American Morning
Obama's grassroots troops
President Obama won the election with the help of a vast network of grassroots supporters who organized online and then took their message to the streets.
Now the President is calling on his volunteers once again... to sell more than a campaign.
Community bank boom
Bigger is definitely not better right now in the banking business. We're seeing commercial banks buried under a mountain of debt and needing the government to save them from themselves.
But for some smaller, community-based banks... business is booming.
They may not have the name recognition but some start-up banks say they can provide service that's just as good as the larger chains and they say their customer's money is just as safe.
Fast Forward
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Officials in Fargo, North Dakota are desperately trying to save six thousand homes threatened by the swollen Red River. They need more than a million sandbags to stop the flooding. So far just over 300 thousand have been filled. The river is expected to crest this week at about 40-feet. Flood stage is above 17-feet. Forecasters say more rain is expected over the next several days.
The shuttle "Discovery" astronauts are preparing this morning for their third and final spacewalk scheduled to begin at 11:43 am Eastern time this morning. Two "Discovery" astronauts will try to fix an equipment storage platform that jammed and couldn't be deployed.
At 12:30 pm Eastern President Obama will make the case for investments in clean energy and new technology which are included in his budget. You can see the President's remarks live on CNN or online at CNN.Com/live.
What’s on Tap – Monday March 23rd, 2009
A busy Monday morning. There’s breaking news. Tragedy in big sky country. Plus – new details on the bank bailout – and a bonus crackdown.
- A story developing as we speak: A deadly and fiery plane crash in Montana. More than a dozen people were killed. Many children are among the victims. We’re live on scene as the sun comes up and investigators look for answers.
- The bank bailout – take two. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is finally expected to explain how the administration plans to buy up a trillion dollars in toxic assets from banks. Back on February 10, Geithner gave a bank bailout speech that was short on details. Congress killed it. Wall Street hated it. The markets lost hundreds and hundreds of points.
- Renters kicked to the curb. You don’t have to own to get hit by the foreclosure crisis. Many landlords are drowning in debt and they’re pulling tenants under.
- Getting a raise in a recession. Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis has been showing you where the jobs are. Today she’ll tell you how to make your case for more money.
- Tough choices for parents whose kids are in private school. Some are going to extreme measures, even taking out a second mortgage. Sounds insane in this economy, but parents who want to keep their kids in private school say it's a gamble they're willing to take.
- And – From working on Wall St… to driving on Wall St. Many laid-off white-collar workers are now driving taxis to pay the bills, even as many commuters look for cheaper ways to work.
We Listen!
Here’s your daily recap of the best feedback we got from YOU on the blog, Facebook, Twitter, Email. Continue the conversation below. And remember, keep it brief, and keep it clean. Thanks!
- “The Board Members who sit on the Executive Compensation Committee have not been questioned for allowing the company to structure these types of bonuses. This is their fiduciary duty to the shareholders of the company. Why don't we bring them before Congress?”
- “I think Senator Dodd should be fired for lying about not knowing that AIG execs would get bonus money. Also, any congressman found lying or not paying taxes, should be FIRED from congress for lack of integrity. If I were to lie to my boss, my butt would be on the sidewalk and I would be without a job.”
Do you agree that Board Members should also be held accountable? What about the politicians? Let us know what you think.
- “I saw President Obama on Leno & I believe it showed how in touch [he is] with the common citizens.”
- “Are you going to show his gaffe about bowling and the Special Olympics? If it had been a Republican, it would have been on the top of the news!”
What did you think of President Obama’s appearance on “The Tonight Show”? Do you agree with our viewers here? Tell us your thoughts.
Kiran: Friday Roundup
Hello Everyone!
Happy Friday and happy first day of spring. Here in NYC we welcomed the change of seasons with... SNOW!
Congressman Ron Paul may be the lone voice in the wilderness especially when it comes to his colleagues in the House of Representatives. He joined us this morning on our special "Road to Rescue" edition of AM. He voted against the new bill to tax bonuses calling it a disgrace. And he says the AIG bonus mess has actually made us lose sight of even bigger problems. Here’s his interview.
But on the brighter side, we did a segment on whether women could be one of the keys to economic recovery.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts unemployment over eight percent for men, but under seven percent for women, and now some groups are trying to help even more women find good work. Jacki Zehner with the Women's Funding Network joined Christine as well as Linda Butler, a woman who benefited from the program. Watch it here.
Thanks for joining us this week. Hope to see you on Monday! As always you can reach us at cnn.com/amfix or twitter.com/amfix, twitter.com/kiranchetrycnn.
Cheers!
Kiran
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
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