American Morning
Swing voters will decide Kennedy seat
Editor’s note: John P. Avlon is a senior political columnist for The Daily Beast and author of the forthcoming "Wingnuts: How the Lunatic Fringe is Hijacking America." Previously, he served as chief speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/04/29/avlon.john.art.jpg caption=" John Avlon says the too-close-to-call Massachusetts race is hinging on the choice made by independent voters."]
By John Avlon, Special to CNN
(CNN) - On Tuesday, the eyes of the political world will be turned to Massachusetts where an unexpectedly close special election is being held to determine who will succeed Ted Kennedy in the Senate.
Conventional wisdom labels Massachusetts a liberal bastion, but this stereotype misses the mark. In fact, there are more independents in Massachusetts than Democrats or Republicans.
Take a look at the numbers: There are roughly 2.1 million independent voters in Massachusetts, 1.5 million Democrats, and 500,000 Republicans. Yes, Democrats far outnumber Republicans in the Bay State - especially in Boston - but there are more independents than Democrats and Republicans combined.
This is the key to understanding why the race between Republican State Sen. Scott Brown and Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, a Democrat, is so close. It reflects a broader dynamic occurring in American politics: Independents are the largest and fastest growing segment of the electorate.
There are now 11 states like Massachusetts, where independents outnumber Democrats or Republicans outright. Winning independents is the key to winning any election - and right now, independents are angry at the Democrat-controlled congress.
Quake survivor trapped for 50 hours
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) - The head of a humanitarian aid group and a few of his colleagues survived 50 hours beneath the rubble of a hotel, with the help of a few things he keeps in his bag for his two young children.
"We had one Tootsie Pop and we did share that," said Rick Santos, president and CEO of IMA World Health.
He also had a bit of gum.
While the supplies helped, Santos said, "I think we made it because we talked to each other, we helped each other, and we had this hope that we would be rescued at some point."
Two of his colleagues did not survive.
Santos and five colleagues had been walking through the lobby of the Hotel Montana last Tuesday when he saw one of the chandeliers swing. "And before it even made its way down, just everything crashed and collapsed on top of us," he told CNN's "American Morning" on Monday.
Son searches for father after quake
Editor's Note: The cloud of despair that has engulfed Haiti continues to be punctured by stories of hope and survival. Our Jason Carroll is in Port-au-Prince where he went looking for a father after his son here in New York contacted CNN.
By Jason Carroll and Justin Dial, CNN
When news of the quake broke and images of destruction poured in, Sachiel Mondesir sat in New York, frustrated and worried, unable to reach his father Jean Syrie who was vacationing in Port-au-Prince.
"I was scared. I wanted to know something. Each time I saw a body in the street, I saw houses down, I was afraid where my father could be."
Mondesir tried everything, but communications were down and the U.S. embassy out of reach.
"It was a sense of helplessness where you can't do anything for the person you love. I didn't know what to do."
So Mondesir took a chance and sent an e-mail to CNN asking for help, attaching his father's picture and address.
Armed with the information, we set out to find Jean Syrie. Our local driver, snaking through the complicated streets, asking questions along the way. Finally, we spotted the address, in a neighborhood called Delmas 24.
The Mondesir home was destroyed. There was no sign of Sachiel's father, but we did find Sachiel's aunt.
Congressman buys one-way ticket to Haiti
He represents more Haitian-Americans than any other member of Congress. That's why Kendrick Meek couldn't wait any longer to visit the devastated country.
The representative from South Florida bought a one-way ticket from Miami to the Dominican Republic, landing Sunday morning just after midnight and driving overnight to Haiti. He joined us on Monday's American Morning, live from Port-au-Prince.
Read more: Latest updates on Haiti
Republican looks to pull off huge upset in Mass.
What happens at the polls tomorrow in Massachusetts could affect the entire nation and President Obama's future domestic agenda. That's why he was in Boston yesterday, trying to recapture the energy from his 2008 campaign.
Voters will go to the polls to choose between Democratic state Attorney General Martha Coakley and Republican state Senator Scott Brown. They're fighting for a seat Senator Ted Kennedy held for 46 years.
And there is no guarantee, even in New England, which is known as the bluest of the blue, that a Democrat will fill it. Our Jim Acosta reports on this critical race.
Are you looking for loved ones in Haiti?
Are you searching for family members or friends in Haiti? Send us their photos and any relevant information and they'll be added to our searchable files. If you're in Haiti and safe, please take a look through the photos and share any information you may have. See a list of the found who have reconnected with family, and a partial list of the victims. CNN crews in Haiti also are working to relay messages from those affected by the earthquake back to their loved ones. FULL STORY
The U.S. State Department has set up a hotline for information on family members who may be in Haiti: (888) 407.4747. This number is for information on U.S. citizens in Haiti only. For all Nationalities, you can use their online Person Finder Tool.
• Are you searching for a family member or friend? Upload their photo on iReport
To learn more about how you can get involved, visit Impact Your World.
Details on how you can help: Who's doing what, how you can contribute
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