American Morning
Castro: Cuban people want "normal relations"
Cuba’s former dictator, Fidel Castro, has met with U.S. Officials for the first time since he became ill in 2006. He met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus in Havana. This meeting comes as the Obama administration is reportedly considering possibly ending a half-century of Cold War isolation.
Representative Barbara Lee is the Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and one of the three members who met with Fidel and Raul Castro. She spoke with Kiran Chetry on CNN’s American Morning on Wednesday.
Kiran Chetry: This is a subject of intense interest because we have not seen Fidel Castro, the former Cuban dictator, in so long. When you met with him, how did he look?
Barbara Lee: He looked fine. Of course, he's been ill, but I can tell you one thing, he was very energetic, very clear thinking. He knew what we had been doing while we were in Cuba. He knew our mission. He recognized who we were. And he was very engaging. We discussed quite a few subjects. Of course, bottom line is we wanted to talk more about normal relations between our two countries and how he viewed diplomacy and discussions and dialogue as it relates to ending the embargo against Cuba. It was very interesting because he said, like President Raul Castro said the night before, that the Cuban people want normal relations, dialogue without preconditions. And we know here in our own country that 68 percent of the American people want normal relations with Cuba.
Fast Forward
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Some of the stories that will be making news later today:
Residents in Fargo, North Dakota are in a race to save their city again. This morning they'll resume filling sandbags to reinforce the make-shift levees. Next week the Red River is expected to rise just a few inches shy of last month's record 40 foot crest.
At 9:30am ET former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan will be the featured speaker at a health care conference in Chicago. Greenspan is expected to discuss the current state of the economy and its impact on the nation's health care system.
A New York bankruptcy court could rule today on a request to auction off one of Bernard Madoff's seized assets – two New York Mets season tickets. Officials liquidating the convicted investment schemer's assets are hoping to sell the tickets to the highest bidder in an online auction this month. Court documents list the value of the season ticket package at $60,750.
What’s on Tap – Wednesday April 8th, 2009
Here are the big stories we're working on for you right now:
- President Obama arrived back from Iraq overnight. A full agenda on his plate after a trip to try and reestablish America’s leadership in the world. What did his journey accomplish? Are Iraqi police & military personnel up to speed for handling operations after U.S. forces begin pulling out? We’ll ask NATO’s former Supreme Allied Commander, who led a Congressional study on Iraqi Security forces.
- Italy rocked by strong aftershocks – an uplifting moment amid disaster – a woman who was buried alive in the original earthquake, is pulled from the rubble.
- Congress and Castro – Members of the Congressional Black Caucus meeting with Raul and Fidel Castro. It’s Raul’s first face-to-face meeting with U.S. leaders since he took over the island. This comes as the Obama administration gets ready to lift all travel restrictions on the Island. Has decades of Cold War-era policy been a complete failure – like Fidel Castro said?
- Stiffed by Stimulus – At first glance, it appears good on paper. One-point-two billion in funds for Texas transportation infrastructure under President Obama's "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” but there is a growing anger in Texas over several expensive new TOLL roads being built with tax dollars. They say that's equal to being taxed on both ends.
- The super-generous CEO – An insurance company owner sells half of the biz and then split the proceeds with all of his employees.
- Python Patrol – Need a job and don’t mind catching 20-foot, 200 pound snakes that dine on bobcats?? A non-profit group is trying to save the Florida everglades from pythons… and it needs your help. We take a class on catching the beasts.
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!
Governor Palin was back in the spotlight on Tuesday, as American Morning viewers commented on “baby daddy” Levi Johnston. Some felt Governor Palin was out of place making comments about Levi. Others were angry that CNN wasn’t equally covering Vice Presidential children:
- Lburt: Just what I wanted – A president who can't keep her mouth shut even with a relationship between her daughter and her grandson’s father. Grandma! – can't you keep your mouth shut; even when it's none of your business. You sure weren't as involved when your daughter was having unprotected, underage, and unsupervised relations with Levi.
- Ed: Your coverage of Gov. Palin's daughter proves the double standard her family endures. When she traveled to western Alaska with Franklin Graham to deliver supplies to needy Alaskans, did you cover that? If Bristol Palin had been filmed smoking cocaine as VP Biden's daughter was, would you report that? Of course you would. Yet you ignore Ashley Biden.
Was Governor Palin inappropriate for responding to Levi Johnson’s comments about her family? Did Levi inappropriately speak out about his relationship with Bristol Palin? How do you think his interview will affect Governor Palin’s chances for a Presidential run in the future? Tell us what you think.
Viewers were split on the “sexting” story, with some wondering if the phones could have limited technology to prevent such issues, and other wondering why the issue even existed, since stores have “advertisements of teens wearing underwear.”
- Peggy: The teens should only have a cell phone the sends & receives calls-no pictures, no texting, no games. Can't all that be "blocked"?
- Linda: Teens & Texting; I'm not condoning nude photo sending BUT; A charge against the 12 y.o. “training bra girls" is ridiculous! Would there be charges if they were wearing revealing bathing suits? AND what about store advertisements of teens wearing underwear? You didn't bother with those questions?
Are parents to blame for the “sexting” incident? Should there be special phones that limit what teens may do by mobile phone? Should there be a law limiting the types of technology available to teens? Was the “sexting” innocent? Should the young man have been charged or should both teens have been held responsible?
Finally, the story of guns on campus had viewers questioning the issue. Others were more circumspect.
- Emunster: Ms. Costello stated during the interview that college students are young and still maturing. Aren't college students the same age as the Soldiers/Sailors/Marines and Airmen on their first enlistment (18-22)? Yet the members of the military can and do handle a wide range of weapons everyday safely. Training and discipline are the key differences in the two groups.
- Bill: How many trained police officers each year make mistakes in judgment about how and when to use their firearms? What training and judgment do college students have to use firearms in a protective way, only?
Are concealed guns on campus a good idea for protection? Are college students mature enough for such responsibility? Should there be laws requiring weapons training prior to purchase of a gun? Should guns be banned completely? Let us know how you feel about this issue and others here.
Kiran after the show: A tribute to heroes
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Hero. We use the word lightly at times. But today, I had the honor to meet many of them. It was a celebration of some brave women in our Armed Forces and the quiet, enduring support of civilians who help them.
It was an awards luncheon for the USO of Metropolitan New York.
They asked me to emcee the Woman of the Year awards at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at the Time Warner Center in New York and I eagerly accepted.
At a time when many people around the nation are struggling in tough economic times, there's a tendency to turn inward... to worry about oneself and one's own family. And that's only natural. It can be hard when you are struggling yourself to look up and see the need of others around you as well. But that is what the members of our armed forces do everyday. They volunteer to fight their neighbor's fight, their country's fight, and to put their own lives and their families well-being at risk to serve a greater cause. That is a true hero. And that's what the USO does as well. It recognizes this sacrifice and tries to do all it can to ease the burden to provide support and comfort to the fighting men and women overseas and those who come home injured and in need.
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