American Morning
Interracial couple refused marriage wants justice fired
A justice of the peace in Louisiana who has drawn widespread criticism for refusing to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple says he has no regrets about his decision.
"It's kind of hard to apologize for something that you really and truly feel down in your heart you haven't done wrong," Keith Bardwell told CNN affiliate WAFB on Saturday.
The couple at the center of the controversy, Terence McKay and Beth Humphrey-McKay, are now married and fighting to get the justice’s license revoked. They spoke to Kiran Chetry on CNN’s “American Morning” Monday. Below is an edited transcript of the interview.
Kiran Chetry: What’s the latest with this justice of the peace who refused to marry you?
Terence McKay: I’m completely still in shock. I’m thankful for the justice of the peace that did marry us.
Beth McKay: I guess he just won't resign, won’t stand down, and he won't apologize. So that's his stance right now.
Chetry: Beth, you were the one that experienced this firsthand, because you spoke to his wife and you were going through the whole rigmarole. You had to say who you were, when you wanted to go there, what your plans were, and then she asked you, “Are you an interracial couple?” How did that happen?
Beth: That's exactly how it happened. At the end of the conversation, she said, “I have a question to ask you. Is this an interracial marriage?” I was shocked, and I said, “Excuse me?” She said, “Is this an interracial marriage?” And I said, “Yes, ma'am.” And she said, “Well, what's the deal? Is he black, are you black?” So I answered her questions and she just said, “Well, we don't do interracial marriages.”
Health care reform talks too secret?
This week, Senate Democratic leaders are expected to be back behind closed doors, putting together a compromise bill on health care reform.
That process has raised a key question: Why is the debate over the public option not open to the public?
Talk Radio: Who is listening?
A few days ago, we stopped by Graber Supplies on Highway 41 in south central Pennsylvania. Inside we found Ira Wagler, a general manager at the building, listening to the "Rush Limbaugh Show" as he worked.
Wagler is a huge fan of conservative talk radio. Five days a week he heads to work in his blue truck with the dial set to WHP 580 in Harrisburg. During the 30-minute drive he listens to local conservative talker RJ Harris. At work Glen Beck takes him to the noon hour, followed by the king of conservative radio, Rush Limbaugh.
Then it's back in the truck on the way home with another local talker, Bob Durgan. Wagler ends the day at home with the San Francisco-based conservative Michael Savage.
Talkers Magazine says that Ira is not unusual. More than 15 million people listen to Rush Limbaugh every week, and all but one of the top ten most listened to talk radio hosts are conservative.
We wanted to know why conservative talk radio is so popular.
"I started listening to Rush in '92," says Wagler, a self-described Libertarian who voted for Ron Paul for president. "I just really connected with his philosophy, his thinking, and quite a bit with his humor."
He also told Carol Costello that he listens to Limbaugh "for the serious things. He just cuts through the crap. He tells it. This is what's going on, and 90% of the time that is what's going on. He's not always right. Usually he is."
PolitiFact Truth-O-Meter
Editor's Note: PolitiFact.com is a project of the St. Petersburg Times that aims to help you find the truth in politics. Every day, reporters and researchers from the Times examine statements by members of Congress, the president, etc. They research their statements and then rate the accuracy on their Truth-O-Meter.
Beck says 45 percent of physicians would quit if health reform passes
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/19/beck.glenn.art.jpg caption="Fox News commentator Glenn Beck said that the health care reform plan could harm doctors financially."]
Physicians are important players in the health care debate. They've been courted by both supporters and opponents of the Democratic reform plan. President Barack Obama held a Rose Garden ceremony with some of them recently. And now opponents of the Democratic health care plan are citing poll results that supposedly show that lots of doctors would be so unhappy with the reforms that they'd quit their jobs.
Fox News Channel political commentator Glenn Beck mentioned this on his Oct. 12, 2009, show during a wide-ranging critique of the Democratic plan. He said that the plan could harm doctors financially and make medical students have doubts about pursuing the profession. "Do you really think that you're going to see an increase in medical students? I don't think so," Beck said. "Especially consider that the percentage of doctors who say they'll quit if this is passed is only 45 percent. No worries. Ha! You'll be able to find a good doctor. Really, you will."
The Truth-O-Meter says: FALSE
Read more: A questionable assertion based on questionable data
Flexible spending accounts under health care reform might get new limits
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/19/savemyflexplan.art.jpg caption="Save Flexible Spending Plans warns that a proposal approved by the Senate Finance Committee "would drastically restrict the use of flexible spending accounts.""]
As Congress considers a sweeping health care reform bill, groups are springing up that represent obscure aspects of the current system.
The latest group raising concerns represents companies that provide flexible spending accounts. The group, known as Save Flexible Spending Plans, sent us a press release with the dire warning that a proposal approved by the Senate Finance Committee "would drastically restrict the use of flexible spending accounts (FSAs) in order to help pay for health care reform."
"FSAs are a lifeline for working Americans, often making the difference between staying afloat and going into debt over health care needs, and sometimes between getting necessary treatment and avoiding it altogether because of the cost," said Joe Jackson, the organization's chairman and CEO of the benefits company WageWorks.
The Truth-O-Meter says: HALF TRUE
Read more: Flexible spending account lovers, beware!
E-mail claims Iowa policy seeks to round up Iowans who might be exposed to the swine flu
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/19/swine.flu.cdc.art.jpg caption="A chain e-mail claims Iowa is creating concentration camps for people with the H1N1 flu."]
Patty Quinlisk, medical director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, has been amazed by the amount of misinformation and blatant lies swirling around about the H1N1 virus and the federal plans to distribute a vaccine.
But even she was a bit thrown when a man called last month and asked her whether Iowa was creating concentration camps for people with H1N1. Seriously.
"We don't have concentration camps here in Iowa," she said.
And then she sighed.
"Those are words I never thought I'd have to say."
The Truth-O-Meter says: FALSE
Read more: No concentration camps for those with H1N1 virus in Iowa
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