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• November 7, 2005 |3:15 p.m. ET
The truth about an unlikely war hero
October was a particularly bloody month for American troops in Iraq - another 94 soldiers died there last month. And with the grim milestone of 2000 U.S. troop deaths reached in Iraq not long ago -- it seemed a good time to remember a particular vet who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Pat Tillman, the NFL pro-Bowler who died in Afghanistan in what was belatedly acknowledged to be a friendly fire incident, became an instant American hero. President Bush lauded him as "an inspiration on and off the football field." As it turns out, Tillman was a bit more of an inspiration than Mr. Bush bargained for.
As reported recently in the San Francisco Chronicle, Tillman was very much his own man, for instance steadfastly refusing to become a poster boy for the U.S. military. And there's more: Tillman apparently viewed the U.S. invasion of Iraq as illegal; he had little use for George Bush; and he was an admirer of the leftist author Noam Chomsky, whom he hoped to meet when he returned home.
Shrill voices on the right immediately denounced the Chronicle article as liberal propaganda. Just one problem: a primary source was Tillman’s own mother, Mary Tillman.
Tillman’s parents are furious at the Pentagon for hiding from them the truth of their son's death and none too pleased with Mr. Bush for brandishing him as a trophy to prop up his own sagging credibility.
"They wanted to use him for their own purposes", says Mary Tillman. "They needed something that looked good, and it was appalling that they would use him like that."
Pat Tillman was a scholar, an athlete, a soldier, a man. Though deeply troubled by the current administration's policies he felt duty-bound to serve his country even unto death. Unlike Dick Cheney, he claimed no "other priorities." Unlike George Bush, he expressed no desire to remain out of harm's way. Unlike Donald Rumsfeld, he saw the "untidiness" of war firsthand.
Like all young men, Pat Tillman was a work in progress. But he fought and he died a man in full.
We can only hope that this nation's leaders can summon the character to do justice to his courage. We can only hope.
•October 27, 2005| 12:55 pm EST
Bloggers are furiously publishing their opinions on Mier's decision to bow out. Here's what our viewers are saying about Harriet Miers.
It was only a matter of time before Miers withdrew her nomination. There was no getting around the 1989 survey she filled out in Texas which clearly stated her position on abortion. The fact is, Americans are not about to give up any of their liberties.
--Susan, Camden, NJ
No big surprise here. Bush is too stubborn to pull her out, so he "asked" her to withdraw. Once again this administration reveals the truth. She is not qualified and they should never have nominated her in the first place.
--Mary, Montgomery, IL
It’s sad to see Miers go before having a fair panel hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. What is this country coming to when we start bullying opinions so much so that potential leaders aren't given a chance to be heard?
--Norm, Pittsburgh, PA
•October 26, 2005| 1:35 pm EST
The World Series has baseball fans everywhere losing sleep -- literally!
You know the song, ‘Take me out to the ball game.’ Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack. I don't care if I ever get back. Well, for those watching game three of the World Series last night, they almost didn't get back - home, that is, or to sleep.
When the game finally ended, the clock at Minute Maid Park in Houston read 1:10 am, after 2 am on the east coast. At five hours and 41 minutes, it was the longest World Series game in history by time. And by innings, it matched the Boston--Brooklyn marathon game back in 1916 as the longest game ever.
At the five hour mark, with the witching hour long since past, do you even care who won? Does anybody? Maybe not even the players did, at that point.
Well, it was the Chicago White Sox that finally put the Houston Astros - and every baseball fan in America - out of their misery in the 14th inning to win the game and lead the series, three games to none.
Both sides burned through their pitching staffs. Both sides were exhausted. Even the home-town crowd looked like they were busy chopping Z's.
I’m a Boston Red Sox fan, so my glory day was last year, when they won their first world series in 86 years. Now it looks like it's the White Sox's turn. Good for them.
For the rest of us, there's always next year. And the year after that.
But to whichever team wins this year - if you play a game into the wee hours again, we will be watching and cheering you on -- from bed. Just remember to turn the stadium lights out.
•October 11, 2005| 2:40 pm EST
Could Las Vegas-style gambling boost the economy in New Orleans? That’s just one of the topics we covered yesterday right here on Connected. It’s prompted many of you to email us about Mayor Ray Nagin's new casino proposal as a way to revitalize the city.
I am not sure what will be next for government agencies to compromise to make a buck in tax revenue. It seems to me that most of the money spent at casinos is coming out of the pockets of the local residents anyway.
•October 10, 2005| 1:12 pm EST
There’s been mixed reaction to the president's choice to replace retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. We've also received emails as to whether Harriet Miers is qualified to be on the Supreme Court.
I commend President Bush for nominating Harriet Miers to the U.S. Supreme Court. I find her refreshing because she is a woman, and she has a variety of experiences not limited to the judicial realm.We reported on the Supreme Court taking up the case of Oregon's Physician Assisted Suicide Law. It's the first high profile case to come before the brand new Chief Justice John Roberts.
Your emails: The only death with dignity that truly exists is that where nature takes your life and not pills. The administration of pills to put someone out of their misery has a great deal of potential for abuse.•September 28, 2005|2:44 p.m. EST
Schools are back open today in Georgia- for the first time this week. The governor urged the schools to close for two days- to conserve fuel. We discussed it on the show yesterday, and are getting your reactions today.
No, it was not appropriate, nor was it a well thought out move, to close the schools! I feel sure that lost income from citizens that had to take off to stay with their children will more than off set any savings.•September 26, 2005|2:53 p.m. EST
Yesterday on "Connected" we discussed the role of the military in disaster relief- and this topic has prompted many of you to write in.
•September 22, 2005|4:30 p.m. EST
Many of you are becoming citizen journalists for Hurricane Rita on www.cj.msnbc.com. Check out some of the submissions explaining what people are doing to prepare for the hurricane.
•September 16 2005| 1:09 p.m. EST
President Bush's speech last night has sparked a big response from many people, including you. People from both sides have been emailing "Connected."
•September 15, 2005| 1:55 p.m. EST
Our viewers are eager to discuss several issues...
On the Pledge of Allegiance being ruled unconstitutional:
Originally our 'Pledge of Allegiance' honored our country and flag, which everyone can agree, and embrace. In 1954 politicians made it into a controversial forced religious experience. Put it back to normal.On Roberts and the confirmation hearings:
Democrats and republicans alike, in the Senate and the judiciary committee must take more time to look into Mr. Roberts. This is a very, very important position in the government.Regarding placing blame after Hurricane Katrina:
It seems to me that Mayor Nagin should be in jail for negligence many times over! He seems to be blaming everyone in sight, when his city did the poorest job of all!•September 14, 2005| 2:10 p.m. EST
'Connected' was pre-empted with breaking news these past few days but we continue to receive your emails. Ron Reagan and Monica Crowley will be back together tomorrow for both shows. These are some of your opinions about the confirmation hearings for Judge John Roberts:
You've also been e-mailing us about just who's responsible for the government's response to Hurricane Katrina victims in the Gulf coast:
We owe it to them as Americans to show them that we do care and they do matter. We do that by asking for answers, and by suggesting that those who were responsible be held responsible."•September 7, 2005| 1:49 p.m. EST
Many of you have written to 'Connected' with strong feelings about relief and recovery efforts in the Gulf states. These are some of your emails:
I was a victim of Hurricane Andrew in Homestead , Florida in ’92. It is easy for those who haven't been affected or directly involved in such a disaster to sit back and criticize our leaders, and it is human instinct for those who have been affected to immediately expect results, as I did after Andrew. As time passed after the initial stage of shock, we were able to understand and appreciate the support and time it took to put such a massive recovery response team together.•September 2, 2005| 1 p.m. EST
The shock and fear citizens experienced during Hurricane Katrina and in the hours after have given way to anger. On the faces of those stranded in the Big Easy, and in the emails we receive daily--countless emails--one resounding question: Why?
For example, why were thousands sent to the Superdome when there was no way to feed them or provide water there? And why can we airlift supplies to countries in Africa and Asia, dropping cases of food, medicine, and water in Indonesia for tsunami relief, but we have been unable to do so in the United States?
I don't know the answers to those questions, nor am I versed in the logistics of relief efforts. But I, too, have questions.
When Terri Schiavo got caught in the center of her own storm, there seemed to be no member of Congress who wasn't vying for camera time to argue for the right to live or the right to die with dignity. Dick Durbin's comments comparing the conditions at Guantanamo Bay to Nazi camps drew calls for resignation, shouts and red faced diatribe on the Senate floor.
Congress worked late into the night--set up cots even--to fight over the nomination of Justice Priscilla Owens.
But for the thousands of people dying in the streets of New Orleans the elected officials have been kind enough to cut their vacations one day short.
This is not a blue or red thing. It's not a Evangelicals versus liberals thing. It's a life and death thing. It's the reason we pay taxes.
If anything good comes from this terrible natural disaster, and something good always does, I hope it will be a catalyst for all Americans to examine the system, to demand more from those who we pay to be there in times like this. Some things are not about politics, they are just about people.
