Oh Anderson…your last paragraph has me really frightened. More than a quarter of Americans believe Senator Obama was raised as a Muslim?!?!?!?!? You have got to be kidding me. I am anxiously awaiting Gary Tuchman’s report……..who and WHY?!?!?!? I’m one of many of my fellow Canadians who firmly believe Senator Obama will become President Obama and, frankly, NEED to believe it. The past eight years have horrified us. These statistics however are extremely disturbing. Extremely. Looking forward (somewhat apprehensively now….) to tonights show.

It seems as though this trip is getting better all the time for Obama. Everything seems to be moving in his favor.

There is not a lot that McCain can do. As long as the
McCain campaign keeps complaining about media coverage
people will tune out because it has all been heard before. I am
not sure if media bias flies these days there are too many outlets
for getting ones message out. John McCain could have handled
the situation much better with the NYT by placing ads in other
newspapers or blogs. The McCain campaign is in trouble and
it is showing.

I don’t see John McCain as jealous at all about Obama. I see him trying to deal with a media that is WAY biased in Obama’s favor. One that hangs on every little thing that Obama says or does and barely gives John the time of day. Where is the fairness in that?

But what the media doesn’t realize is that we people don’t care what they think. Even though they have already chosen Obama as the next president, we the people…all of us not just the elite, get to choose who that will be. And we don’t care for their spoon feeding ways! And just to spite them some will vote for who the person that they haven’t crowned as king.

I have to agree with David Gergin. I think Obama has overstepped his boundaries while there in Iraq by seeming to be trying to deal about the troop withdrawal date. And also by telling every little thing that was said in the meeting. He just seems so sure that he has won. That arrogance will come back to bite him!

Cindy…Ga.

I hope Texas is prepared. My thoughts & prayers are with them. We had strong storms early this morning.

After reading more about Obama’s visit, I think he should think before speaking. He is STILL a candidate, & should behave as one.

After watching your report on Obama & McCain last Fri., I picked up a fresh perspective on both of them. Good job. I think a lot of the people who still believe that Obama is a Muslim simply don’t trust the media or whoever is speaking–they probably thnk it’s a cover-up or whatever.

Anderson, good thoughts are with you today–take care.

Have a good day all! See you tonight.

Unless Tennessee has sprouted a new town, there is no Cooperhill TN - there is a Copperhill TN down near Georgia. Is that what you mean or have I forgotten my Tennessee geography.

Gary has big shoes to fill being Mr. Hurricane - Anderson was always Mr. Disaster whether it was a hurricane, a tornado, etc. Anderson and John Zarella made a good team out in those hurricanes. I’m sure Gary will do well but will he be able to achieve the soggy panache that Anderson did?

Annie Kate
Birmingham AL

I look forward to tonight’s show. However, I hope you will take me to Copperhill Tennessee where my grandmother was born and raised (Anderson’s Cooper Hill may be just as nice).

Lest we all forget, the RNC website kept a “days since Obama has visited Iraq” timer going for weeks. And now the McCamp is complaining that Obama’s current trip has gained scrutinous press coverage? McCain hyped up Obama’s trip more effectively than he advertised his own! Love him or hate him, it can hardly be argued that McCain has been running a shoddy campaign in recent weeks.

Funny thing is if we did what Obama wanted in the first place we would not be in Iraq at all.

Of course Mcain is jealous,And im getting tired of mccain whining, Is that the only thing hes gonna keep talking about the surge the surge well mccain what are your Future plans for Iraq and Afghanistan, Or do you not have any only bash Obama until nov .Mcain stop whining and focus on the issuses and not just the surge!!!!!

Jeremy I so agree with you.

McCain’s little tactic is not turning out as he planned so now he must find something else to whine about. I think he should take a lesson from this and stop talking about Obama so much and focus on his own campaign a tad more. Maybe the media would cover him if he talked more about the issues instead of attacking Obama all the time.

If we are talking “Real Politics” the bottom line is we have a sitting President … no matter how low CNN, Fox News, ABC, CBS, NBC, etc says his approval rating is he remains the commander in chief … If Obama was given the green light by the President to negotiate on his behalf that would be one thing, but apparantly that is not the case … I think almost all the other Senators have traveled to the Middle East and I dont recall any having done it as a media circus and trying to give a false impression they are running this country … I believe the junior senator from Illinois has done more harm to his campaign than help … It shows disrespect for the current president and also gives the world leaders something to bicker about … I dont think Senator Obama would like it if this occured in his only current position … Senator from Illinois …

McCain has mishaps and they are reported and then quickly disappear. Obama doesn’t really make a mistake and it is taken to a whole new level. I am tired of hearing about Iraq. Americans do not want to stay one more day in Iraq then we have to! If I never hear the word Iraq I will be only too happy! Obama is planning to get us out of there completely and 16 months to me is too much. If he could wittle that down to 12 months it would glorious.

