American Morning

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August 12th, 2009
06:14 AM ET

What’s on Tap – Wednesday August 12, 2009

Here are the big stories on the agenda today:

  • President Obama's road show to sell health care reform kicking off in New Hampshire.  The crowd was orderly and polite yesterday.  But in Pennsylvania and Missouri, town halls turned ugly.  We'll go beyond the sound bytes to find out why so many people are so angry.  And we’ll talk to one congressman who had a confrontation with a doctor, and then found a swastika outside his office.  Has it really come to this?
  • An American soldier serving his country and allegedly, Mexico’s drug lords.  An 18-year-old army private is accused of being a hit man for a Mexican drug cartel, shooting a DEA informant on U.S. soil.  CNN’s Ed Lavandera is live with the violent, new reality on this side of the border.
  • A new weapon in the fight against colon cancer could be right in your medicine cabinet.  Researchers say aspirin may be able to extend the lives of people with colon cancer, the second- deadliest cancer killer in the country. One expert says the study's findings could be "revolutionary.”
  • The all-time battle of the bands.  Who’s number one?  There’s a clear winner in a new survey about the great performers of all time – and which band bridges the gap between generations.  You can probably guess who, but the rest of the list may have you screaming at your TV… “Old Blue Eyes” just edged out a young blondie. Yes, really.  Let the water cooler talk begin!

Filed under: What's On Tap
August 11th, 2009
05:57 AM ET

What’s on Tap – Tuesday August 11, 2009

Here are the big stories on the agenda today:

  • Make or Break Month.  The president's getting ready for a road trip to sell his plan for health care reform.  He'll start with a town hall meeting this afternoon in New Hampshire.  We're live at the White House where the president's planning to change his tone and his tactics.  The health care debate is even diving families.  We found two brothers who are on opposite sides of the aisle and the issue, and they’ll be here to duke it out, live.
  • The results are in, but the L.A. County coroner's office is keeping Michael Jackson’s autopsy sealed, because of the on-going investigation into his death.  Police are still trying to determine whether anyone should be charged.  But we do know from a source that Jackson’s physician, Doctor Conrad Murray gave the singer the powerful drug Propofol in the 24-hours before he died.
  • Stranded on an airplane, all night long!  Forty seven passengers on a Continental ExpressJet from Houston to Minneapolis wound up trapped on the tarmac, in another city for nine hours.  Babies were crying... diapers were filling up… and there was no food.  We'll talk to one passenger about a flight, and a night he'd like to forget.

Filed under: What's On Tap
August 10th, 2009
05:25 AM ET

What’s on Tap – Monday August 10, 2009

Anita Rossi argues against Democratic Party health care proposals, shouting 'It's my money' on August 8, 2009 in Brighton, Colorado. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)
Anita Rossi argues against Democratic Party health care proposals, shouting 'It's my money' on August 8, 2009 in Brighton, Colorado. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)

Here are the big stories on the agenda today:

  • Today marks the beginning of a make-or-break month for health care reform in this country, as lawmakers go home for recess and face town halls across the nation.  They’re hearing from many people who seem genuinely mad.  But today in a USA Today op-ed, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer say the attacks on health insurance reform are “un-American “ and many of those louder protesters are misrepresenting the truth.  We’ll talk to one congressman who cancelled meetings in his hometown over a death threat.  And the main event –  a no-nonsense debate of our own, between Ron Reagan and Larry Elder.
  • A dire warning from the Pentagon's top man on the ground in Afghanistan.  General Stanley McChrystal tells the Wall Street Journal the Taliban is winning in Afghanistan, forcing the U.S. to change its strategy.  He says that'll mean more U.S. casualties, as the pentagon puts U.S. forces into more heavily-populated areas.  We’re live at the Pentagon with the military’s response.
  • Where will Superman get changed now??  This morning we're paying tribute to something you rarely see these days: phone booths.  They used to be everywhere in New York City.  Today, cell phones and wi-fi hot spots are driving pay phones off the market.  Richard Roth tracked down the last booths in New York to find out who will be most affected if they disappear.  How many do you think are left?