--Tony Maciulis, Connected Coast to Coast producer
•September 1, 2005| 3:25 p.m. EST
Many of you are turning to the Internet to share your thoughts about Hurricane Katrina. These are some of your emails:
Strings of inexpensive red Mardi Gras beads could be sold on card tables in front of supermarkets or at convenience stores, for two or three dollars apiece with 100 percent of the profits going to the American Red Cross.•August 26, 2005| 2:08 p.m. EST
The ball player, the bat boy and the bet (Ron Reagan)
When Baltimore Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmiero tested positive for steroids recently, many people were shocked. When his punishment turned out to be nothing more than a ten day suspension, plenty more people were outraged. This is a guy who had sworn an oath before congress then wagged his finger at the assembled senators as he vehemently denied ever, ever using performance enhancing drugs.
There’s a word for that: perjury- a pretty serious offense. Add that to the steroid use and giving the guy a week off didn't really seem to be a punishment that fit the crime.
Well, if that ticked you off, you're gonna love this little item: a Florida marlins batboy has been suspended from the team for six days... for drinking milk.
Ok, it's a bit more complicated than that, but just a bit. The batboy - unidentified because he's underage- accepted a bet with L.A. Dodgers pitcher Brad Penny, himself a former marlin.
Penny told the boy he'd pay him 500 dollars for downing a gallon of milk in under an hour without throwing up.
The batboy drank the milk, didn't throw up, but because he took more than an hour didn't collect the money. He did, however, earn himself that suspension.
“It's kind of ridiculous that you get a ten day suspension for steroids and a six game suspension for milk."
Penny, who might rightly be chastised for luring a child into doing something unhealthy, nevertheless put things in proper perspective, telling the Miami herald, "It’s kind of ridiculous that you get a ten day suspension for steroids and a six game suspension for milk."
Ridiculous is putting it politely. What’s next, a 20 day suspension for eating your vegetables?
Is it any wonder people don't think baseball has taken its steroid problem seriously?
•August 25, 2005 | 2:08 p.m. EST
Finding wild on the Internet (Ron Reagan)
Internet shoppers know: whatever you want, you can find it on the web. Want a new car? Just go online. Looking for a celebrity's home address? Yeah, it's there. How about a date for Saturday night? The Internet is your matchmaker.
Unfortunately, some people have itches that oughtn't to be scratched. For various reason - some good, many not- a lot of folks are attracted to exotic wildlife and products derived from these creatures and they are finding them on the web...
According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, "The trade, both legal and illegal, in live and dead animals- including body parts- is increasing and the Internet is coming to play a central role in the activities of illegal traders."
We're not talking about shopping for a new puppy here and, according to experts; the trade in endangered species and products is now a multi-billion dollar industry.
Along with elephant foot ashtrays, ivory sculptures and skins of various rare species fashioned into cowboy boots and overcoats, there are the live animals.
Baby chimpanzees can be purchased for 60 to 65 thousand dollars. A seven-year-old gorilla has been put up for sale in Britain; its owner is moving - guess the new digs aren't suitable for a large primate.
Then there's the two year old giraffe, a steal at 15 thousand dollars. Got room for a giraffe at your house? Didn't think so.
Let's be clear. Unless you're a wildlife biologist with an accredited animal sanctuary, you have no business keeping wild, exotic, endangered species at home. Yes, those tiger cubs are cute. But then they grow up, you can't handle them anymore and bad things tend to happen. Not so cute.
But, you say, I love wild animals. So do I. I love them wild, I love them free. If you need to commune with animals, more power to you. But exercise some common sense. Might I suggest a dog or cat from a shelter that needs and will thrive in your home?
•August 24, 2005 | 2:03 p.m. EST
Another piece of good news is “flying” out of Iraq (Monica Crowley)
Last week, the international monetary fund finished an evaluation of the Iraqi economy- and said that despite the violence and the need for more reforms, the economy was stable- and growing.
One sure sign of Iraqi economic growth: there are now two Iraq-based international airline carriers operating out of Baghdad.
One of them is a small start-up passenger service called Ishtar airlines. Before you think it was named after the 1987 Hollywood box office flop starring Warren Beatty, Ishtar was actually named for an ancient Babylonian goddess.
The airline operates two Boeing aircraft that fly three times a week between Baghdad and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.
A round-trip ticket will set you back six-hundred bucks- mostly because fuel is so expensive. It’s that sixty dollars per barrel oil, you know.
Talk to OPEC about that. In the meantime, Ishtar has some foreign competition- airlines called Orbit and Jupiter. But Ishtar is an airline with a dream- with plans to expand, opening offices soon in Cairo and Istanbul.
One thing that has thrown a monkey wrench into their plans: sandstorms, which have forced Ishtar to cancel several flights this summer. But the folks over at Ishtar are a hardy bunch- and they are determined to make this airline work.
That’s the new Iraqi entrepreneurial spirit.
Soon Ishtar will be flying from Baghdad to points all over the Middle East.
Maybe someday, you'll even be able to take Ishtar to Hawaii. In any case, Ishtar air is already more successful than the Hollywood movie of the same name. And that's saying something.
•August 23, 2005 | 2:06 p.m. EST
Television host Pat Robertson essentially called for the assassination of the president of Venezuela. The Venezuela vice president said that kind of talk is "criminal." We've been hearing from you.
Your e-mails:The real threat to America is right wing religious zealots like Robertson. Wake up America.•August 22, 2005 | 1:15 p.m. EST
Are these beer makers drunk? (Ron Reagan)
One hundred bottles of beer on the wall? Well, ok - but, no, don't start singing the song, please! How about a single bottle of beer for 100 dollars? Surely I must be kidding you. Nope.
Sam Adams, makers of perfectly respectable and only moderately pricey lagers and ales, has once again introduced "utopias,” twenty-four ounce bottles of suds that will set you back a C-note.
Only eight-thousand bottles have been brewed, indicating that the Sam Adams folks haven't completely lost touch with reality.
Much of the beer is apparently being consumed in single shots poured out in various drinking establishments for up to 12 dollars per shots of beer? No, no, no, shots are what you drink with your beer. And twelve bucks for a thimbleful of brewski? Oh, c'mon!
Now, it's worth mentioning that utopias is billed as the world's strongest beer – 25 percent alcohol instead of the usual 5 percent or so. That’s more like cognac. If you're seeking that sort of buzz, might I suggest... cognac?
Of course, suckers - and swillers - are born every minute. "It’s a special occasion beverage,” enthused one possibly inebriated customer. Yes, those oh-so-special occasions that call for drunkenly wasting your money. Hey, if you've got a hundred dollars to burn, be my guest - roll a bill into a tube and light 'er up! If you want to throw your money in the street, there are plenty available. Just wad up ol’ Ben Franklin and toss him into traffic!
Beer has always been the drink of the common man and the common man doesn't commonly drop half a week's wages on one bottle of beer. There’s really no excuse for 100-dollar beer. I don't care if the bottle comes with an Elvis Presley autograph - a new one. I don't care if the beer was brewed in Heidi Klum's bathtub. It’s just wrong.
•August 19, 2005 | 2:40 p.m. EST
Many of you have been writing in with reaction to the dramatic events in Gaza this week - as Israeli settlers are ordered to leave their homes.
Your e-mails:Our viewers continue to respond to the debate surrounding Cindy Sheehan's actions.
Your e-mails:Cindy Sheehan's son died for our rights. I believe now we must focus on the Americans who are in Iraq, fighting for our freedom. We thank them everyday for everything they are doing for us.•August 18, 2005 | 2:35 p.m. ET
Underestimated summer reading (Monica Crowley)
President Bush certainly isn't the first conservative Republican to face jokes about his intelligence.
Ever since he came on the political scene... Mr. Bush has been the target of those who find it easier to attack his smarts, than his ideas.
But somehow his detractors always seem to miss the real George Bush. And they lose elections for underestimating him---his political skills and his intelligence.
Just take a gander at the president's summer reading list.
In five weeks-- he'll plow through three pretty hefty books.
The first is "Salt: A World History."
Don’t let the title throw you: there was a time when salt was as valuable as oil, giving rise to climactic battles and international intrigue.
The president is also reading "Alexander II"-- the last great tsar.
Alexander was one of the first world leaders to declare war on terrorists-- his were Russians, angry at his reforms.
And finally on the president's bed stand is "The Great Influenza"....the epic story of the deadliest plague in history. The title of that one, pretty self-explanatory.
So, all in all... a pretty sophisticated reading list if you ask me... much more sophisticated than my own beach reading. So, opponents of the president: go ahead and continue to underestimate him. Because while you are off doing that, he'll be busy reading important historical works and running the war on terror.
•August 17, 2005 | 2:35 p.m. ET
Pawn or patriot?
Many of you have e-mailed us your thoughts on Cindy Sheehan- the fallen Iraqi soldier's mother who has become- in many ways, the new face of the anti-Iraq movement.
Your e-mails:
Cindy Sheehan has used her son's sacrifice to launch a political attack on the president, whom she disagreed with before her son's death. The left-wing hangers care only about promoting their political agenda & nothing for Casey Sheehan."
