American Morning
Alzheimer’s CEO: Disease as an epidemic, financial burden
A report out this morning calls Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia an epidemic and the financial burden is nothing short of crushing.
The costs associated will total well over $600 billion this year – one percent of the World’s gross domestic product. By 2030, those costs are projected to increase by 85 percent. Harry Johns, President & CEO of the Alzheimer’s Association, joined Tuesday's American Morning to discuss the implications of the report and the growing difficulties in dealing with this disease.
Harry Johns: It's only going to increase [with] the aging of America and worldwide. Alzheimer's is not normal aging. As I know you realize, John, but it is the biggest risk factor of Alzheimer’s and going to drive the numbers substantially. Today, in America, we have an estimated 5.3 million people with the disease and that's going to go as high as 16 million by the middle of the century if we can't change the course of the disease.
Inglis on losing to Tea Party, where GOP went wrong
(CNN) – Christine O'Donnell’s surprise win in Delaware is sending shock waves through the GOP. O’Donnell is just one of several Tea Party success stories, which some say is threatening the existence of the moderate republican. Republican Congressman Bob Inglis, who lost his primary in June to a Tea Party candidate, is now speaking out against the Republican Party. Inglis spoke to John Roberts on Tuesday's American Morning about where things may have gone wrong for himself and the rest of the GOP.
Bob Inglis: I don't think we build our party by distraction and we don't serve our country by division. The key here to pull together as Americans and to build on truth, especially to build a conservative movement, a credible conservative movement, build it on truth.
The truth is that the president is not a Muslim. He's – he was born in America. And he is not a socialist. He is left of center, I’m right of center. And, in fact, he might say very right of center. But that's okay. We can have a debate about real facts. We don't need to [be]making up things because as time goes on, that gets embarrassing when you're found out to have built something on false information and on scapegoats rather than solutions. The customer turns away and says you've got nothing for me because you're not delivering a solution.
O'Donnell sidesteps specifics on funds, says 'no truth' to allegations
(CNN) – Delaware GOP Senate nominee Christine O'Donnell, in comments exclusive to CNN, refused to answer specific questions Monday night about allegations she misused funds from her previous campaign and tried to downplay their significance.
On the allegations she said there's "no truth to it."
She spoke to CNN after a candidates' forum. She asked, "Why are you listening to a liberal organization in the first place?" - referring to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan campaign watchdog group that filed a complaint Monday against the O'Donnell campaign.
Seeking to change the subject, she said "the momentum surrounding this campaign is obvious."
"I am positive we have been ethical," she said before walking off. "I personally have not misused campaign funds."
The campaign has hired a lawyer - an expert in campaign finance - to answer those charges "if it goes anywhere," O'Donnell said.
On the allegation that she used about $20,000 in funds for non-campaign purposes she said, "No truth to it....no truth to it."
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed complaints with the Delaware U.S. Attorney's Office and the Federal Election Commission against O'Donnell, charging that more than $20,000 of O'Donnell's spending in 2009 and 2010 was illegal because O'Donnell was no longer a candidate.
Reporter's Notebook: Weather Warriors
(CNN) – The Special Operations Weather Team (SOWT) is less a than a hundred person unit within the Air Force’s Special Operations Command. The SOWT’s deploy with the likes of Army Rangers, Navy Seals and other Special Forces into extremely hostile territory. Once on the ground, their duties encompass everything a special ops soldier regularly endures, in addition to assessing and interpreting weather and environmental conditions. The data a SOWT generates is not only vital for battlefield conditions for military deployments, but also for guiding in rescue choppers in real-time combat situations. Our Rob Marciano talks to SWOT soldiers in the second part of his original report, “Weather Warriors”.
Vets CFO on Obama: 'I am exhausted of defending you'
(CNN) – President Obama was hearing an earful from voters at a town hall meeting in the nation’s capitol yesterday. Anger and disappointment was voiced by many in attendance, including Velma Hart, Chief Financial Officer for “American Vets” and Ted Brassfield, a law school grad. Hart and Brassfield spoke with Kiran Chetry about their feelings on Obama and clarified some of their statements from the town hall.
Kiran Chetry: Velma, when you said you were getting tired of defending the president, it's exhausting. Have you lost faith in the president? Or do you think it's simply the circumstances we're in that he doesn't necessarily have control of.
Velma Hart: It is absolutely the latter. But I don't know that he doesn't have control of it. I still have great faith in this president. I think that he is an amazing leader. I think he is inspirational.
Kiran Chetry: Ted, you asked whether or not you thought the "American Dream" was still attainable. Why did you choose that question? I know that you had a lot on your mind. You had a lot that you discussed among your friends. Why did you ask about the "American Dream?"
Ted Brassfield: Well, it's a real problem that a lot of us who have advanced degrees – and people who are going to college, maybe they don't know why they went to college. But we are facing massive student loans. The entire generation is just often facing six figures even when you go to public universities. And you have people like me who had good jobs but went back to school. Society says if you work hard, if you go to school, we will have good jobs for you. And that's why it's – you're willing to take on a massive amount of debt. And it seems like that's been lost. And it's really hurting a lot of my cohort.
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