Filed under: What's On Tap
August 7th, 2009
05:13 AM ET

What’s on Tap – Friday August 7, 2009

Here are the big stories on the agenda today:

  • President Obama is marking 200 days on the job.  He'll start the morning with new unemployment numbers – a thorn in the president's side since day one.  There are fears we could hit 10% unemployment this morning.  We're live at the White House with what the administration expects, and how it could spin it.
  • If you're still hoping to trade in that gas guzzling clunker for some cold, hard government cash, you're in luck.  The senate is re-fueling the rebate program that has cars flying off dealer lots.  Our CNN Money Team is standing by to break it all down.
  • They're home and for the first time we're learning a little about what really happened to Laura Ling and Euna Lee inside North Korea.  In her first interview since the homecoming, Lisa Ling told CNN that her sister did cross into North Korea after all… for “maybe thirty seconds.”  Lisa Ling will be talking to us live at 7:30 et.
  • The longest yard… sale.  There are 654 miles of bargains in Dunlap, Tennessee. It's billed as the world's longest yard sale. And there are lots of bargain hunters this year, in the midst of recession.  Our Rob Marciano is one of them this morning.

Filed under: What's On Tap
August 5th, 2009
06:03 AM ET

What’s on Tap – Wednesday August 5, 2009

This photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows former President Bill Clinton greeting two US journalists Laura Ling (in green) and Euna Lee (red) after winning their release from the communist country as they leave Pyongyang airport to the US in a chartered plane on August 5, 2009. (KNS/AFP/Getty Images)
This photo released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows former President Bill Clinton greeting two US journalists Laura Ling (in green) and Euna Lee (red) after winning their release from the communist country as they leave Pyongyang airport to the US in a chartered plane on August 5, 2009. (KNS/AFP/Getty Images)

Here are the big stories on the agenda today:

  • Laura Ling and Euna Lee are on their way home right now and could touch down any time.  You will see their emotional reunion right here. The two journalists left North Korea with Former President Bill Clinton late last night.  The White House is calling Clinton’s trip a private matter, adding that there were no discussions about North Korea's nuclear program, but North Korea’s “supreme leader” sure got quite a photo-op.  We'll also talk about where relations go from here, with our experts worldwide.
  • It's being called a massacre inside a Pittsburgh area gym.  This morning police are trying to find out why a gunman walked into an exercise class and started unloading two guns, killing at least three people before he reportedly shot and killed himself.  Witnesses say people were flying off treadmills, and taking cover.
  • The Boston officer, who referred to Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates, Junior as a "banana-eating jungle monkey," in an e-mail. is now suing, claiming his civil rights were violated.  Officer Justin Barrett's lawyer tells CNN his client was denied his right to free speech and denied the right to a hearing over his job, claiming Boston’s mayor effectively fired him on TV.  Our Joe Johns is taking a look at both sides.
  • Paying by the pound.  A new study funded by the Centers for Disease Control says obese Americans spend 42% more on health care than "normal-weight" Americans.  And in the past decade, Americans have collectively gained more than a billion pounds.  We take a look at one woman’s amazing journey from a size 24, to a size four, and see how she’s saving her own life and maybe, your money.

Filed under: What's On Tap
August 4th, 2009
06:10 AM ET

What’s on Tap – Tuesday August 4, 2009

This photo taken on August 4, 2009 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows former US president Bill Clinton (R) receiving a bouquet of flowers from North Korean girl upon his arrival at Pyongyang airport. (KNS/AFP/Getty Images)
This photo taken on August 4, 2009 and released by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency shows former US president Bill Clinton (R) receiving a bouquet of flowers from North Korean girl upon his arrival at Pyongyang airport. (KNS/AFP/Getty Images)

Here are the big stories on the agenda today:

  • Breaking news… Former President, Bill Clinton is on the ground in North Korea.  A source tells us he's there to negotiate the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the two U.S. journalists detained back in March and sentenced to 12 years hard labor.  The worldwide resources of CNN are on alert to bring you every development out of the secret state.  And we’ll also ask the question, is this a slap in the face to his wife, the president’s current top diplomat?
  • Read his lips!  No tax hike for middle class Americans.  White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs trying to set the record straight, after President Obama's top economic advisers suggested a tax increase couldn't be ruled out as a way of cutting the budget deficit.
  • You have the clunker, but will the government have the cash??  The White House says the Senate must act quickly and approve another $2 billion to save the popular Cash for Clunkers program.  We’re also showing you what happens to that old gas guzzler after you trade it in.
  • Fur is flying. There's a new airline flying the friendly skies… one that caters to a very specific clientele. The name says it all: "Pet Airways.”  It offers coast-to-coast travel for cats and dogs only!  Our Carol Costello meets some of its “PAW-sengers.”

Filed under: What's On Tap
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