--Arthur, Sonoma, California
Mrs. Sheehan's son volunteered thinking he was doing it for a noble cause. He was lied to and died for a pack of lies. The mother just wants to know what is this noble cause Bush is saying troops are dying for? That's all.
--Laurent, Rockville, MD
Cindy has a right to grieve her son anyway she wants. Even if he volunteered that does not automatically turn off a mother's love for her child. Cut the woman some slack and stop trying to make something political out of it all.
--Wendy
Cindy Sheehan has completely ignored her own son's mindful sacrifice and allowed herself to become a pawn in a sleazy game for political gain. Not her's of course, unless she does run for Congress!
--Mike
• August 17, 2005 | 2:35 p.m. ET
Every dog has his day (Ron Reagan)
As I know perfectly well, not all of us can be stunningly photogenic. Some are a bit luckier in the looks department than others.
One look at Sam, a 14 year old Chinese crested - that's a largely hairless variety of dog - might lead you to conclude that he's one of the unfortunate ones. Getting on in years, he's covered in warts, moles and blackheads. One eye is discolored by cataracts; the other is milky white. He’s virtually blind. He suffers from heart problems, kidney disease and, oh yes, there's the little matter of his hernia. And it's safe to say that, for Sam, every day is a bad hair day. Most people would agree; he's one homely dog.
But beauty is in the eye of the beholder and maybe every dog does have his day. Sam, I suspect, considers himself, if not pretty, at least pretty lucky. When Sam’s previous owner needed to find him a new home, there were at first no takers.
You don't really have to ask why. Then, along came Susie Lockheed.
Susie was initially reluctant to adopt Sam. "He didn't look so good then," she says, "but he's looking worse now."
Yet something about Sam’s personality won her over. Says Susie, "There's something quite noble about Sam.
Even though he's unattractive, he expects to be treated like royalty." so Susie plays along, smothering him in kisses, feeding him treats and letting him sleep in her bed at night.
And Sam has become something better than royalty. He’s a champion. For the third year running, Sam has won the title of "world's ugliest dog." But let's not tell him what his trophy signifies. Let’s just tell him he's a winner. Because he is.
• August 17, 2005 | 1:32 p.m. ET
A new kind of triple threat (Monica Crowley)
Speaking of cheating… in London, Melvyn Reed had triple bypass surgery- when he awoke after the operation; he was confronted with something that nearly made his heart stop.
It was a different kind of triple threat.
Three women… who thought they were his one and only… all together at the same time.
Turns out he was living as a double bigamist.
Police say he was married to one of the women back in the sixties… and then the other two more recently. None of his wives knew the others existed- until they all ran into each other outside the hospital- on their way to visit him in the recovery room.
Reed is now out of the hospital- but he may be wishing he were back in.
That’s because he’s now charge with bigamy after turning himself in to police. And that’s nothing compared to what the wives probably have in store for him.
• August 10, 2005 | 1:47 p.m. ET
A night at the ball park complete with peanuts, cracker jack- and a flying fan (Monica Crowley)
Ah, summertime. A time for lazy days at the beach, reading escapist fare, sipping lemonade, and maybe catching a ballgame or two. There’s nothing better on a summer afternoon or evening than going to a major-league park, buying some of those 12 dollar hot dogs and watching the big boys do their thing.
You expect to see base hits, stolen bases, fly balls, daring plays, and if you're lucky, home runs. And if you're really lucky, a grand slam. Balls flying through the air-- you expect. You do not expect to see fans flying through the air.
And yet, that's exactly what happened last night at Yankee stadium.
Scott Harper was at the game with three friends, watching shortstop Derek Jeter bunt, and musing about the mesh netting above the lower seats-- the seats right beneath them. Harper and his pals were trying to guess how much weight that netting could hold-- could it hold one person, say, if someone jumped on it? In his infinite wisdom, Harper decided to test it out. He climbed over the railing and jumped. He tore a gash through the netting but did not fall through, so I guess he answered his own question about how much weight it could hold!
Yankees fans- being Yankees fans- started yelling at him, calling him every name in the book- as only Yankees fans can do. I’m sure they weren't very pleasant names.
Well, police and stadium security weren't too pleased with him either. He was promptly placed under arrest.
What was this guy thinking? Obviously, not a lot.
People do stupid things- this guy: case in point. The lesson here is to not just look before you leap, but think before you leap. And then don't.
Buy a twelve dollar hot dog instead.
• August 10, 2005 | 1:18 p.m. ET
What happened to summer vacation?
Many of you have weighed in on our discussion about school and summer vacation. Many school districts are opting for start dates in mid-August. Some parents don't want their kids to head back to school until after Labor Day, and others say that it's absolutely neccessary.
Your e-mails:
I am no fan of the standardized tests or No Child Left Behind. But, we are falling behind many other countries in education. If we want to compete in this new global economy, we must do a better job of preparing the next generation for success.• August 10, 2005 | 12:28 p.m. ET
The 'other' voices (Monica Crowley)
Whoever said there are always two sides to every story-- must not have been talking about national coverage of the war in Iraq.
Turn on the television these days-- and you might get the impression that "everyone" in America is against what our military is doing over there.
Whether it’s the mom who lost a son in Iraq... now camped out in Crawford Texas... demanding a meeting with President Bush or the group of so-called "raging grannies" who are joining in protest-- calling for an immediate pull-out from Iraq.
The national media is quick to show us these colorful examples of people protesting the war.
Now don’t misunderstand-- I fully support the right of these Americans to speak out.
After all, it’s that kind of freedom we're fighting for in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But maybe it’s time someone stood up for the "other" voices out there-- the people who aren't causing a media spectacle in Crawford, or dressed up with colorful costumes and signs.
You’ll have to read those voices in print-- in America’s hometown newspapers.
Like the Western Star in Warren County, Ohio where Carole Hoffman’s son Justin was killed in Iraq.
She told the paper’s reporter, "Justin believed in what he was doing. Justin gave his life for the Iraqi people. He knew that was the price he might have to pay, and I stand behind him 100 percent."
Or the Columbia Daily Tribune in Missouri... where Debra Strang is quoted as saying, "As a Christian, I understand the need to help people who are suffering. I have not changed my mind in regard to the war."
Her best friend lost a loved one in the war.
• August 4, 2005 | 1: 59 p.m. ET
Presidential science (Ron Reagan)
George W. Bush has once again dipped a reluctant toe into the mysteriously controversial topic of Darwinian Evolution.
Now, Mr. Bush may be many things- President of the United States; Leader of the Free World; Cheerleader-in-Chief for the Global Struggle against Violent Extremism- but Monday’s comments make it abundantly clear why no one has ever accused Mr. Bush of being a scientist, rocket or otherwise.
Mr. Bush offered the opinion that “intelligent design,” a religiously inspired notion unsupported by science, should be taught in public school science classes alongside Darwin’s Theory of Evolution- an actual scientific theory.
Said Mr. Bush, “I think that part of education is to expose people to different schools of " Well then, he’ll no doubt support teaching American schools kids that Osama bin Laden is a misunderstood Arab patriot.
Mr. Bush went on to say, “you’re asking me whether or not people ought to be exposed to different ideas. The answer is, “Yes.”
No, I’m asking why a man with your education advantages and access to information, a man who claims to be interested in promoting academic excellence, would support introducing twaddle into our public school’s science curriculum.
The National Academy of Sciences put it succinctly saying, “The claim that equity demands balanced treatment of evolutionary theory and special creation in science classrooms reflects a misunderstanding of what science is and how it is conducted…creationism, intelligent design, and other claims of supernatural intervention in the origins of life or of species are not science because they are not testable by the methods of science.”
Question is, will that idea be one to which our President is willing to expose himself?
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• August 4, 2005 | 10: 32 a.m. ET
The best view on Earth? (Ron Reagan)
The best view on Earth isn’t on terra firma. It belongs, of course, to those lucky astronauts orbiting above our planet aboard the space station and shuttle, Discovery.
Two-hundred-twenty miles up, zipping along at the thousands of miles per hours, the astronauts enjoy a perspective on our world few of us can even imagine: rivers winding across deserts to the sea appear as slender threads; mountain ranges barely wrinkle the earth’s surface; the cloud tops are far below.
Only the largest human works- the Great Wall of China, for instance- are visible from space, but according to Discovery Commander, Eileen Collins, other evidence of our impact on the Earth is sadly apparent.
“Sometimes you can see how there is erosion,” says Collins, “and you can see how there is deforestation. It’s very widespread in some parts of the world.”
We tend to think of the Earth as vast and formidable, somehow immune to our depredations. From space, it is the fragility of our planet that strikes home. Says Collins, “The atmosphere looks like an eggshell on an egg, it’s so very thin. We don’t have much air; we need to protect what we have.”
She adds, “We would like to see, from the astronaut’s point of view, people take good care of the Earth and replace the resources that have been used.”
