American Morning
Mad as Hell: Why the national anger?
If the American mood these days were a movie line, it just might be the one shouted out by the character Howard Beale in the 1976 film, “Network”:
“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
We went to western Pennsylvania, Westmoreland County, to talk to voters about the anger that has spread from town halls to radio talk shows and to the floor of Congress. Last November the county went for John McCain over Barack Obama
It was in Westmoreland county that Obama campaigned just days before the April 2008 Democratic primary, saying that small-town Pennsylvania voters are “bitter” over their economic situation, and that they “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them.”
PolitiFact Truth-O-Meter: Health care fact vs. fiction
Editor's Note: PolitiFact.com is a project of the St. Petersburg Times that aims to help you find the truth in politics. Every day, reporters and researchers from the Times examine statements by members of Congress, the president, etc. They research their statements and then rate the accuracy on their Truth-O-Meter.
Cost-shifting of uninsured is debated by the experts
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/21/obama.stephanoupolous.art.jpg caption="President Obama in an interview on "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos."]
President Barack Obama went on the Sunday news shows to make the case for health reform.
This Week host George Stephanopolous questioned Obama on his support for an individual mandate, which requires everyone who can find affordable coverage to purchase health insurance.
Obama defended the matter as a fairness issue to people who now have coverage.
"Here's what's happening," Obama said. "You and I are both paying 900 bucks on average - our families - in higher premiums because of uncompensated care. Now, what I've said is that, if you can't afford health insurance, you certainly shouldn't be punished for that. That's just piling on.
"If, on the other hand, we're giving tax credits, we've set up an exchange, you are now part of a big pool. We've driven down the costs, we've done everything we can, and you actually can afford health insurance. But you've just decided, 'You know what? I want to take my chances,' and then you get hit by a bus, (then) you and I have to pay for the emergency room care."
The Truth-O-Meter says: HALF TRUE
Read more: Another study contests that figure
Health care advocacy group blasts insurers for CEO pay packages
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/21/hcan.ceo.art.jpg caption="The ad from Health Care for America Now says insurance CEOs make $24 million a year and that insurers deny 1 in 5 treatments prescribed by doctors."]
Supporters of health care reform have portrayed insurance company CEOs as overpaid villains. In a recent television ad, Health Care for America Now, a group supporting the Democrats' health care reform bill, takes direct aim at the CEOs.
The group's ad mockingly explains "how to get rich" by showing a "book" written "by America's health insurance companies." Chapter 2 reads, "Pay your CEO $24,000,000 a year." A news release issued by HCAN attributed the assertion to the entry for Ronald A. Williams, CEO of insurance giant Aetna, in the 2008 Forbes magazine executive compensation survey.
The Truth-O-Meter says: BARELY TRUE
Read more: Cherry-picking highest number
TV ad overstates health insurance denials
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/21/hcan.ad.denied.art.jpg caption="The ad from Health Care for America Now says insurance CEOs make $24 million a year and that insurers deny 1 in 5 treatments prescribed by doctors."]
Supporters of health care reform have portrayed insurance companies as insensitive and too quick to deny claims. In a recent television ad, Health Care for America Now, a group supporting the Democrats' health care reform bill, says insurance companies get wealthy by denying those claims.
The group's ad mockingly explains "how to get rich" by showing a "book" written "by America's health insurance companies." Chapter 3 reads, "Deny 1 out of 5 treatments prescribed by doctors." A news release issued by HCAN attributed this statistic to a study released Sept. 2, 2009, by the California Nurses Association titled, "California's Real Death Panels: Insurers Deny 21% of Claims."
The Truth-O-Meter says: FALSE
We Listen – Your comments 9/18/2009
Editor's Note: Health care reform remained the topic of focus for Friday’s American Morning audience. Senator Baucus’ health care proposal, unveiled earlier this week, was criticized for claiming to be “bi-partisan” when neither Republicans nor Democrats had supported the plan. Many remarked that Senator Baucus had lost all “credibility” because of his push for inappropriate homeland security funding for his state.
- Dan: Why do you keep referring to the Baucus bill as bi-partisan? NOT ONE Republican supports it. Hopefully, no Democrats will support it either, since it is nothing but a giveaway to the insurance industry. I guess it's too much to expect that you corporate tools at CNN would want to explain these facts to your viewers.
Jerry: Sen. Baucus lost all creditability when he supported giving 15 million to built/upgrade border crossing stations in his home state. A public option is the only way the American people will come out ahead in the health care bill, anything else we lose.
Many viewers perceived the "Wingnuts" segment as too “right-leaning,” and asked the President Obama be given a “fair shake.”
