Tuesday’s American Morning audience scolded Republicans for their constant “railing against the president and the Democrats,” suggesting that more would be achieved if the parties worked together. Others found Governor Palin and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich poor representatives of the GOP.

• Jonathan: If the Republicans spent as much time trying to fix this country and actually come up with solutions as they do railing against the president and the Democrats, then there would be a lot achieved in America. Republicans care for the big corporations and the greedy, not the hurting and the needy.
• Al: If Palin is all that the republicans have to put out there, then the party is in real trouble. It's a shame that our leaders have been reduced to polished, staggering idiots. She will end up finding her groove with the media, and we will not really know the real doofus inside. I'm sure she is a nice person (skeptical about this), but wouldn't Colin Powell be a seasoned individual with morals we can depend on in making decisions that lead our country? A real shame.
• Jeff: Hey guys I heard your political commentators say Palin needs to get her problems back home fixed. She has been cleared of all charges brought to court. Maybe you guys aren't the most news in the morning!

What do you think about how the Republicans are or are not working with the Democrats? What would you like to see the Republicans do differently or the same?

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American Morning email feedback was mostly focused on ever-increasing gas prices. Many blamed greed and price gouging by the oil companies, and others asked about big oils’ profits. Viewers recalled the gas crisis in 1972 and suggested that prices be frozen, while others wanted President Obama to consider regulating the oil industry to prevent price increases.

• Bob/ Iowa: Does anyone remember the gas crisis of 1975? Then president Richard Nixon froze gas prices to protect the economy. What is different today?
• Bob/ Virginia: AM Crew – With all of Christine’s good words about our gas prices, it's still the greed inherent in our free enterprise system that keeps pushing those prices higher and higher.
• Bob/Ohio: You have not told us any reason why gas prices should be going up. You have never told us what the price of a barrel of crude is at the well head. You have not told us if you and your friends have stock in the oil companies, and therefore are delighted that the price is climbing.
• Dan: It's just mind-blowing that Romans, and CNN, can report on rising gas prices without mentioning the record profits that the big oil companies continue to bring in. How many quarters does Exxon-Mobil have to report record-breaking profits before you put two and two together, and recognize price-gouging when you see it? I guess that's too much to ask from a "news" outlet whose main purpose seems to be to prop up big corporate power.
• Gordon: John, really like your show. You know the government took over control of the big banks and the auto industry. I think they should take Exxon over also. Maybe we would have a little more stability in gas prices.

How are gas prices in your area? What do you think is the reason prices are increasing so rapidly right now?

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Friday’s American Morning audience strongly agreed with Carol Costello’s piece that the middle class was headed to extinction, with most believing Washington was to blame.

• Terrie:  I just wanted to drop a note about the steel worker losing his job.  I agree 100% about the middle class, what is going on in Washington,  we were promised jobs for Joe the Plumber and the working man.  Over 2000 Coal miners have lost their jobs since Obama took office.  And that is just in WV.  West Virginia, Kentucky, Penn., etc. Blue Collar people.  I would love to ask what the UMWA was thinking supporting a Pres that hasn’t even been in office 1 year and he is shutting them down.
• Raymond:  Miss Costello's report this morning about the middle-class was incomplete.... While she is a first-class reporter, her report failed to reference the fact that 80% of American businesses are owned by non-college graduates, contrasted with her comment that 72% of Americans are not college educated, implicitly inferring that a college degree plays some role in the demise of the American middle-class....
• Deborah:  Our middle class has been whittled away since the 1980's when our industry was encouraged moved out to developing countries.  Now, American citizens earn less, pay ever higher prices, and receive lower and lower quality products.  The rich have gotten away with ripping us all off.   The middle class' wealth has been funneled into the upper class' bank accounts, Ask any hardware clerk the difference between American made steel and foreign made and determine what has happened to our products!  How many poisoned products coming from China will it take before our government wakes up and realizes the middle class consumer is being poisoned by toys & drywall.  The American public have been ripped off & poisoned by out sourcing and no one  can figure out what happened.  Slow and steady economic funneling into CEO pockets.

Is the middle class in the United States disappearing or is there simply an adjustment taking place that will allow those defined as ‘middle class’ to remain so?  If you believe the middle class is disappearing, what or who is to blame for this?  What do you believe is the solution?  Add your comments here for follow the story here.

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Wednesday’s American Morning received comments surrounding the stem cell story, as viewers remarked that experimental treatments in the U.S. must be paid for by patients, and that the U.S. would be far more advanced on such research had Al Gore been in office.

• Carli: I just watched your report on stem cell treatments in foreign countries. The comment that really upset me was that these treatments are experimental and there should be no charge for them. Right here in the good old USA "experimental treatments" are used to treat patients every day and people have to pay for them. No health insurance company would pay for an "experimental" treatment" but that is how new treatments are developed. The insinuation that because they are asking for payments makes it a scam is upsetting. 25 years ago my father was diagnosed with cancer which was treatable by an "experimental treatment" at his expense. Currently, that treatment that was experimental is the standard of care for the type of cancer he had. He had to pay for the treatment that extended his life. So just because there is not enough data to say something works and there is a request for payment to use that treatment, does not mean it is a scam.
• Marlin: I do not know whether these treatments are authentic or not . I do know had Al Gore assumed the presidency in 2000 (as rightfully elected) this country would be at the forefront of stem cell research instead of people going to foreign countries to receive treatment. Had an administration been in power during the Clinton -Gore years I will assure you we would never had been where we were at in the computer and cyber world. This is the difference between a forward looking administration and one who was married to the religious right and therefore made little progress in stem cell research. The same can be said for all infrastructure progress. Tax cuts for the wealthy and borrow money from China to finance our wars. That was their policy for 8 years.