We rightly honor our astronauts for their courage, for their willingness to risk their lives for our benefit. Now it’s time to tear ourselves away from the pretty pictures, from the gee-whiz moments. Now it’s time to listen.
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• August 3, 2005 | 1:59 p.m. ET
The Hillary battle begins
With exactly one thousand, one hundred and eighty seven days until the next presidential election, several grass roots organizations are already picking their candidates for office. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, seems to be the main focus and many are rallying around her.
“Connected” asks its viewers: Will Hillary Clinton be a good choice to become the next president?
Your e-mails:
• July 29, 2005 | 3:07 p.m. ET
Do people have the right to sue gun companies?
Many of you have been e-mailing "Connected" - reacting to yesterday's discussion on gun control.
The senate is about to pass a controversial bill that would shield the gun industry from certain criminal lawsuits.
Your e-mails:
The constitution does not guarantee our right to haveWar and Sacrifice
It's a tough question-- how much are Americans willing to sacrifice here at home for the war in Iraq? We raised this issue on yesterday's second edition of 'Connected,' and we're hearing from you.
Your E-mails:
If the war in Iraq is wrong- then the soldiers fighting the war are wrong. I cannot support the killing of innocent people even by 'well-meaning' soldiers who believe they are defending their country.July 26, 2005 |4:00 p.m. ET
France's self-esteem (Monica Crowley)
The French seem to find all kinds of interesting ways to fill their days: coddling the world's dictators, selling banned technologies to rogue regimes, and, of course, their favorite pastime: stabbing the United States in the back.
But when not doing any of those choice activities, the French are apparently doing something else they do best: admiring themselves!
According to a new poll, eight out of ten French people check their looks in the mirror at least once a day and say they like what they see. French men are a little more content than the women -- with 88 percent of them liking the way they look, compared to 73 percent of women.
French President Jacques Chirac is in this group, I'm sure, with the way he preens in front of the cameras, perfectly groomed, as he sticks it to the U.S. and makes fun of the British.
Only fifteen percent of the French polled are on a diet, and while forty-two percent said they wanted to lose weight, most of those said it was for health concerns and not because they felt they were too fat.
Of course not.
The French look in the mirror and see perfection staring back at them. Some might say that's healthy self-esteem. I say they're delusional. The French are still dining out on the empire they lost three-hundred years ago.
This Napoleonic arrogance has got to go.
The French certainly do like themselves -- which I guess is a good thing -- since very few others around the world feel the same way about them.
E-mail MCrowley@MSNBC.com
The Federalist Society controversy
According to the e-mails sent to Connected- many of you are following one of our topics- the events surrounding Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts. Some of you are keeping track of that "confusion" over the nominees reported ties to the "Federalist Society."
Your e-mails:
If the president feels Judge Roberts is a good choice, why not answer questions and provide documentation? Their secretive attitude makes it look like there is something they are trying to hide.A case for profiling (Monica Crowley)
Millions of commuters in the New York region headed in to work today to face another cold reality of the world we now live in: random bag checks.
Nearly four years after the attacks that forever changed New York, the terror bombings in London have brought another level of scrutiny and security to our daily lives.
The intentions of the police are good -- and most New Yorkers are taking the whole thing in stride. But with 4.5 million people riding New York's subway every day alone you might compare this to looking for a needle in a haystack.
And to make their job even more difficult the authorities have their hands tied by the constraints of political correctness. The police can't single out passengers based on their appearance they may only search in numerical order. For example, every fifth or tenth person might be stopped and checked.
Racial profiling is out of the question.
But why? We certainly know "who" wants to attack us -- Muslim extremists. And while we should never settle on a single description of what a terrorist might look like, we certainly have a track record to work with.
Whether it's the faces of the men now wanted in the London attacks, the so-called shoe-bomber who tried to blow-up a passenger jet in mid-air, or the pictures of the hijackers who crashed the jets into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th.
I'm not suggesting we should stop and search people based "only" on what they look like but it should be one of the tools available to police. Shaking down a 70-year-old grandmother on New York's subway, just because she's the 10th person in line is a waste of precious time and resources.
Preventing innocent people from being blown-up is a bigger cause than political correctness, or protecting someone's feelings. After all, the terrorists aren't bound to these rules. Their targets can be anyone, regardless of who they might look like.
E-mail MCrowley@MSNBC.com
• July 25, 2005 |1:45 p.m. ET
Justice John Roberts?
President Bush's nomination of John Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court came as a surprise to both sides of the political spectrum. As a young judge, with a relatively small amount of high court experience, the president's pick to replace Justice Sandra Day O’Connor has been met with controversy.
“Connected” asks its viewers: Will Roberts be able to perform as a Supreme Court Justice?
Your E-mails:
Roberts doesn't need to answer questions about his personal opinions. They have nothing to do with the confirmation process. If most people knew how decisions were arrived at in the Supreme Court they would be appalled. A decision is merely a bargaining chip for the next decision. I vote for your thing this time you vote for my thing next time. Opinions don’t matter.• July 22, 2005 |5:55 p.m. ET
Even fruit isn't safe from new technology (Ron Reagan)
“Shall I eat a peach?” famously asked the poet, T.S. Elliott. Well, sure. Just don’t choke on that little sticker clinging to the fuzz!
You know the ones I’m talking about: those little plasticine ovals defacing our produce. It used to be that enjoying a piece of fruit was a pretty straightforward affair. You bought them, you washed them off; you were good to go. Not anymore.
Now, there’s the picking and the peeling and the hoping you don’t tear the skin which means you’ve got to eat it right away whether you wanted to or not or it’ll spoil. Thank you agriculture industry.
First, you leech the taste out of our fruit by picking everything before it’s even near ripe; then you insult us with this.
Once upon a time, even supermarkets carried good produce. Now, you can play stickball with the tomatoes. And when’s the last time you found a luscious, juicy apricot at your local food depot. Uh huh. That’s what I thought.
Well, there’s some good news on the horizon. Apparently, those annoying stickers will soon be a thing of the past. But don’t start celebrating with a fruit salad just yet. Here’s the bad news:
They’re being replaced by- get this- laser-etched tattoos. No picking and peeling those puppies. Before long, there’ll be bar codes and other cryptic numbers burned indelibly into our food. Now doubt when you reach for a peach, it’ll be emblazoned with the word “peach”- just in case you forgot. I know it’s a peach. That why I bought it!
Message to the agri-corporations: If I want tattoos, I’ll go to a biker convention and if you like bar codes so much, stamp them on your own … foreheads.
Meanwhile, I’ll see you at the Farmer’s Market. I’ll be the guy hanging around the organic fruit stall, eating a peach the way nature intended.
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• July 22, 2005 |2:29 p.m. ET
An update from our previous discussion about:
Searching – profiling or safety?
Your E-mails:
• July 21, 2005 |5:49 p.m. ET
Searching – profiling or safety?
Today’s attacks in London brought quick responses from all around this country. Yet beyond increasing the number of those heavily armed officers around trains and subways, what really can be done to protect mass transit? Possible suggestions are random searches of bags. But whose bags should be searched?
“Connected” asks its viewers: Could these random searches be considered profiling?
Your E-mails:
We shouldn't just focus on whether or not someone has a bag or not, or their skin color, but all officers should have training on reading body language. We should do more to profile on nervous behavior.• July 20, 2005 | 5:25 p.m. ET
SHIELDS & SOURCES
Lawmakers on Capitol Hill held a hearing Wednesday on proposed legislation aimed at protecting journalists from ever having to reveal their sources. The Bush Justice Department is opposed to these laws.
“Connected” asks its viewers: Is the government more focused on protecting national security and less concerned about a journalist’s right to an anonymous source?
Your E-mails:
I do not believe a reporter should be afforded a shield law when they are trying to cover up a crime, cover up their own involvement in a crime and or push a political agenda. I believe in Judith Miller’s case she is really working for the White House. There should be no shield law; it should be on a case-by-case basis.• July 20, 2005 | 12:39 p.m. ET
Bush makes a supreme choice
On Tuesday, President Bush officially nominated D.C. Appeals Court Judge, John G. Roberts to replace the retiring Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. President Bush says he wants Judge Roberts confirmed by the first Monday in October, when the Supreme Court begins its next term. The Senate could quickly seal the deal if the bi-partisan bickering can be kept to a minimum.
“Connected” asks its viewers: Was Roberts a good pick to help determine the future of the judicial system?
Your E-mails:
• July 19, 2005 | 5:23 p.m. ET
Prime Time Pick
Today is one of the biggest decision days the Bush White House has ever had. At 9 p.m. ET, President Bush will reveal his choice for his first choice to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. Plenty of speculation is occurring over the potential pick and their views.
"Connected" asks its viewers: What characteristics do you think President Bush will use in picking his nominee?
Your E-mails:
I believe that a nominee should hold one political value. He and she should interpret the law. Any nominee that does not have this value should not be considered whether he or she is far right, left or moderate. Can we get someone in the Supreme Court that will up hold this tradition?
