American Morning

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September 6th, 2011
07:56 AM ET

Political panel: What can Americans expect from this week's jobs speeches?

With two days until the President's big jobs speech in front of a joint session of Congress, Obama offered a preview of his plan at a Labor-Day speech in Detroit yesterday, where he directly challenged Republicans for obstructing progress.

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is expected to roll out his own jobs plan in a speech in Las Vegas at 3pm today.

The bipartisan differences about how to create jobs has  raised new questions about the ability of top Democrats and Republicans to tackle pressing budgetary and economic concerns as the 2012 election season approaches.

This morning on American Morning, CNN political contributor Hilary Rosen and former Republican Advisor Robert Traynham examine the differing jobs plans and weigh in on if these political speeches will be enough to get Congress to act.


Filed under: Jobs • Politics
September 6th, 2011
05:27 AM ET

Talk Back: Is the Postal Service obsolete?

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/08/30/costello_vert.jpg width=200 height=230 align="right"]

From CNN's Carol Costello:

The U.S. Postal Service, historically a dependable service for Americans, is in trouble.

Facing a $9 billion dollar deficit, the Postal Service says that it does not have the money to meet an obligation to a $5.5 billion dollar retiree health care trust fund coming due at the end of the month and is in danger of defaulting.

The Postal Service also faces competition from Fed-Ex, UPS and digital technology. The Post office delivered 171 billion pieces of mail in 2010, down twenty percent from 2006.

Talk Back: Is the Postal Service obsolete?

Let us know what you think. Your response may be read on this morning's broadcast.


Filed under: AM Talk Back
September 5th, 2011
09:58 AM ET

'Phantom of the Opera' actor George Lee Andrews discusses his 9,382 performances with the show

After 23 years playing the role of Monsieur André in "Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway, actor George Lee Andrews gave his final performance as a member of the cast on Saturday night .

Andrews holds the Guinnes World Record for being the actor to spend the longest time performing in a single Broadway show – 9,382 performances to be exact.

Today on American Morning, Andrews discusses his experiences with the show and explains what's next for his career.


Filed under: American Morning
September 5th, 2011
08:52 AM ET

African American unemployment at its highest level since 1984

The August jobs report released by the Labor Department on Friday painted a bleak picture about racial inequality in the jobs market. Unemployment for African Americans is now at an astounding 16.7%, its highest level since 1984. This is more than double the unemployment figure for whites, which fell slightly last month to 8%.

With President Obama set to lay out his jobs plan in a highly-anticipated speech on Thursday, what does he need to say to restore faith in the African American public about jobs?

Robert Kuttner, co-founder and co-editor of American Prospect, and C. Nicole Mason, executive director of the NYU Women of Color Policy Network, join Christine Romans today to weigh in on black unemployment in America and what can be done right now to help ease the unemployment situation.


Filed under: Jobs • Unemployment
September 5th, 2011
08:18 AM ET

Union members to 'March for Jobs' in Pittsburg today

More than 70,000 people are expected to march in a Labor Day parade in Pittsburgh today geared at bringing a special focus on jobs and the unemployed. It's dubbed the "March for Jobs."

Organizers have made it clear that any politicians who are hostile to the labor movement are not welcome at the event and will be turned away.

This morning on American Morning, Allegeny County President of the AFL-CIO Jack Shea and Jim Bonner, an unemployed transit worker attending the march, explain what they think needs to happen to get Americans back to work.


Filed under: Jobs • Labor Day
September 5th, 2011
07:17 AM ET

Political panel: 2012 candidates to spend Labor Day campaigning

Candidates and potential candidates for the 2012 GOP nomination have been busy campaigning this weekend and they will have no rest this Labor Day as they try to rally supporters in a host of events across the country.

Following a appearance in Iowa on Saturday where she spoke to a group of around 2,000 people who had gathered hoping that she'd  make some indication as to whether or not she'd run for the nomination, Sarah Palin will be in New Hampshire today for a Tea Party event.

Meanwhile, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Michelle Bachmann will be at a forum in South Carolina event hosted by Senator Jim DeMint, a leader in the new conservative grassroots movement that includes so-called tea partiers.

Roll Call politics writer Shira Toeplitz and Politico senior political reporter Ben Smith explain what Palin's weekend event could signal about her intentions to run and whether Sen. DeMint's forum will push Perry to the front of the candidate pack.


Filed under: 2012 • GOP • Politics
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