American Morning
Do risks of routine mammograms really outweigh benefits?
There are millions of women today who are now questioning the best strategy for detecting and fighting breast cancer.
New guidelines from a government task force advise women to now wait until they are 50-years-old, not 40, to start getting routine mammograms.
So, do the risks of routine mammograms really outweigh the benefits?
To get a perspective from all sides, we talked to: Julie Sisskind, a breast cancer patient without any family history, who was diagnosed from a routine mammogram; Lucy Marion, one of the members of the task force that created the new guidelines; and our own Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN chief medical correspondent and practicing neurosurgeon.
Since the new recommendations have the potential to affect the health and well-being of millions of American women, it's not surprising that there is a deep concern from many over what this all actually means.
At times heated, this is an interview you don't want to miss.
Youngest World Series of Poker champ spills secrets
It all came down to one hand. He was all-in and took the prize with a pair of nines.
His name is Joe Cada and he is the youngest World Series of Poker champion, ever.
The tournament started back in July with nearly 6,500 players. Cada beat them all out, taking home nearly $8.6 million. He joined John Roberts and Kiran Chetry on CNN's "American Morning" Wednesday.
Clinton talks about career, favorite TV show, and her 'crush'
Hillary Clinton is looking presidential to many Americans these days. A new CNN poll puts her well ahead of Vice President Biden and Sarah Palin as the “most qualified” to be president.
Now we’re getting to see a side of her that didn’t come out on the campaign trail – her favorite television show, and a certain “crush.”
Vogue contributing editor Jonathan Van Meter traveled to Africa to get a rare look at the secretary of state. His feature is in December's issue of the magazine. Van Meter joined John Roberts on CNN’s “American Morning” Wednesday. Below is an edited transcript of the interview.
John Roberts: You spent about three weeks with her. A couple weeks in Africa, and a week at the U.N. General Assembly. Sat down with her a couple times. What most surprised you about her?
Jonathan Van Meter: I think what most surprised me was that she was more accessible and more pleasant and friendly and easy to talk to than I expected. As a journalist I've heard so many stories about how difficult she is to interview – maybe she has relaxed now that she's no longer in electoral politics. I found her sort of unguarded at moments and just pleasant. Cheerful. She was always in a good mood.
Roberts: So the very scripted person we saw on the campaign trail loosens up a little bit?
Van Meter: Yeah. I got to see her one morning in Africa, she had gone for a swim in the ocean. Her hair was wet. She came to meet me for breakfast for an interview. She just looked like a woman that had gone for a swim in the ocean. She was just incredibly relaxed and pleasant.
An oath to the Constitution, not the president
By Jim Acosta
In the first two parts of our series, “Patriots or Extremists?” we looked at the growth of private militias in this country. Now we turn to a group whose founder says he doesn't need a militia. That's because his organization is recruiting its members... right out of the military and law enforcement.
Just a couple of miles off the Las Vegas strip inside a casino ballroom, dozens of men and women are taking an oath. An oath, they say, to the Constitution of the United States – not to the president.
"If we're going to watch while our country dies and think that there's nothing we can do about it, we're wrong," says Richard Mack, a former sheriff.
They call themselves the "Oath Keepers," and last month they held their first national conference.
The group's founder, Stewart Rhodes, a former Army paratrooper and staffer for Congressman Ron Paul, says his members recite a revised version of the oath that's used for enlistment in the Armed Services, but they exclude this phrase: "I will obey the orders of the President of the United States."
"Our role is not to be obedient to whoever happens to be the leader. Our role is to defend the Constitution and the republic," says Rhodes.
We Listen – Your comments 11/17/2009
Editor's Note: Part two of Jim Acosta’s series on the militia movement had Tuesday’s American Morning audience evenly split on such groups’ legitimacy and relevance. Those for allowing such organizations viewed them as “misunderstood” because they provided needed assistance in emergencies. Those opposed termed militias as “dangerous whackos.”
- Linda: On the Militia, many states have their own militia. They pick up the ball in an emergency, when or if, the national guard is elsewhere. There is a big difference between being part of a militia, and being an unbalanced person with murder in his (or her) heart. Don't start demonizing the good guys.
- Todd: Patriots or extremists: militias are misunderstood, because there are also constitutional rights to form militias. The National Guard is considered a militia, most importantly there are State Defense Forces in most states, which are directed by their state Governors. I think if more was said about the State Defense Forces people would be more understanding about the concept of militias.
- Orville: Concerning the feature on militias. I don't belong to one, however, I have a license to carry a concealed handgun(one of over 60,000 in the state of Arkansas alone). I don't even go out to the curb to get my mail without carrying a semi-automatic handgun. And at home, I have an even bigger handgun for home security. When the news reports children getting beaten to death or a 15 year old girl being raped for over 2 hours with multiple onlookers doing nothing, I wish that I had been there. Things would have been different. Am I a gun "nut"? No, I'm a realist.
- Dan: Why in the world would you go out of your way to soften the image of the militia movement? How hard did you have to search to find a "reasonable" militia member? This is a dangerous movement made up of delusional people who think the government is out to take away their rights. For every "reasonable" member, there are probably a hundred skinheads, Aryan supremacists, and other assorted whackos. It is irresponsible to pander to these people.
- Joe: The American militias that we have been seeing and hearing about on CNN are militant extremists. They say they think Obama my be dangerous. What the hell did they think about Bush and Cheney, the two most dangerous persons to walk the face of this planet since Adolph?
- Joel: Why in the world are you featuring 100% certified paranoiacs like the Miracles? 22 guns and 8 kids?? Insanity and paranoia. Full camo and shooting trips with a 6 year old? You are aiding and abetting the right wing crazies and crypto nazis. Why not a full hour on the Aryan brotherhood or whats left of the kKan; sometimes I wonder about you people […].
What do you think of the militia movement? Continue the conversation below.
AARP: Brand-name drugs up 9% in past year
When it comes to health care reform Democrats and Republicans don't seem to agree on much. One thing they do agree on is making a new system more affordable.
While Americans wait for Washington's health care overhaul, prescription drug prices are rising faster than they have in years, and it's calling into question the drug industry's promised "partnership" on reform. CNN's Alina Cho reports.
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