• July 19, 2005 | 12:53 p.m. ET
Flip-Flop Flap (Monica Crowley)
During the last presidential campaign, we heard a lot about “flip-flops.” Given Democratic Candidate John Kerry’s penchant for changing his position on issues, according to whichever way the political winds happened to be blowing.
But now, there’s a new kind of flip-flop scandal hitting Washington. And for once, it doesn’t involve John Kerry. No, this flip-flop scandal involves actual flip-flops, as in the barely there beach foot attire.
On July 12, the Northwestern Women’s Lacrosse team joined 14 other NCAA championship teams for “Champions Day” at the White House. Members of the Northwestern Wildcats showed up to meet the President of the United Sates, wearing dresses or skirts and flip-flops.
Pardon me, but a day at the White House is not a day at the beach. You do not show up to meet the Leader of the Free World dressed as if you are about to slather on some Coppertone and catch a wave.
Whatever happened to respect for the office of the Presidency? Once, when I was working with former President Richard Nixon in the early nineties, he was scheduled to take a trip. Since I didn’t think I’d be seeing him that day, I wore jeans to the office,
But, when his plane wasn’t able to take off, he started making his way make to the office. I ran out and bought a whole new outfit, shirt, blouse and yes, close toed shoes and changed before he arrived.
It was a matter of respect for him, and for the office, he once held. Flip-flops in the White House? Unthinkable!
But to the girls’ credit, they are turning the controversy into something positive. The players plan to auction off their White House flip-flops and give the proceeds to a ten-year-old girl suffering from a brain tumor. Good for them.
But FYI- to anyone with future plans to visit the White House. The dress code is jacket and tie for men, closed toe shoes for women. The ghost of Lincoln is watching!
E-mail MCrowley@MSNBC.com
• July 18, 2005 | 5:56 p.m. ET
Conversion Camps? (Ron Reagan)
Summer’s here, meaning thousands of kids are heading off to camp and participating in a host of familiar activities: hiking, canoeing, archery, re-programming their sexual orientation. Don’t you remember that from your summers at camp?
It’s part of the so-called refuge program, one of several similar efforts to turn gay teens straight. When a 16-year-old gay Tennessean known only as Zach blogged about being forced to attend one of these camps, other bloggers jumped in and the issue reached new prominence.
According to the Reverend John J. Smid who runs the program in question, the goal is to put “guardrails” around the teens’ sexual impulses. To that end, there are rules: no secular music, no more then fifteen minutes behind a closed bathroom door, no contact with other gay folks, and, for reasons I’d rather prefer not to imagine, no Calvin Klein underwear.
Reverend Smid himself claims to be a recovered homosexual. He goes on to say, “I may see a man and say, he’s handsome, he’s attractive, and it might touch a part of me that is different from someone else.”
Reverend, that would be the gay part.
At the heart of this is the notion that people choose to be gay so they can chose to switchback. Common sense suggests otherwise. Remember coming home from school and telling your parents you decided to be heterosexual? I didn’t think so.
But the homophobic fringe clings to this mean-spirited fiction so they can deny that issues like same sex marriage are matters of civil rights. After all, if certain people are simply born gay, it wouldn’t be fair to persecute them. So, to stave off this uncomfortable reality, they induce in vulnerable teens the same self-loathing that so obviously troubles men like Reverend Smid.
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• July 18, 2005 | 1:13 p.m. ET
Defending Karl Rove
Karl Rove is still making headlines as top Republicans say its time to ease up on the White House aid. However, Democrats say the evidence continues to raise troubling questions.
"Connected" asks its viewers: Is it time to let Rove go or is his a victim of partisan attacks?
Your E-mails:
• July 15, 2005 | 3:07 p.m. ET
People just can't seem to get enough of Karl Rove. More wrote in to further discuss the recent developments in the story.
Rove under fire
Your E-mails:
• July 14, 2005 | 5:22 p.m. ET
An update from our previous discussion:
Rove under fire
Your E-mails:
Which President hasn't had someone done something, not necessarily wrong, but questionable? Just look back to the Clinton years and some of the questionable things that Hillary did and now she will most likely run for "president"? Which "criminal" is worse?• July 14, 2005 | 2:29 p.m. ET
Rove under fire
Ambassador Joseph Wilson husband of ousted CIA agent Valerie Plame, broke his silence this morning, telling the Today Show that it is time for Karl Rove to go. The President refuses to condemn Rove until all the facts are in, causing a political wedge once again between the Democrats and the Republicans.
“Connected” asks its viewers: Should President Bush take action against Rove or should the story be further investigated?
Your E-mails:
Republicans want everyone to just "get over this." Well, they weren't too quick to get over Clinton and Monica. The question here is about the simple truth - they demanded it of Clinton and now do not demand it of Rove or for that matter anyone else in this administration.• July 13, 2005 |5:12 p.m. ET
Discovery launch scrapped!
The United States return to flight dreams were put on hold today when a technical glitch postponed the launch of the space shuttle Discovery. Only two years after the explosion of Columbia NASA claims to be taking every precaution to secure the safety of the astronauts and the shuttle. Family members of those lost in the Columbia explosion have applauded NASA’s efforts to perfect the shuttle, yet some people feel it may be time to end this chapter in space exploration.
“Connected,” asks it viewers: Are NASA and the space program obsolete or should the government continue to allocate money to them?
Your E-mails:
Although I think I understand the need for space exploration and yes there have been great technical advances that are now used in everyone's daily life. I do not see where the billions of dollars spent on today's space program do anything to address the problems we face today.• July 12, 2005 |5:15 p.m. ET
Tracking the London terror
Scotland yard detectives are focusing their attention on four men, three of whom are believed to be from the West Yorkshire region of North-Central England. A section of this area, Leeds, was the site of several early morning raids today and investigators are saying the four suspects acted together and they believe one of them died in the blast last Thursday morning.
“Connected” asks its viewers: What effect do these new developments have on the War on Terror?
Your E-mails:
These are the reasons people in the Middle East are angry. There can't be any dialogue between them and us if we don't listen to their grievances, no matter how misplaced we think they are. Let's get down to the heart of their hatred of us and begin to work things out!
• July 11, 2005 |5:55 p.m. ET
INXS lives on (Monica Crowley)
In the past on this program, I have shamelessly fawned over Duran Duran, waxing rhapsodic over the musicians who represented my first real celebrity crushes. But there were other eighties groups I loved and INXS was one of them.
Simon Lebon of Duran Duran may have had my heart, but Michael Hutchence of INXS was a thrill to behold. A breathtaking hunk in his leather pants, slithering around the stage like an eighties version of Jim Morrison. The wild hair, the bedroom eyes, and that voice; he oozed sex appeal.
But, like many rock stars, Hutchence has his demons, and a few years ago, he tragically took his own life. Without their front man, INXS fell into obscurity, their music considered a vintage relic.
But now comes Mark Burnett to the rescue! Burnett is the brains behind such reality his as “Survivor” and “The Apprentice.”
And now, he has set his sights on replacing Hutchence. Tonight, CBS will debut “Rock Star: INXS, “ in which 15 contestants will live in a Hollywood mansion and be mentored -- if that’s what you want to call it by real life rock star Dave Navarro.
The winner will become the new lead singer for INXS, record an album with the band, and lead its new worldwide tour.
I have never been into reality shows, but this is one caught my attention. Nobody could ever really replace Michael Hutchence, at least in my eyes, but the idea that the winner of this reality show could go on to do something “real” is interesting.
Most reality TV winners break up, break down or just fade into obscurity. This one could have a real rock star career. And I don’t know about you, but I am already getting my demo tape ready!
E-mail MCrowley@MSNBC.com
An update from our previous discussion:
Media ignorance in Plame case
Your E-mails:
• July 11, 2005 |12:55 p.m. ET
Media ignorance in Plame case
In September 2003, President Bush said he was eager to get to the bottom of the issue of the undercover CIA operative whose name was revealed to reporters. Sources are now saying that White House Adviser Karl Rove may have been responsible for the leak to "Time Magazine’s" Matthew Cooper.
“Connected” asks its viewers: “Do you feel too little is being reported on Rove’s potential mishap?”
Your E-mails:
• July 8, 2005 |5:50 p.m. ET
Facing Terror (Ron Reagan)
The bombs that went off in London yesterday resounded with a sense of inevitably not finality. They were the end of nothing: certainly not innocence -- we lost that long ago. Nor were they a beginning. Terror, in one for or another is as old as we are. This has happened before. It will happen again.
These blasts, wherever they occur -- Iraq, Israel, Britain, Spain or here at home -- are now woven into the soundtrack of our lives. How we dance to their ugly tune is up to us.
The British and others more accustomed to these atrocities than we are offer a good example. Today, all over London, a bit wary perhaps, but determined. Birds are still singing, buses are running, life as they say, goes on.
Terror is a perversion of the urge towards life. Those who indiscriminately attack the innocent are themselves a perversion of the human impulse towards compassion. Clever as they may be, they fail to grasp the elemental truth that we are all connected, that what we do to others, we do to ourselves.
