inches ahead in the NY-23 race.

results

Back at the wall with John King.  Third time this hour.  I’m so glad this thing exists.

360 Bulletin

A 23-year old woman in Iran has died.  Her father ran her over with a car because she was too Westernized

7th suspect arrested in after-dance gang rape

Phoenix baggage bandits!!

World’s sexiest accent: Irish

The Shot

Vodka implosion and AC calls all Russians alcoholics!  I’ve only got the vodka video for you, though, straight from the source.  Youtube

October 20, 2009

A little pre-show twitter action:

BoniniGirl: And also… I have to admit it -> #igottacrushon @andersoncooper ! ;0)

anderson

Breaking News – Gary Tuchman

James Arthur Ray is still on CNN.  Danielle and John, two former Ray followers, gave details of their experience in the sweat lodge.  This was a quick intro segment that got pushed down the agenda because Danielle, the would-be interviewee, decided not to show up.

Keeping them Honest – Joe Johns

Bank officials gave themselves raises: AC holds them accountable.  The subtitle was “Bailouts and Bonuses; We’re naming names.” These are in ascending order, so the best is last.

3.  Jeffrey Peek – CEO CIT Group

2.  Ken Lewis – CEO Bank of America – most of his perks were private airplanes

1.  Alvaro De Molina – CEL GMAC – 5 million in “perks”

All of these firms received TARP funds, so the salaries were ostensibly cut, but compensation was transmuted to “perks.”  AC asked about capping executive salaries, especially when big banks are considering handing out big bonuses these years.  Johns reported that we ought not expect a maximum wage.

Digging Deeper – Rep. Marcy Kaptur and Fmr. Comptroller David Walker

Kaptur, a democratic representative from Ohio, blamed the excess on the culture of greed.  I think she actually used those words.  Thankfully, she shifted from the soft liberal to a hard-nosed accountability maven.

AC pointed out that the major tragedy here is not that the banks received TARP funds, but that they cut down on mortgages while taking in extra funds for themselves.

Some audio problems with Walker, so AC shot to a quick commerical.

Whoa, AC is kicking butt.  He called Obama out by saying that he’s trying to get support from execs while blasting them at the same time.   Here’s a clip:

I’m officially getting sick of the word “perk.”  Walker said that the government needs to create a better system of oversight to ensure that there are no loopholes through which those dreaded perks can travel.

Oh Kaptur.  Don’t be so soft and if you’re going to be hard, be staunch about it.  AC asked her why she thought current leaders should abide by a regulation that wasn’t in place when they took the money, vis a vis a new proposal of hers.  Her reply, “Because America needs it.”  Kaptur then added that she would support legislation that banned any current bank CEO from dealing with the federal government everyday.  I think she was bullied as a child.  “I’m taking my ball and going home!  Nyah nyah nyah!”

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

Follow – Eugene Bailey cleared in Derrion Albert beating

Obama met with Iraqi Prime Minister, says he will withdraw combat troops by next August

College cost up 4.4 percent!

Indianopolis cops say that Gregory Smith, the praying robber, has been caught

Raw Politics – Michael ware

Karzai agrees to a run-off election.  The big question is whether or not the run-off will have any more legitimacy than the original election.  In the last one, there were 7,000 observers…and it was still effed up.  There’s a herculean feat to organize an election before the snows come, which gives them about two weeks to get it together.

Ware, speaking for the Afghan people as only an Aussie can do, equated both Karzai and Abdullah as a bunch of crooks.

Paul Begala and Kevin Madden

Begala comes right out of the box calling Karzai corrupt and inept.  Obama is looking for a political partner in Afghanistan, and probably won’t wait two weeks to make any decisions.

Madden agreed that the government has been corrupt from day one.

Afghanistan needs a credible government in order to survive and America needs a credible government in Afghanistan in order to support and eventually complete our mission there.

The Iraq troop surge in Iraq came in the wake of the Sunni Awakening, which made the troop surge viable.  Both Ware and Begala agreed that no such event has occurred in Iraq.

Here’s a tweet I found on the subject:

wluce: @andersoncooper While Obama is waiting for whatever he’s waiting for, it’s costing the lives of our solders.

Crime and Punishment – Gary Tuchman

Danielle (last name withheld) is a former sweat lodge participant.  She had a picture of herself standing next to Ray, while he was wearing a “Death to Death” t-shirt.  Ray told the people in the lodge that they wouldn’t die, but they would feel like it.

This Ray character is something between a charlatan and a false prophet.  I wonder what kind of person would actually give their money to him.

One of the sweat lodge victim was admitted to the hospital as a Jane Doe, meaning that Ray didn’t have the courtesyy to even take her to the hospital and sign her in properly.  He’s still giving seminars, meaning that some people in this country are extremely oblivious.

Interview – Eva Longoria Parker

Since Latino in America is coming on tomorrow, every show is inviting latinos to speak.

AC said that Eva is one of the only latino superstars in Hollywood.  She said you couldn’t name 3 latino (or latina) superstars in Hollywood.  Longoria took on immigration reform.  She believes that states should not be able to enfore their own border/immigration laws.  Why should anybody from Kentucky have a say in what goes on down at the frontier, I want to ask her.