How do you feel about stem cell research? Do you know someone suffering from a debilitating disease who could benefit from experimental treatments?

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Tuesday’s American Morning audience continued question and debate regarding the murder of Dr. Tiller and the issues surrounding abortion.

• Celeste: Dr. Tiller saved a lot of lives and was NOT A MURDERER! To repeat this abject foolishness and give voice to obvious lunatics is the height of irresponsible journalism! Please stop encouraging these fringe elements by giving them air time and commentary without the condemnation they deserve. Just because we have the right to believe and state what we want, DOES NOT require mainstream media to broadcast ill-advised, base comments from hate mongers. The "dumbing down" of the discussion of social issues for the sake of ratings is a disgrace!
• Arigg: Whoever said that the people who disparaged Dr. Tiller, calling him "Tiller the Baby Killer" (O'Reilly and that other crazy guy) can't be held accountable for his murder, should take note of the case of Charles Manson ... he never actually killed anybody, but his words surely persuaded others to commit heinous crimes. I think the world would be a better place of Bill O'Reilly's mother would have a retroactive abortion performed on her son. Our planet has way too many humans to support now, and if humans don't consciously try to prevent unwanted births, I'm sure the earth will balance herself out and get rid of this mass of crazed humanity. Those people should be held accountable for their evil words that drive wack-a-loons to murder innocent doctors
• Diane: The public needs to hear from some of the desperate women for whom Dr. Tiller performed late term abortions. Their stories would make it clear that he was not in it for he money and that these women did not make this decision lightly.
• Gabe: About the abortion doctor who was murdered in Kansas, what is not being asked is, why did he perform the late abortions that he did? Was it out of the mother's whim or were they done to save the mother's life? If the latter, then the doctor was not a killer of babies, as has been charged, but a saviour of women's lives. He should therefore be remembered as a hero as well as a good family and church-going man. And why is it that pro-lifers always give more importance to the fetus than to the woman who bears it? I think the woman, the mother, should come first. After all, she may already have other children and loved ones to look after whereas a fetus is but a blob of tissue, an unborn life. These so-called pro-lifers sure have their priorities mixed up.

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Monday’s American Morning audience awakened to the bankruptcy of General Motors. While the event was not unforeseen, many remained confused about the bankruptcy in conjunction with the government bailout and presented questions on numerous topics related to the filing.

• Joe: The U.S. Government already bailed out GM. The Hummer was designed for the military, it was the new 50K+ Jeep. The Government already supported GM by buying Hummers, Suburbans and Blazers at inflated prices, with billions of tax payer dollars. How many Government owned Hummers and other GM vehicles (running and in scrap yards) do we the people have in countries all over the world? No really, what is the price of this GM bailout?
• Andrew: I think that GM needs to cut down their prices on cars and trucks not a lot of people are buying new cars and trucks people are buying used cars and trucks now because new cars and trucks are too high
• 5XXXXXXX1: The auto execs had an opportunity to change their business practice years ago and didn't; they were getting their outrageous salaries.

How do you feel about the General Motors’ bankruptcy? How will it affect you? What is your opinion about GM’s future? What questions do you have about the bankruptcy?

The GM bondholder/school teacher was very heavily criticized for her naïveté and her seemingly alternative agenda against President and Mrs. Obama.

• Angus C: I am disgusted that you would bring that ditzy teacher on this morning whose only agenda was to try to bash Obama. I don't believe she was genuinely upset about the bonds. I expect this kind of nonsense from Fox News, not CNN. The very last comment about Michelle Obama was telling of her real position. If the government did not intervene with GM her bonds would be worth zero.
• L.T.: GM bondholder crying about not having a say, is wrong. When she and America voted G. Bush pres. she and they BANKRUPTED the U.S. and GM. creating the failures from surpluses to deficits and gave TAX breaks for Hummers.
• Bob: Today, Monday, on breaking news, a women was interviewed that invested $70,000 in GM six years ago. She was complaining about losing some of her money in the GM reorganization. Your reporter should have taken a few minutes to ask her if she understood that stocks and bonds all have a risk and that is the reason they generally provide more return than CDs or the money market. Please don't have that air brain on again – I am happy that she isn't teaching my grandchildren.
• Gwen: This is the first time I've ever written in but felt I should do so. First, this is regarding the so-called teacher who was on TV at approx. 5:30am Central time. She was upset about losing most of the $70,000 in GM investment and I understand her frustration. Many people have lost money during these economic problems. This lady readily wanted to blame the President for her lost, but no one explains that the President is working as hard as he can for the country with what he was handed when coming into office. If GM had not received the stimulus money, the GM retired workers would not have continued to receive their retirement, pension, and other benefits. I feel this needs to be explained to the American people, since there are so many criticizing the president every move he makes. Secondly, I was very upset with the comment she made regarding Michelle Obama's comment during the campaign about being proud of being an American only after her husband was campaigning for the presidency. She made a comment about how would Michelle feel if she was her children's teacher. This woman was out of order; these kids should never be mentioned in any political manner. This lets us know what type of teacher she really is. It appeared to be an attack on these sweet little Obama girls. She needs to come back on TV and explain her comment. I want to know what she was meaning.
• Rod: Where did you get that Gm bondholder you interviewed this morning from? And what may I ask was your purpose in talking with her? Mr. Obama just did a humane act. He pulled the plug on a life support patient that was never going to make it. Where has this bondholder been for the past decade? And she teaches our children? Now that in and of itself is a very scary thought.

What did you think of the interview with the schoolteacher/bondholder? Was she right to blame the government for the failure of GM?

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