Terrorists, no matter how horrific their assaults, cannot bring down nations any more that they can create civil societies. Their real target is the reptilian brain. They traffic in the base of emotions of fear and panic and these emotions, left unchecked can lead us to bring ourselves down, to subvert the values around which we order our lives. This is the only victory available to the bombers and we must not allow it.
Birds are singing, buses are running and life -- our lives--go on. Because they must, because they will, no matter what.
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• July 8, 2005 |12:57 p.m. ET
Terror strikes London
On the day after the terrorist attacks in London, officials are warning that more attacks could be imminent. An European group that says it’s affiliated with al-Qaida group claimed responsibility for yesterday’s bombings leaving people questioning the War on Terror and the safety of transportation systems.
"Connected" asks its viewers: How are you reacting to the news of the latest terrorist attacks?
Your E-mails:
• July 6, 2005 |5:20 p.m. ET
A sad day for journalism
Earlier this afternoon, New York Times reporter Judith Miller was sent to jail for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA agent’s identity. Another reporter, Matthew Cooper of Time magazine, agreed to testify before the jury claiming his source gave him permission, allowing him to escape incarceration.
"Connected" asks its viewers: Is Miller’s sentence a violation of the freedom of the press or justice served?
Your E-mails:
• July 6, 2005 |2:46 p.m. ET
An update from our discussion:
London tops Paris in Olympics bid
Your E-mails:
• July 6, 2005 |12:30 p.m. ET
London tops Paris in Olympics bid
In a surprise moment, London beat archrival, Paris to win the prize of hosting the 2012 Olympic Summer Games. The French are not known for being humble people and the overconfident French president Jacques Chirac made his final Olympic bid speech in French, even though everyone else was speaking English.
“Connected” asks its viewers: Did French arrogance cost Paris the games?
Your E-mails:
An update from our previous discussion:
O’Connor retires, now what?
Your E-mails:
If the President wants to bring unity to this country he needs to appoint a good jurist, not ideaologue, not a conservative, not a liberal, but a good jurist who decides each case on its own merits. I do not see that coming, because in spite of all the President has said and done since he took office, he has split this country right down the middle. The cause of this split is the President and that is the legacy he will leave when he exits the presidency.• July 1, 2005 |1:04 p.m. ET
O'Connor retires, now what?
For the first time in 11 years, there’s a vacancy on the Supreme Court. Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to ever serve on the Supreme Court, has decided to retire. The Bush administration will now develop a list of potential replacements.
"Connected" asks its viewers: Will the right decision be made in electing a new justice?
Your E-mails:
Perhaps the necessity to confirm a new Supreme Court Justice will reveal how distorted the meaning of "conservative" and "liberal" have become. For example, a deeply religious, conservative justice would respect the Founding Father's realization that religion should have no association with the Federal government in any way and a truly conservative justice would decline to rule on the abortion issue realizing that it is a conservative value that /individuals/ must make this difficult, individual decision, not the law.Fit to be tied (Ron Reagan)
If you’ve watched “Connected” more than once, you might have gotten the impression that I’m not too found of a certain fashion accessory commonly referred to as the necktie. You are correct.
I’m not evangelical on the subject; as far as I’m concerned, people should be free to dress as they please, -though, I’ll admit, thong wearing men in restaurants would be a bridge too far. Some of you will disagree and have probably already written me off as an old hippy most comfortable in jeans, sandals and tie-dye, which is mostly true.
But now, my tie-unfriendly outlook has gotten some official backing from the British government no less. Cabinet Secretary, Sir Andrew Turnbull has decreed that civil servants in his green and pleasant land can doff their cravats when the weather turns steamy. Who’d have thought we’d hear such fashion sanity from the country of Bowler hats and powered wigs?
Ties are fundamentally silly items. They flap around annoyingly. They fall into your soup. Good ones are tres expensive; the cheap ones are, frankly, embarrassing. They constantly go out of style: Are they wide this year or narrow? Patterned or striped? Brightly colored or muted? And don’t even get me started on bow-ties! With all due respect to my colleague, Tucker Carlson, what grown man wants to look like he was dressed up by his mother?
Plenty of smart people have made it a habit to eschew neckwear: Bill Gates; Steve Jobs; Socrates. And now, the British government has made it respectable for the rest of the U.S. to follow suit, no pun intended. Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to offend. It its that important to you, I’ll be happy to wear a tie to your next function, provided it’s your funeral.
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• June 30, 2005 |5:15 p.m. ET
An update from our previous discussion:
Should confidential sources be relinquished?
Your E-mails:
As with Watergate, the Iran Contra situation, and corruption in Government at any level, the press are on the front lines of defending the people of our country from wrong doing by it's elected and appointed leaders. In this context, the press is the people's advocate. A true democracy cannot survive without a free press. In fact, abridging the freedom of the press is a particularly dangerous signal that a country is no longer a free and open society.• June 30, 2005 |12: 57 p.m. ET
Should confidential sources be relinquished?
Time Inc. is turning over a reporter’s notes regarding confidential government sources and two journalists, Matthew Cooper of Time and Judith Miller of the New York Times, are facing jail time for not previously revealing those sources.
Connected asks its viewers: Is this a violation of the journalists’ freedom of press or did they endanger national security?
Your E-mails:
• June 29, 2005 |5:50 p.m. ET
The Freedom Tower debate
The revised model for the Freedom Tower, introduced Wednesday, corrects safety and security flaws, which had derailed the original project. But while the safety concerns may be resolved, the fight over just what should be built continues. As the debate one what should replace the Twin Towers lingers on, one thing is certain: whatever replaces the Twin Towers will be a national shrine.
"Connected" asks its viewers: What do you think should be built to replace the Twin Towers?
Your E-mails:
What to build on the trade tower site? Where did it become an issue for people to vote on? Who owns the property? Leave them alone, they can build what they want on there.• June 29, 2005 |12:03 p.m. ET
The morning after
The morning after the president’s prime time address, many people are still have mixed emotions about the war in Iraq. Critics say President Bush offered no exit strategy and no specifics regarding the war. Supporters say reminded the American people of what is at stake: freedom and democracy.
"Connected" asks its viewers: What do you think, did President Bush get the job done to boost morale?
Your E-mails:
Should the War in Iraq finally end?
One year ago today, Iraq became a sovereign nation. However, the American people appear to be growing less content with the ongoing process to ensure freedom in Iraq. President Bush will address the nation on Tuesday evening to address these concerns. “Connected” ask its viewers: Should Bush rally the Nation to stay the course or tell the truth about what is really happening in Iraq.
Your E-mails:
• June 27, 2005 |5:50 p.m. ET
A history lesson (Monica Crowley)
As we witness the tough times in Iraq, it’s easy to forget just how difficult it was to bring democracy to “this” country. Just imagine if the present day media were around during the Revolutionary War.
Let’s say the year is 1776 and you turn on your television to discover the flash news:
The colonists are losing their fight against King George and the world’s greatest army. Troop moral is at its lowest, conditions at their worst. The Continental Army is having a difficult time recruiting new soldiers, and those who are already serving are eager to go home to their families.
Privately, General Washington knows the situation is dire but publicly he continues to display great optimism, assuring his troops they will prevail. But leaks to the press expose Washington’s deep concerns causing many of his own men to doubt him.
Now don’t get me wrong, the colonialists didn’t need the news media to remind them they were in for a tough fight. But they also weren’t exposed to the constant barrage of criticism and second-guessing of their cause.
It took 13 years for the United States to establish its democracy. Iraq has been at it for just two years. Maybe it’s time all of us took a step back and remember the patience and determination of our forefathers.
E-mail MCrowley@MSNBC.com
• June 27, 2005 |5:17 p.m. ET
An update from our previous discussion about:
Separation of Church and State
Your E-mails:
• June 27, 2005 | 12:49 p.m. ET
Separation of church and state
The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that displays of the Ten Commandments are not inherently unconstitutional. In a 5-4 vote, the judges ruled the Ten Commandments could be displayed on government land but claimed that monuments, which promoted religion, violated the church and state doctrine.
“Connected” asks its viewers: Do you agree with the Ten Commandments ruling?
Your E-mails:
I do not understand what peoples problems are with have religious items in government buildings. The reason why there is such a thing as separation of religion and government is because people that settled here came from a country were religion ruled with an iron fist. But if you look at our constitution and other things in history you will see a clear sign that our country was not founded on not believing in God, clearly these great men that we call our founding fathers had god in mind when we were forming.
• June 24, 2005 | 2:26 p.m. ET
Stop Apologizing (Ron Reagan)
After a momentary lapse of spinelessness, Senator Richard Durbin caved in the other day and apologized for using the word Nazi in the same sentence as FBI report, this in reference to prisoner abuse at Guantanamo Bay and elsewhere.
Democrats were no doubt concerned Durbin’s remarks would be fodder for an Republican attack and come the mid-term elections, hence the rather weepy mea culpa.
Bad move.
The ad is already being produced and now the Democrats have simply provided the punch line. They’re busy now attack Karl Rove for comments he’s made about liberals and 9/11.
