American Morning
Leno Spoofs American Morning
Couch, desk, microphone.
The formula for the successful late night set hasn't changed since the early days of TV, but Jay Leno was a little intrigued with our new layout.
Grilling Geithner
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The hottest seat in America may well be the one directly in front of any Congressional committee investigating the failures at AIG and other banks.
The man who has landed in that seat more times recently than anyone else is the President's Treasury Secretary. Seven times Secretary Timothy Geithner has been forced to testify before congressional committees ranging from The Senate Budget Committee to the House Ways and Means panel.
On Tuesday Geithner makes his eighth Congressional appearance. This time it's in front of the House Financial Services Committee.
Congressional committees are supposed to call in witnesses to gather information for legislation or investigate possible incompetence or wrongdoing. But these aren't always the only reasons.
Fast Forward
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The stories that will be making news later today.
New ash-fall warnings are in effect today for parts of southern Alaska after the Mount Redoubt volcano erupted for a 6th time yesterday sending a burst of ash nearly 60 thousand feet high. Residents are being told to seal windows and doors and protect water supplies.
At 2 pm Eastern – the battle on the border comes to Washington. A House Appropriations Subcommittee will hear from government agents about America's efforts to keep Mexico's bloody war against drug cartels from slipping into the U.S.
At 9:40 Eastern – this morning President Obama will make a really long distance call to congratulate the shuttle "Discovery" crew and astronauts at the International Space Station on their current mission. The President will make the call with Congressional leaders and middle school students from the Washington area.
What's on Tap – Tuesday March 24, 2009
A 500-point bounce on Wall Street! Investors seemed to like the President's re-tooled financial rescue. Do you?
Here are the big stories we’re following for you today:
- This morning the best political team is here to preview the president’s prime time news conference. What does he need to do to sell his budget and economic plan to the American people and lawmakers who say it could bankrupt our county? Plus – a "prebuttal" from the Congressman who's called for the Treasury Secretary's resignation.
We want to know what you would ask the president. Call in with your questions or just a piece of your mind at 1-877-MYAMFIX, or find us on Twitter.
- The housing crisis hits God's house – A Washington megachurch is now renting space to worship, after funding dried up for a new 3,000 seat home.
- No job, no problem – some big companies showing they feel your pain. First Hyndai offers a money-back guarantee to people who’ve lose their incomes. Now details of JetBlue's lifeline for the jobless.
- The Bad Decision Blocker – Do you have an iPhone? Are you a chronic drunk-dialer. We found an “app” that could save you, from yourself…..eliminating the virtual "walk of shame." See you then.
We Listen!
Here’s your daily recap of the best feedback we got from YOU on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, Email. Continue the conversation below. And remember, keep it brief, and keep it clean. Thanks!
American Morning’s Monday viewers were dissecting Tim Geithner and his plan for banks. Some felt Geitner’s personality was too “nice” for the job of Treasury Secretary. Others simply wanted more detail on Geitner’s plan before the media “condemn” it to failure.
- Jim -Tim Geitner, to me, appears to be very nice, very smart, brilliant even, and very soft on Wallstreet fatcats. You know... the kind of rich, financial expertise that we need to get rid of if we're going to end this financial crisis. Maybe it's time for Tim to go and be replaced with someone, Democrat or Republican, who knows how to be tough. Tim just has too many buddies to be the effective Treasury Secretary that the President needs to have his vision for the new economy realized.
- MP – Watching your news show this morning, I was disturbed by your comments re the Geithner plan. Reporters all appeared to condemn the plan to failure before it had even been disclosed and vetted. This is not the unbiased reporting I count on from CNN!
Tell us how you feel. Is Tim Geithner the right man for the job? Are you willing to wait for more details on Mr. Geithner’s plan? Let us know your thoughts.
Kiran: Monday Roundup
Good Monday morning to you! Hope you had a good weekend.
Here on AM we started the week talking about the new plan by the Treasury Department and Secretary Tim Geithner to establish a public/private partnership to help get toxic assets off the banks' books and help them lend again. Here's a look at the actual plan.
And just as soon as it was released, the criticisms started as well. Not just from political foes but from leading economists who say it's a waste of money and a rehash of a similar plan the Bush administration's Treasury secretary floated and then backed away from. Read Paul Krugman's NY Times op-ed here.
Christine Romans told us today in one of the breaks just how much hope there is on Wall Street and in the banking industry that this plan will work. Other questions too, after getting eviscerated by Congress last week during the AIG bonus scandal, how willing a partner will some of these private investment firms be? Will they be scared away by the potential for caps on compensation if things do turn around and these assets start making money again? And what about the taxpayers? Many of our viewers asked... why does it seem we as the taxpayer put the money up front and assume the risks while Wall Street benefits if the plan works?
Well, we put a lot of these questions to Christina Romer, President Obama's Chief Economic Adviser. Check it out here.
Another big issue today, the more than one hundred billion dollars set for infrastructure projects around the nation. We talked to Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell who co-founded Building America's Future Coalition along with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
I asked Governor Rendell how soon we'll see jobs come out of it and if now is the time to be spending billions more tax dollars.
Finally, the story of a former banker who found a new job and passion as a NY cabbie. He is a real character and shows us that success comes in all forms.
As always check us out on twitter.com/amfix and twitter.com/kiranchetrycnn.
Cheers,
Kiran
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
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