American Morning
NY Yankees bat boy Luis 'Squeegee' Castillo shares his favorite stories about team
At age 15, Luis "Squeegee" Castillo became a bat boy and clubhouse attendant for the New York Yankees, a position he went on to hold from 1998 until 2005. Castillo is one of the most famous Yankee bat boys in recent history and fans often chanted his name when he stepped onto the field as part of the traditional "roll call" of players during Yankee home games.
Castillo is one of the last bat boys to work for the team who wasn't required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. He has written a tell-all book called "Clubhouse Confidential" that details some of his favorite stories about working for one of the most storied baseball teams in history.
Today on American Morning, Castillo discusses his experience with the Yankees and dishes on some of the team's star players.
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus talks President Obama's vacation, GOP jobs plan
President Obama and his family departed for a ten-day vacation to Martha's Vineyard yesterday – a trip that has become the source of much political contention, with many Republicans criticizing the president for taking time off while the economy is so fragile.
The Republican National Committee blasted the president for his decision this week, issuing a series of online postcards mocking the vacation.
However, others, like White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, have defended the trip, saying that there is "no such thing as a presidential vacation" and stating that Obama will continue to be briefed on the economy throughout the vacation.
Today on American Morning, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus joins Christine Romans to discuss the committee's attack on the president's trip and to explain the Republican plan for hiring and economic growth.
How important is a heart-healthy diet? Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains
After suffering a heart attack, Sharon Kintz made a surprising treatment decision. Instead of opting for open heart surgery to fix her heart problems, she decided to take a chance and use food as medicine instead. Since refining her diet, Kintz's doctors now say that she is no longer at risk of a heart attack.
Today on American Morning, Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses Kintz's decision, explaining her new heart-healthy diet and stressing how powerful nutrition can be to improving personal health.
Kintz's story is featured in Gupta's new documentary "The Last Heart Attack," set to air this Sunday at 8pm ET.
How are the 2012 presidential candidates trying to connect with voters?
The candidates competing for the 2012 presidency have started to seriously focus on their campaigns, issuing campaign ads and traveling throughout the country making public appearances.
When it comes down to how well the candidates have managed to connect with voters, many factors, including their style, personality and demeanor, have ultimately influenced how well they've been received.
Why are Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann resonating so well while Mitt Romney seems to be lagging behind? Does Obama still have the same energy and excitement he did as a candidate now that he's president?
Tevi Troy, former presidential candidate debate prepster, and Martha Burk, political psychologist, join Carol Costello today on American Morning to break down the candidates' images and to discuss what tactics have worked and what have not on the campaign trail so far.
Former Treasury official Bruce Bartlett: 'Rick Perry is an idiot.'
The Dow Jones was down 400 points yesterday as stocks on Wall Street declined sharply. Gold prices also hit a new record high as fears of a double dip recession increased across the country.
With the state of the economy worsening, Bruce Bartlett, influential economist and former Treasury official under President George H.W. Bush, says that the only viable solution left is for the Federal Reserve to be more aggressive and pump more money into the economy to encourage spending.
"My feeling is that the basic problem of our economy right now is a lack of aggregate demand," he tells Christine Romans on American Morning today. "The best way to get the economy going would be through some kind of expansion of fiscal policy."
Bartlett also responds to Governor Rick Perry's comment that it would be "treasonous" for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke to continue "printing money to play politics."
"Rick Perry is an idiot and I don't think anybody would disagree with that," Bartlett says. "The thing is, the politics of the Fed itself are really a more serious problem."
Talk Back: Is President Obama neglecting the black community?
Despite the fact that the unemployment rate for African-Americans has risen to 15.9 percent since the president took office, Obama has not attended any of the job fairs organized for the black community by the Congressional Black Caucus.
President Obama also neglected to visit any majority black communities during his his three-day bus tour through the Midwest this week.
In light of this, Representative Maxine Waters spoke out yesterday, saying that unhappiness with the president is rising among African Americans who want him to stand up to Republicans and fight for the poor and unemployed.
Talk Back: Is President Obama neglecting the black community?
Let us know what you think. Your answer may be read on this morning's broadcast.
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