But maybe they should be spending their energy remind people how often Conservatives have employed the N-word. Senator James Inhofe, for instance, compared ambassadorial nominee, James Hormel to Nazi party member David Duke, apparently because Hormel is gay.
Senator Jeff Sessions compared a bill on stem cell research to Nazism. And, of course, there’s conservative bullyboy Rush Limbaugh and his big fat idiot remarks, repeated ad nauseum, about Feminazis. This is just a short list.
But, once again, the Democrats have contrived a way to lose to losers. How is this possible when Republicans hand them so much ammunition? Democrats lack ideas? Maybe. But we know what happens when this White House gets an idea in its head, it keeps the other one company.
Democrats out of touch with American values? Oh, I don’t know. But the right-wing Jihadis in this Administration wouldn’t recognize the truth if it was giving them a lap dance. Senator Durbin insults our troops? NO, what insults our nation’s entire history is a cowardly policy of torture, abuse and secret detentions without due process.
This Administration’s dishonesty is matched only but its incompetence. Memo to the Democrats: Pointing that out doesn’t require an apology.
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• June 24, 2005 | 12:44 p.m. ET
The war lingers on
President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Ibraham Al-Jaafari met with reporters at the White House this morning to talk about the future of Iraq. Although they sounded a hopeful tone, violent acts continue to occur throughout Iraq. Meanwhile, politicians are still debating about whether establishing a timeline to withdraw troops would be a good solution to end the war. With this in mind, Bush said while there are “monumental tasks” ahead, the U.S. and Iraq are working together to defeat the enemy.
'Connected' asked its viewers: Is the War in Iraq hopeless or should the U.S. continue to make their presence known?
Your E-mails:
This administration can talk and make all the speeches it wants but it can NEVER justify attacking a defenseless nation for regime change and to steal it's resources.
• June 23, 2005 | 5:35 p.m. ET
Is there a link between mercury vaccines and Autism?
The government now estimates that one in every 166 children will be diagnosed with Autism, which has no cure. No one knows exactly what causes this disorder but many scientists and experts have started to suspect a government cover up. While some of the suspected reasons for the disease are genes and the environment, some believe that childhood vaccines containing the mercury preservative may be the cause for autism.
“Connected” asked its viewers: Are childhood vaccines the cause of a very serious disorder?
Your E-mails:
I think you need to ask the question to the pharmaceutical industry. Now that you’ve removed Mercury from the vaccines, what will you say when the number of autistic children drops from one in every 166 or so children to one in every say 5000 children. And also you should ask, where are all the 20+ year old Autistic adults?• June 23, 2005 | 2:21 p.m. ET
Girl power (Monica Crowley)
They say it’s a man’s world, especially the world of professional sports. But over the past few years, a number of women have shown the guys how it’s done.
There was Annika Sorenstam, who played with the men in on tournament on the PGA Tour and although she didn’t play her best, she showed a lot of guts to do it in the first place. The men of course, mocked her for trying.
Back in 1999, the U.S. women’s soccer team won the World Cup. Led by superstars like Mia Hamm and Brandi Chastian, who scored the winning goal and then ripped off her jersey in jubilant celebration. Those women showed countless girls across America that it was cool to be as tough and competitive as the guys.
Now, however, Chastian has been booted from the team. The official line is that the coach wants to move on with other players. But the reality is that Chastian will be 39-years-old by the time the next major tournament rolls around, and the team wants younger players. Chastian has been disinvited to rejoin the team, even for the most immediate upcoming matches.
And then there’s Danica Patrick, the racecar-driving phenomenon, who just placed 4th in the Indianapolis 500. Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone, had this to say the other day: “You know, I’ve got one of those wonderful ideas, women should be dressed in white like all the other domestic appliances.”
In response, Patrick told reporters this week: “I can’t believe he would say that directly to me.” Neither can I. Mr. Ecclestone clearly cannot see past his male chauvinist pigism.
Sorenstam, Chastian and Patrick, all talented athletes, getting dissed by men who run their sports.
So here’s what I recommend: That all three of them, and every other woman in professional sports, continue to play their games as well as they can. Because in the end, the performance, and not the naysayer, is what matters.
E-mail MCrowley@MSNBC.com
• June 23, 2005 | 12:47 p.m. ET
Pentagon turns to database for recruits
As the U.S. presence in Iraq continues, the Pentagon is making urgent attempts to attract much-needed military recruits. They’ve tried offering bonuses, scholarships, and promotions, but recruiting numbers are still dropping. Now, the Pentagon is turning to a database composed of eligible high school men and women as young as sixteen to recruit them to enlist. This database includes ethnic and racial data. Are the government’s newest recruitment tactics reasonable or a violation of privacy?
Your E-mails:
• June 22, 2005 | 5:35 p.m. ET
The fight to keep PBS
Republican lawmakers are on the verge of cutting $100 million from the budget for public broadcasting leaving Democrats and other PBS supporters upset. PBS supporters claim the cuts will lead to the cancellation of popular children learning shows and many lawmakers feel that there are even bigger issues. Conservatives have complained for years about the liberal biases at PBS, so could that be fueling their interest in cutting the budget?
Viewers wrote in to share their thoughts.
Your E-mails:
• June 22, 2005 | 12:43 p.m. ET
Durbin apologizes for comments
Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) apologized on the Senate floor yesterday for his recent comments comparing the prison at Guantanamo Bay Soviet gulags and to the treatment given by the Nazis. While some have accepted Durbin’s apology, others feel that it is not enough. Others say they don’t understand why Durbin is apologizing.
Do you think Durbin’s apology was sufficient enough?
Your E-mails:
• June 21, 2005 | 12:48 p.m. ET
The Senate faces off over Bolton
The Senate is in a standoff over John Bolton with Republicans still unable to get the required 60 votes to bring his nomination for Ambassador of the United Nations to an up-or-down vote. Democrats insist they must be given more information from the administration before allowing this action to happen. If the gridlock continues, there is speculation that President Bush may appoint Bolton – as is his right -- during the July 4th recess.
What do you think? Viewers react to this display of disunity in the Senate.
Your E-mails:
• June 20, 2005 | 5:37 p.m. ET
The hunt for Osama bin Laden continues
CIA Chief Porter Goss told "Time Magazine," that he has a pretty good idea of where Osama bin Laden may be. It’s generally assumed that Osama bin Laden is hiding somewhere along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a mountainous region more that 1600 miles long. If bin Laden is taken dead or alive in Pakistan it could create enormous turmoil within that country, and for that reason officials there are reluctant to help in the search for bin Laden.
What should the U.S. do? Viewers wrote in to share their thoughts about the hunt for bin Laden.
Your E-mails:
According to the polls the present administration can't multi task and refuses to try any one new where they are coming up short including finding bin Laden• June 20, 2005 | 12:22 p.m. ET
Iraq: one year after the transfer of power
It’s been almost one year since the transfer of sovereignty from the U.S. led coalition to the people of Iraq and enormous progress has been made since then, including, most recently free Democratic elections. The advancement, however, comes with a hefty price that includes a rising death toll, and those daily insurgent attacks. As the war continues on, opinions are still changing and President Bush has recently claimed he will take the summer to concentrate on the war effort.
Here’s what viewers have to say about this year long process.
Your E-mails:
Maybe Bush woke up! We don't trust him with our social security, we don't trust his new drug "benefit" and we don't want to stay in Iraq any longer. Bush's lies have lost their luster, his political capital is spent, the economy is teetering and he's become a lame duck by his own actions.• June 17, 2005 | 12:34 p.m. ET
Downing Street Memo” buzz builds
The buss on the “Downing Street Memo” is continuing to build with the American media starting to cover the topic and hearings taking place in Washington. Viewers wrote into “Connected” to share their thoughts about the Memo.
Your Emails:
• June 16, 2005 | 1:08 p.m. ET
An indecent interview (Monica Crowley)
So imagine you land an interview for the job of your dreams. You get a new suit, polish your shoes, and maybe get your hair trimmed. As you head into that interview, you are a little nervous, a little excited, ready to impress your potential future boss. You make sure your (non-exaggerated) resume is in order, your references are all lined up, and that you don’t have a spring broccoli in your teeth.
Now imagine that as you are shown into your potential boss’s office, you find that he hasn’t prepared for the interview as thoroughly as you have. Not only did he not invest in a new suit, he is wearing the one named for his birthday. That’s right: he is naked.
Yes, this actually happened to some poor, unsuspecting job applicant in Scotland. A 25-year-old woman came in to interview with the Alpha Translating and Interpreting Services in Glasgow. When she arrived, her potential boss, Saaed Akbar, asked her if she would mind if they took their clothes off. She politely declined, so he left the room and came back naked anyway, carrying a clipboard. No word on whether that clipboard was strategically placed. When she refused to strip as well, he put his clothes back on and tried to conduct the interview as normal. She fled.
His defense? He initially told police his strip was a consensual “role play” and part of his “tough interviewing technique!” No, a tough interviewing question is, “where do you see yourself in five years,” not “where do you see me in five minutes!” He went on to say, “I wanted a bit of excitement.” I’ll say.