- Armando: Horrified by the "Wingnuts" of the week segment. I work across the street from you folks here in DC. There is literally a mob mentality in the right wing right now....open racism towards our President and you folks try to make it funny? And act like there is an equal amount of lunacy on the right and left? Come on. This type of belittling of racism and extremism will lead toward violence toward our President and the left. Pelosi's speech the other day should set off alarm bells...The real nuts out there with guns here the Republicans yell at the President, talk about going toward Socialism…there are many who would commit violent acts to stop that. Wake up CNN and stand for something!. Stand for a civil discourse, and not yield to the mob. You can start by giving Lou Dobbs a pink slip. This Mexican American will never watch CNN when that nut is on.
- Joe: Just when I'm starting to think that CNN is reporting more factually and less right-leaning (which you began during the Bush W reign), you do it again. The Wingnut segment was totally right leaning. There is NO excuse for Joe Wilson lashing out at the President, I don't care which party you are, but all you said was that he collected a ton of money over it and became a hero, etc., with no mention even of his opponent raising a ton of money, as well, or that MANY Americans are outraged over what Joe did. Then the host said several times that he attended the 9/12 rally and talked very positively about that along with your never ending clips of those Obama-bashing rallies attended only by the radical right, always showing that disturbing banner of Obama made up to look like the Joker. For years, I counted on CNN to simply give me the news in a factual, non-biased way and you need to get back to that. We Americans MUST, AT MINIMUM, give Obama and the Dems a FAIR SHAKE after 8 years of almost losing everything due to Bush & Cheney!
President Obama has been in office for less than a year. Is he being judged too harshly by conservative critics? How do you feel about the strong opposition to many of his policies? Should he be given a “fair shake,” as the viewer above requests?
From the WWE to the Senate?
Could she be the next Jesse Ventura?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/09/18/mcmahon.linda.art.jpg caption="Linda McMahon is stepping down as CEO of WWE to make a bid for the U.S. Senate in Connecticut."]
Linda McMahon is stepping down as CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment to enter the race for U.S. Senate in Connecticut as a Republican. She’s exchanging the wrestling ring for the political ring. And she has a tough fight ahead of her.
McMahon discussed her Senate bid with Kiran Chetry on CNN’s “American Morning” Friday. Below is an edited transcript of the interview.
Kiran Chetry: I just want to know, first of all, what made you decide I'm going to go for this year and I’m going to try to get through the primary and try to challenge Chris Dodd?
Linda McMahon: You know, Kiran, I'm a businesswoman and I've been watching what's been going on. The mounting debt that we have, people out of work, reckless spending going on in Washington and I couldn't sit on the sidelines and watch anymore. I really wanted to get in, to do something. I've found also as I've traveled around Connecticut and talked to people, there's been a growing sentiment and really consistent that our citizens have lost faith and trust in Chris Dodd. It was a good time to get in. It seemed the right time to get in. So I want to get there and make a mark for the people of Connecticut.
New training promises a 'stronger, faster' soldier
Introducing new concepts in the Army is never easy. The Army is deeply rooted in tradition and is typically resistant to change. While that mindset does have its benefits it can also hinder the military from moving forward. That has been the case for its physical training. For decades it has gone unchanged but now things are moving in another direction.
When Jason Carroll and I arrived at Fort Campbell we were introduced to Eagle Tactical Athletic Program or ETAP for short. This new training program was born out of a realization by the Army that soldiers were suffering a 40 to 60 percent injury rate during training.
They brought in Dr. Scott Lephart of the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Sports Medicine and Nutrition who has had success with reducing injury in professional sports teams. Lephart and his team spent 3 years compiling data on soldiers looking at what puts the most stress on soldiers physically and how to train them so their bodies can best withstand that stress.
The result is the ETAP program.
ETAP is a big step away from the traditional calisthenics that the Army has put its soldiers through. Through 45 second interval circuit training, it focuses on boosting a soldier's speed, agility, flexibility and balance. When we spoke to the soldiers going through this program their enthusiasm for it was clear.
House votes to cut federal funding for ACORN
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The House of Representatives approved an amendment Thursday that calls for halting government funding to the community organizing group ACORN.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/09/17/house.acorn/art.acorn.investigation.youtube.jpg caption="The videos have sparked controversy over ACORN, already under fire amid election fraud claims."]
The measure, added to a larger bill on reforming student loans that won House approval, follows a provision passed earlier in the week by the Senate that would halt Housing and Urban Development grants to ACORN.
Both measures would have to have their differences reconciled in Congress to take effect.
ACORN's chief executive officer says that the group gets most of its money from members and other supporters and that its operations would continue even if it is cut off from government grants.
However, approval of the House and Senate measures demonstrated the political fallout against ACORN after the recent release of videos that appeared to show the agency's employees condoning illegal actions.
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