As for people thinking Obama is a Muslim I don’t believe it. It is just code for “we can’t find anything bad to say about you so we have to make up something”.

Anderson: You asked a question last night about why Obama getts so much coverage. Its simple. McCain is old! I’m 64 and I DO NOT want to be reminded of the friends I lost in Vietnam in a war that never should have been! I DO NOT want to be reminded of the Iraq war where friend of my grandchildren have been lost!!! McCain is old news. He should have retired like I am doing next year!! Obama represents the future and hope of a peaceful world. After Vietnam and Iraq we are so so ready. Obama is also highly intellegent which is far more than Bush McCain can clame and the world is waiting for a true leader of peace to come out of the US.

Good Morning Anderson
I’m looking forward to tonights show with a visit to Cooper hill how intersting Erica Hill and Anderson Cooper concidence I don’t thinl so.The question of the media being biased is really true ,It’s afascination with him beacause of his being the first Africain Amercian Presdential canadiate . My thoughts are with the people of Texas as they brace themselves for a Hurricane .
See you on 3

Don Mitchell wrote:

“More than a quarter of Americans believe Senator Obama was raised as a Muslim?!?!?!?!?”

That’s no more troubling than the fact that a majority of Americans seem to think that the government is there to help them.

The media is trying to elect Obama, Maybe he has been giving them knucklepunches, certainly not presidential.

Hi Anderson

McCain can’t have it both ways. Obama is either never overseas or he is there to much! Did anyone notice the contorted psychotic look on McCain’s face when talking about Obama. Body language makes up 93% of the message we are trying to get across.

Anderson my thoughts are with you today.

I look forward to the show tonight.

Lorrie. Des Moines Ia

Anderson,
I agree with David Gergen, Bush is our President (like it or not) - you do not undermine him. The last 8 years have been terrible, the worst, but we still have rules to play by. You may impeach a President or vote him and his party out. Come November - we Americans need to get rid of the Republican party and we do this by voting. Have a great day!

Anderson, Senator McCain had been counting down the days at his rallies, etc. since Senator Obama was last in Iraq. He is there and in other places as well and things seem to being going well for him. So, Senator McCain should be careful in the future about what he asks of him. Doesn’t look like he will mix up Sunni’s & Shia’s among other things.

I don’t think that the media is being biased to Senator Obama. It seems to me that Senator Obama is under more scrunity than Senator McCain ever will be and thus therefore more media coverage. In addition, Senator Obama is exciting and new and Senator McCain is…………..

McCain is just ticked off because now he can no longer say that Obama hasn’t been to Iraq. He has done nothing but talk crap about Obama not understanding “conditions on the ground”. Obama is not a stupid man, there is much info. available regarding Iraq. He also said he met with the General in Washington not long ago. Meanwhile McCain strolled around Baghdad claiming it was “safe” without showing the massive force wasting their time protecting him. I’m getting really tired of his “straight talk”, he’s playing the same old political games & “straight talk” isn’t part of it.

Don Mitchell finds it very disturbing that a quarter of Americans believe that Obama is a Muslim. Want to know something REALLY SCARY? About HALF of all Americans still support McCain! Grrrrrr!!!!! That thought just sends chills up and down my spine. It means we could end up like we did 8 disastrous years ago when Bush was selected by the Supreme Court. What a nightmare!!!

To all those McCain supporters: WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO WAKE UP?????

Last night the topic was ’supposed’ to be the Muslim Myth; however, that topic seemed to go by the wayside.

I agree Monica, as a Canadian I am scared to death that McCain will be the next President. He has given many clues as to his agenda & at the top of his list will be a War with Iran. I firmly believe that his is only objective at this point. We are all at risk in this part of the world when there is a President elected that has such an unwavering stance on War.

It would appear that Senator Obama has allowed himself to be used by Prime Minister Nuri-al Maliki of Iraq. Not a good way to show off your foreign policy skills.

I agree with David Gergen that Senator Obama crossed the line. This is a fact finding mission and should be handled as such.

Susan
Phoenixville,PA

McCain, is not jealous of this up-start named Obama. Obama is doing just what McCain wants him to do. He is going to countries that he knows nothing about, and showing that he is a Muslim just like Americans say he is, how else would he get these terrorists to go along with his plan. Help get me elected and I will destroy THE U.S.A for you.

Of coarse he’s jealous, simply because Obama is the new kind of policymaker that the world has been looking for. Here’s a human being that filled with all colors of race.

This is a new era and new dawn McCain- American’s do not need for you to portrait yourself as Winston Churchill…

When on a fact finding mission, those facts found should be reported but to the current administration and to the appropriate Senate committees. This is a big blunder on Obama’s part, and foolish of Hagel and Reed in not stopping him from releasing their statement to the media/public.