Something woke me up when AC and Longoria talked about her upcoming documentary about latino children doing agricultural labor.  Many of these kids are politically American, and are still treated awfully.

360 Bulletin – Erica Hill

Steve McNair’s mistress was stressed before killing him

Palin and Oprah!!

Carrie Prejean needs to pay back her boob job
Balloon Boy 911 call (even though he called the FAA first):

The shot

The agony.  I’m giving you photos AND a video:

are we still on

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October 15, 2009

I thought I would title this one, “24 minutes of balloon boy, and some other news,” but I decided to stick with convention.

anderson cooper

Breaking News

Balloon boy.  AC called the dirigible a love child of a helium balloon and a jiffy pop.  Richard Heene, Falcon’s dad, from Wife Swap, seemed genuinely concerned about his son’s welfare and on Larry King got very angry when asked if the balloon ride was a publicity stunt.  Enjoy this clip of Heene (who is not at all defensive) :

In case you weren’t paying attention to the news today, the world held its breath while a makeshift inflatable craft drifted across the great plains of ….., seemingly with 6-year-old Falcon on board.  When the craft landed and was found empty, Falcon was found hiding in a box in the attic, prompting this trending tweet:

“Hey Balloon Boy, I’m real happy for you and Ima letchoo finish, but Anne Frank had the best attic hideout of all time.”

balloonboy fam

Digging Deeper – Marc Friedland and Garry Haruska

balloonboy panel

Friedland, Heene’s neighbor and deathly afraid of national television, commented on the nature of the aircraft.  Haruska commented on the technical nature of the balloon, saying that it was built from a kit.

Fifteen minutes in and the story is still running.  AC just asked the Haruska, a balloon expert, whether or not the balloon could possibly carry a 6-year-old child in it and he said it wasn’t likely.  Now, for a break, a clip of Heene on Wife Swappers:

Eighteen minutes and it’s time for the media analysis.

Now they’re playing the footage where Falcon said, “We did this for a show.”  Now, unlike the Twitterverse that hinges on every word on television, I don’t ascribe a great deal of truth to what kids say.

Please, no, no, no.  They’ve brought the big wall into the story!!  This is the same wall that got Obama elected.  Now it’s analyzing homemade flying saucers.  Thankfully, the wall brought some numbers.  Looks like the rescue mission cost about $28,000.

balloonboy wall

TWENTY FOUR MINUTES OF BALLOON BOY

360 Bulletin

Pakistan attacks kill dozens

Murder probe in sweat lodge deaths

The stimulus is working, according to new jobs data

A justice of the peace in Louisana refused an inter-racial marriage license

Developing Story-Randi Kaye

Randi Kaye

Randi spoke with a juror in the Cameron Todd Wilingham case.

Randi Kaye spoke with one of the jurors, who was friends with the lead investigator in the case.  Lawyers today say that her friendship with the investigator is enough to claim a mistrial.  Randi Kaye rubbed salt in the wounds by reminded the juror that arson science has evolved drastically in the past 10 years or so.

Perry again defended his choice to remove four members from the panel investigating the case.  Perry suggested that the former member who issued a report on the case was pursuing a political agenda.

David Martin, Wilingham’s attorney, believes that Wilingham was guilty.  AC asked him about the arson evidence.  Martin, with an affected drawl, read from the report into the case.  Martin read passages not related with the science, but with the writer’s prose.

Steve Mills, an investigative reporter from the Chicago Tribune, spoke more about the arson evidence.  Furthermore, he reported that fire experts have turned their opinions around.  Unfortunately, David Martin couldn’t shut his trap.

Martin said that a defense attorney’s job is to test the prosecution’s evidence.  Even if the defendant is guilty, he said, he can be proclaimed not guilty.  How guilt is ascertained, initially, is apparently a matter of interpretation.  Martin, for a lawyer, has shaky logic.  He said that if you pour lighter fluid on a carpet and light it, it will look like the carpet in Wilingham’s house.  If A, then B.  He goes on to say that if B, then A.  My last word on this guy: whenever he heard something he didn’t like, he cocked his head to the side and groaned loudly, sometimes saying, “I don’t know about that,” or, “I’m absurd.”  “I WAS THE TRIAL ATTORNEY!”

Raw Politics-Candy Crowley

President Obama visited New Orleans today for the first time as president.  Residents of New Orleans are unhappy and frustrated with Obama for spending only four hours on the ground.

Candy Crowley

The administration has sent lots of people to New Orleans, but the president is aware of the power of his own presence.  He heard some of the local frustrations, including the red tape necessary to receive funding for building projects.

Gupta Book Plug aka Up  Close

Swank Norweigan

Sanjay Gupta reported on Anna Bagenholm, who was dead for 2 hours and found frozen.  Dr. Mads Gilbert, whose English is amazingly idiomatic (doubled-edged sword), spoke on the resuscitation.  Anna is now a doctor, herself.

What what what what what?  No Shot?  No Politicians Behaving Badly?