The sheriff was not excited by his defense and sentenced him to three year’s probation and placed him on the sex offender’s register. He has lost his job, his family, and most of his friends. That’s what he gets for abusing his position and sexually harassing a job applicant by putting on the Full Monty. Poor woman: she came in to get information about the company, and left with way too much information about her likely boss. On the upside, maybe Mr. Akbar now has a clue as to what not to do to get a date.
E-mail MCrowley@MSNBC.com
• June 16, 2005 | 12:19 p.m. ET
Is Durbin the new Dean?
In the wake of DNC Chair Howard Dean’s inflammatory rhetoric in the last couple of weeks, Senator Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, is now creating quite a stir on Capital Hill. Durbin made comments on Tuesday that linked interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay to tactics used by some of history’s most notorious despots. He even compared the American military personal stationed at Guantanamo Bay to Nazis.
Viewer’s E-mailed ‘Connected’ to share their thoughts.
Your E-mails:
Senator Durbin should be absolutely ashamed of the comments he made recently. Most of the prisoners of Guantanamo Bay are some of the most vile, sinister, and evil people on earth. Most of these prisoners have no right to live another day, but we are giving them the opportunity to keep their life if they just provide us with vital information that we may need to fight the War on Terrorism.• June 15, 2005 | 5:53 p.m. ET
Black History 101?
Students in on the country’s largest school districts will soon need to know more than just math and science to graduate this time next year. Starting in September, seniors in Philadelphia will all be required to pass a course in black history. Sixty five percent of Philadelphia’s students are African-American, which is the mail reason supporters pushed for the curriculum. The African-American history course is the first to be mandatory in the United States and will be one of four required Social Studies courses all seniors will be required to take to pass.
Viewers E-mailed their reactions.
Your Emails:
• June 15, 2005 | 12:26 p.m. ET
The age old debate: religion vs. politics
The Terri Schiavo case was galvanizing to many Christian conservatives who rallied on her behalf. But lately, more moderate Christians say they are concerned the far right is becoming too influential in determining public policy.
According to a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll, 37 percent of Americans questioned say they support mixing faith and politics. That’s far more than any other country surveyed.
Evidence of this trend can readily be seen in the recent politics of the Republican Party. From Judicial nominees to stem cells, it’s a platform fortified with fundamental Christian values and teachings.
Viewers E-mailed their reactions.
Your E-mails:
• June 14, 2005 | 5:53 p.m. ET
No one’s perfect (Ron Reagan)
We've spent a lot of time over the past few weeks getting on Howard Dean's case for some of his less, shall we say, temperate remarks.
I agree with the essence of much of what he's said. I also agree that the way he's expressed himself has, at times, been awkward and unhelpful to his party's cause. But I thought it might be useful to place those comments in the context of some rhetoric that has emanated from the right.
Republican Congressman Tom DeLay blamed the Columbine school shootings on the teaching of evolution and more recently threatened federal judges who had the temerity to do their jobs -- but he's almost too easy a target.
How about Pat Robertson, one of the right wing's favorite pastors? He famously joined Jerry Falwell in pinning the blame for 9/11 on gay people and pro-choice feminists -- both big constituents of Islamic jihads.
Pat's got plenty of venom to go around. He once said, "I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist."
Well, I guess not. But Pat was talking about Episcopalians, Methodists and Presbyterians. For the record, my father was a Presbyterian but, as far as I know, not down with Satan.
Then there's Vice President Dick Cheney. He tossed decorum to the wind a while back, telling Senator Patrick Leahy -- on the Senate floor no less -- "Go F yourself!" And, yes, I cleaned that up. Indeed, our V.P. will tell you just what he's thinking -- no matter how boorish and profane.
Had a Democrat flamed out like that, we'd be looking at impeachment.
E-mail RReagan@msnbc.com
• June 14, 2005 | 5:02 p.m. ET
Is Iraq losing its U.S. support?
Today in Iraq, has been another day of violence. A brutal bomb attack outside a bank in the Northern city of Kirkuk has left has lease 19 people dead and more than 80 people injured. Further south, near Baqubah, five Iraqi soldiers were killed in a suicide car bombing. As the violence there continues, there is increasing evidence that Americans may be growing impatient wit the ongoing conflict in Iraq.
Viewers shared their E-mails.
Your E-mails.
Soon more Americans will have died in Iraq than in 9/11. Most Republicans defend the president but I think that deep in their heart they know we made a mistake. We need to get more countries involved, get the UN involved, one way or another.
• June 14, 2005 | 12:30 p.m. ET
Was justice served?
After seven days of deliberations, the jury in the Michael Jackson trial came back yesterday with ten “not guilty” verdicts. It’s an acquittal that’s got some Tuesday-morning quarterbacks wondering, when it comes to Hollywood defendants, can justice ever truly be served? According to at least 10 of the jurors last night, celebrity did not play into the jury’s decision to acquit Michael Jackson. But can celebrity contribute to a different kind of justice?
Your e-mails:
• June 13, 2005 | 1:17 p.m. ET
Pressure to convert in the Air Force?
After months of controversy, there is apparent confirmation now of real problems at the Air Force Academy.
There have been allegations that the academy’s faculty and students have pressured cadets to convert to Evangelical Christianity. Now, the Academy’s Superintendent, Lieutenant General John Rosa, reportedly is acknowledging problems. According to an editorial in the “New York Times,” Rosa is quoted as saying the campus is so permeated with evangelical proselytizing—it could take years to rid the institution of religious intolerance.
The Air Force has created a task force said to be addressing the religious climate at the U.S. Air Force Academy. And in a statement to “Connected,” the air force academy says it is tackling the problem head-on, saying:
“We are committed to ensuring an environment at the air force academy in which everyone can believe - or not believe - as they choose; and one in which everyone respects everyone else’s right to their personal beliefs, even though we might not all agree.”Here are your e-mails on the subject:
Whether or not every cadet has been pressured to "convert" isn't the question for me. Why even ONE cadet would be (or even feel) pressured is. There is no place in a national academy supported by federal tax dollars for any proselytizing of any kind, and using the smokescreen of "personal expression of religion" to minimize the impact of this type of behavior only tells me that there is a much larger problem here than any of us perceive.• June 10, 2005 | 6:10 p.m. ET
Craig Crawford's blog begins and he's talking about Gitmo too
During Craig Crawford's stint guest hosting (for Ron) on Connected, he asked for our help in naming his blog. Viewers wrote in, but eventually, the name "Crawfordslist" won the day. Wouldn't you know it? The name turned out to be a suggestion from Connected producer Pete Breen.
"It is simple, direct, and, after all, what is a blog if not a list, right?" says Craig. Click here to check it out.
In today's blog, he talks about Gitmo (as did the 5 p.m. ET 'Connected' show).
"Ah, we hear the ground shifting on the Bush Admin's hardline position against criticism of Gitmo prison. Rumsfeld now says let's turn the prisoners over to foreign countries. And just the other day Bush said "We're exploring all alternatives" when asked about about closing the military prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. It's a good move for Bush team to take steps to move this sideshow into the shadows. Blaming it all on Newsweek could only get them so far." Click here for more of Craig's post.Here are two of your e-mails on the show, which Monica and Ron agreed with respectively:
"I think all these people who think that Gitmo should be closed should go and fight the war on terror and then tell us about human rights that these terrorists deserve."Click here to read more about the story.
Click here to Connected@MSNBC.com
• June 10, 2005 | 4:38 p.m. ET
Are we still unsafe after 9/11?
Could have FBI really have blown five chances at nabbing some of the 9/11 hijackers all because of government red tape?
A newly-released Justice Department report that says the Bureau missed at least five opportunities to find hijackers as they prepared for the 9/11 attacks. The report details how a lack of information-sharing within the FBI was a significant failure that hurt the agency's chances to prevent the attacks.
The release of the report comes as President Bush toured the Counter Terrorism Center this morning. That center, which is located at an undisclosed location in Virginia, was created as part of the wide-ranging overhaul of U.S. spy agencies sparked by intelligence lapses prior to 9/11. The tour is part of the president's two-day pitch for renewing expiring sections of the PATRIOT Act, and those provisions are due to expire at the end of this year.
Ron: Well, the new report is not such a surprise. We have heard these sorts of things before. But it's still depressing to hear this sort of thing. When you think that it is bureaucratic muddle that prevents an attack --, it’s just kind of depressing. You wonder where the grownups are. I mean, come on, let's start talking to one another. This is important stuff.
Monica: And you are exactly right, Ron. I mean, this is one of the difficult things pointed out by the September 11th Commission and a number of other intelligence commissions that were charged with looking at intelligence failures and also what went wrong prior to 9/11.
Turns out, a lot of the intelligence and law enforcement agencies simply weren't sharing information. They were not coordinated. Some of the recommendations coming out of the 9/11 Commission did suggest that they should get the act together, quit, as you say, the bureaucratic inertia, quit the battles over resources and personnel and stop it with the battles over fiefdoms. Get their acts together and start sharing information.
What do you think? E-mail us at Connected@MSNBC.com