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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.
Obama's chief of staff to depart White House Friday, sources say
Chicago, Illinois (CNN) - White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will step down Friday to run for mayor of Chicago, two sources told CNN Thursday.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that President Obama will make "a personnel announcement" Friday morning, but refused to confirm it would relate to Emanuel's expected departure.
Gibbs said he would "bet on having two announcements" Friday morning - a possible reference to Emanuel's successor.
The move was expected, after Chicago Mayor Richard Daley recently decided not to run for re-election.
Candidates for the Chicago mayoral race must gather 12,500 signatures by November 22. The city's February 22 Democratic primary could be very difficult to win given the number of prospective candidates from various factions of the party lining up to run.
Gibbs heaped praise on the famously tough chief of staff, saying that he has an "incredible amount of energy every day" and has "been the leader" since Obama took office.
He "helped us accomplish so much in helping our economy recovery, in passing landmark Wall Street reform, health care reform, credit card reform [and] student loan reform," Gibbs said. FULL STORY
Prosecutor: Bias charges may come in webcast of sexual encounter
New York (CNN) - New Jersey prosecutors said Thursday they are determining whether additional charges, including bias, may be brought against two Rutgers University students accused of invading the privacy of fellow student Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide after his sexual encounter with another man was streamed online.
"The initial focus of this investigation has been to determine who was responsible for remotely activating the camera in the dormitory room of the student and then transmitting the encounter on the Internet," Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce J Kaplan said.
"Now that two individuals have been charged with invasion of privacy, we will be making every effort to assess whether bias played a role in the incident, and, if so, we will bring appropriate charges," Kaplan said in a statement.
Under New Jersey law, a person is guilty of bias intimidation if he or she commits a crime with the purpose of intimidating someone because of race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ethnicity; or if the victim or victim's property was selected as a target because of the same factors.
On the evening of September 19, Rutgers student Dharun Ravi is believed to have sent a message by Twitter about his roommate, Clementi. FULL STORY
Sound off: We want to hear from you this morning. Add your comments to the LIVE Blog below and we'll read some of them on the show.
The Teaser for Friday, October 1, 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.
6:40AM Parry Aftab, Ex. Dir., WiredSafety.org and Sela Gaglia, Director of training, Challenge Day, on the recent suicide of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who authorities believe jumped off the George Washington Bridge after his roommate posted a video stream of Clementi's sexual encounter with another boy. Aftab and Gaglia discuss the wider issue of cyber-bullying amongst young Americans.
7:20AM Patricia Sellers, Editor-at-Large, Fortune, on her exclusive interview with and cover story on Oprah, inside info about the troubled launch of OWN (the Oprah Winfrey Network), and what's next for the media icon.
7:40AM Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss claim Mark Zuckerberg stole the idea for Facebook from them. They join American Morning to discuss the new film "The Social Network," the real legal battle the film portrays, and Facebook's effect on social fabric of the country.
8:10AM Andy Card, Former White House Chief of Staff and Candy Crowley, Host, "State of the Union", on Rahm Emanuel's expected resignation from his position as White House Chief of Staff to run for Mayor of Chicago.
8:40AM Derrick Pitts, Chief Astronomer, Franklin Institute Science Museum, on the discovery of a rocky planet in a nearby solar system with the most basic and essential conditions needed to support extraterrestrial life – the first of its kind ever detected.
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CNN's John Roberts jams with Rush
I’ve always wanted – but never had the chance – to attend Rock and Roll Fantasy camp. That’s where my buddies from Rush came to the rescue. For the very first time, they allowed a guest – I won’t even use the word ‘artist’ – to join them on stage.
For four minutes, I lived the dream so many Rush fans have had – to play with three guys consistently rated among the top purveyors of their craft the world over.
I’ve received notes today from many guitarists who shuttered themselves in their room for days learning parts to 2112, La Villa Strangiato, Red Barchetta, Closer to the Heart and other Rush classics.
To the men and women out there who are undoubtedly far more proficient on guitar than this humble correspondent, I wish you the opportunity to one day join your heroes in song.
We played all of Limelight together, but for purposes of morning TV, we had to narrow it down to :45 seconds. Three-quarters of a minute I will never forget!
Winning hearts in 'hell on earth'
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.
Cyclist Alberto Contador blames food contamination for failed steroid test
Alberto Contador tested positive for a banned substance in July. He has been suspended by the governing body pending an investigation. Contador's spokesman blames the failed test on food contamination. Contador is expected to speak later today. Peter Flax, editor-in-chief of "Bicycling" magazine spoke to John Roberts on American Morning:
Peter Flax: Yes, it was 1/400th of the normal limit they test for. They're talking about a trace amount of a 20-year-old asthma drug. It's a really shocking piece of news.
John Roberts: So Alberto Contador claims that it was food contamination that led to this. Are they offering any further explanation of how this food might have gotten contaminated?
Flax: No, my desk will be buzzing with all sorts of statements and press releases. I think they're holding off on that piece until the press conference in a little while. In the present anti-doping system the way its written, athletes have to take responsibility for what goes into their body. He's on the hook in that way. I have to admit like a lot of observers seeing a trace amount of such an easily detectable drug that stays so long in your system that's so old, it does make you think there's a high likelihood that there's some explanation other than a deliberate amendment for performance enhancing.
Roberts: Now, because he was in the yellow jersey for so long during this year's tour he was heavily tested. All of the other tests have come back, as far as we know, negative. Isn't unusual that there would be, among all of these negative tests, one test that's positive with this tiny trace amount?
Flax: Yeah, it's definitely suspect from everyone I've talked to that clenbuterol stays in your system for such a long time. So to be such a trace amount that only showed up on one day, it's consistent with that kind of explanation. I certainly will be waiting like a lot of other observers to see what Alberto has to say and see how this all plays out. But it's really shocking to see a grand champion at the top of his game like Alberto Contador facing this kind of charge right now.
Roberts: In the meantime, until all of this is either cleared up or confirmed, his tour title certainly at risk. Peter Flax, we like you will be eagerly anticipating the press conference.
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