American Morning
The Teaser for Wednesday, September 29, 2010
"The Teaser” is a preview of the guests we have lined up for the next day – so you know when to tune in (and when to set your alarm!). Guests and times are always subject to change.
6:24AM Robert Hastings, UFO Researcher, on his claims that extraterrestrial beings are interested in the world's nuclear arms race and may be sending humans a message.
6:40AM Tim Kaine, DNC Chairman and former Governor of Virginia, on the President’s “Moving America Forward Rallies” and reaction to the latest numbers which show Republicans beating Democrats in general and economic polls.
7:10AM Fran Townsend, CNN National Security Contributor and Former Bush Homeland Security Adviser, on the terror threats across Europe.
7:40AM Morgan Spurlock, Writer and Co-Director, “Freakonomics”, the film based on the New York Times best-selling book. He’ll discuss baby names and how they might influence the trajectory of a child's life.
8:10AM Secretary Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security Secretary, on aviation security using body scanners and other innovations to thwart would be terrorists.
8:40AM Tony Danza, Executive Producer & Star, "TEACH: Tony Danza", on his A & E series that chronicles his first year teaching at Philadelphia's largest urban high school, Northeast High.
Have questions for any of our guests?
Tweet 'em at Twitter.com/amFIX or post them below and we'll try to use 'em!
Have an idea for a story? Or more questions about something you saw or read on our amFIX blog, Facebook or Twitter?
E-mail your story ideas and questions to am@CNN.com.
Troops travel down 'IED alley'
As part of an ongoing series “A Soldiers Story,” CNN's Jason Carroll follows Sgt. Randy Shorter and his unit as they head into Afghanistan. Catch their stories on our AMfix blog, CNN.com and CNN's American Morning this month.
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Editor's Note: Welcome to American Morning's LIVE Blog where you can discuss the "most news in the morning" with us each week day. Join the live chat during the show by adding your comments below. It's your chance to share your thoughts on the day's headlines. You have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules: 1) Keep it brief 2) No writing in ALL CAPS 3) Use your real name (first name only is fine) 4) No links 5) Watch your language (that includes $#&*) 6) Stay relevant to the topic.
Tapes describe U.S. servicemen killing for sport in Afghanistan
Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) - Tapes obtained by CNN of interrogations of a group of U.S. servicemen charged with unprovoked killings of Afghan civilians describe gruesome scenes of cold-blooded murder.
"So we met this guy by his compound, so Gibbs walked him out, set him in place, was like standing here," says Cpl. Jeremy Morlock, detailing how, on patrol earlier this year and under the command of his sergeant, Calvin R. Gibbs, he and others took an Afghan man from his home and killed him.
"So, he was fully cooperating?" the military investigator asks on the tapes in a May 2010 interview.
"Yeah," Morlock responds.
Investigator: "Was he armed?"
Morlock: "No, not that we were aware of."
Investigator: "So, you pulled him out of his place?"
Morlock: "I don't think he was inside. He was by his little hut area ... and Gibbs sent in a couple of people."
Investigator: "Where did they stand him, next to a wall?"
Morlock: "Yeah, he was kinda next to a wall ... where Gibbs could get behind a wall when the grenade went off. And then he kind of placed me and [Spc. Adam] Winfield off over here so we had a clean line of sight for this guy and, you know, he pulled out one of his grenades, an American grenade, popped it, throws the grenade and tells me and Winfield, 'Alright, wax this guy. Kill this guy, kill this guy.'"
Investigator: "Did you see him present any weapons? Was he aggressive toward you at all?"
Morlock: "No, not at all. Nothing, he wasn't a threat." FULL STORY
Emanuel all but certain to run for Chicago mayor, sources say
(CNN) – Three Democratic sources close to Rahm Emanuel tell CNN that the White House chief of staff informed senior colleagues he is all but certain to run for mayor of Chicago, and will leave the White House to take the final exploratory steps.
Close associates are already building a campaign team according to sources.
An announcement by Emanuel is expected to be scheduled for Friday, sources said.
One of the sources, a prominent Democrat close to the White House chief of staff, told CNN, "We see nothing that will stop a run. But you don't announce a campaign for mayor of Chicago in Washington, D.C. You leave and go home and finish your business there."
The second source said Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg's research of a possible mayoral run for Emanuel was "very positive. He has some obvious things to deal with, but it was very encouraging."
Asked what the potential issues were, the source said "nothing you wouldn't expect. Just reminding people Chicago always was before Washington."
Assuming there is no hitch – and none is expected – longtime Obama adviser Pete Rouse is in line to be tapped as interim chief of staff, two of the sources said.
All of the sources spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the White House personnel turnover and the campaign planning.
Americans' religious IQ lacking
Odds are that you know Mother Teresa was Catholic, but what religion is the Dalai Lama?
How about Maimonides?
And – no Googling – what's the first book of the Bible? How about the first four books of the New Testament?
Americans who can answer all of those questions are relatively rare, a huge new study has found.
In fact, although the United States is one of the most religious developed countries in the world, most Americans scored 50 percent or less on a quiz measuring knowledge of the Bible, world religions and what the Constitution says about religion in public life.
The survey is full of surprising findings.
For example, it's not evangelicals or Catholics who did best – it's atheists and agnostics.
It's not Bible-belt Southerners who scored highest – they came at the bottom. FULL STORY
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