Even though I, too, want a resolution in Iraq, my greatest fear is that if elected President, Obama will continue to act in haste. It is common knowledge that the Maliki government has met with the Iranian Prime Minister several times. By expressing his support of Maliki, Obama would remove our military forces from Iraq. They would be redeployed in Afghanistan along the Pakistani border. What if Iran chooses this opportunity to launch an attack against Israel? It’s a straight shot from Bagdad to Israel. Our hands would be tied, and our troops would be no where near Iran or Iraq.

Senator Obama needs to show better judgement in whether or not he can trust the highly corrupt Maliki government before agreeing with them.

I do not agree with David Gergen. We have the right to complain about anyone including Georgie boy. With all of his War time experience he certainly was qualified to be Commander - in - Chief. His ability to shirk his National Guard Duties took great military skills. Just look at how quickly he was able to identify non existing WMD. Not to mention his decisive solutions to New Orleans. Plus his great skills at the gas pumps. It is hard to see the little guy struggling when you are sitting on top of a huge pile of money. You think he ever wonders how the poor people are doing at meal time?

I am also in disagreement with David’s assessment as we Americans have had enough of the hypocrisy from this administration. You want us to be “correct” when Bush and his cronies have deceived, lied, misled, abused us in the most disgusting ways? What do you think we are… robots with smiles pasted on our faces for the rest of the world…. while our own President is stabbing his people in the back…. but by George, we will behave in the most scrupulous and correct manner? Get a grip David, we are mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore. If a child can go to the Middle East and do a better job of presenting to the rest of the world the image most Americans want to portray…. then send the child !!!!!! But don’t sit there and tell us it’s not “correct or proper” behavior for Obama or anyone else to speak on behalf of the American people. George Bush certainly has never done that so why the sudden need to appear “proper”…. DOWN WITH THE HYPOCISY !!!!

McCain is just vile. I am praying Americans don’t make the same mistake again as they did 4 years ago. John McCain is the same person as President Bush … who in their right mind would vote for that weathered, war loving, gun toting, homophobic… outdated OLD guy??? Oh I could go on forever about it. Obama is a fresh, young and optimistic. Americans would be fools, absolute fools to elect McCain, the epitome of a narrow minded, cowboy hat wearing, gun loving american blaring Allan Jackson from their Chevy and hating anything remotely liberal. Get with it America.

TRUE>>>>>Funny thing is if we did what Obama wanted in the first place we would not be in Iraq at all.

Obama is doing something that Bush and McCain have failed to do - talk! Other countries hate us because we are not diplomatic in our relations with them. They cannot trust us and I don’t blame them.

I find it sad that many American’s believe Obama is a Muslim and that many more won’t vote for him even if he was. Are we to only elect Christian presidents?

@ lampe I’m an American and I don’t believe Obama is a Muslim. I see the Republican scare tactics has you right where they want.

Jealous? How about nauseated? Especially now that Obama’s campaign has declared him president.

It would be refreshing to see all the news and hear both sides. Anderson, we’re counting on you.

On Chicago News they said that when Obama is anywhere is like Rolling Stone Tour in town- and I agree with that……………………… Obama will easy restore our broken image!!! McCain is only digging his hand - and make me crazy when I see him /always change channels/

All this nonsense talk about Obama has become tiresome and boring.
Of course he has some muslim background , after all he attended a muslim school for a few years and how much of that stayed with him , we don’t know and he won’t say.
If the media would have done their job more effectively and in an unbiased way , perhaps one would know more about Obama .
As it stands now , everybody is fawning over him and the media have become his biggest cheering section.
It is high time to apply more scrutiny to this man and ask some tough questions and expect straight answers.

Mr McCain - please stop your whining - ok we get it - Obama was against the surge. What else do you have to offer? Your surrogates keep whining too. Please, as Phil Gramm pointed out - we need to stop the whining. Lead the way.

I think the media IS biased against Barack. I find that Anderson is constantly bringing negativity to the table when discussing Barack - putting a negative slant on the story.

I just about lost it when the whole preacher thing exploded. Every time I turn around there’s something negative about Barack being discussed so yes, he gets more coverage but how much of it is POSTIVE overall?

Why are so many Americans afraid of Obama? That’s the question I would love to see discussed in a non-biased way (HA HA HA!)

If obama agrees that the surge worked McCain would run around on his waggon saying…MY FRIENDS….. i was right… Obama needs to keep doing what he is doing cause it is getting to McCain…he is loosing his cool

Hey Teresa Toronto…..it’s obvious that you have not done your homework on John McCain. Why don’t you put down the i-pod and study his past for just a few minutes and you will find marked differences between Bush and McCain. I don’t think you can call a man vile, especially when he authored the bill to give 20 million Mexican’s amnesty in this country. I would never dream of getting on a blog in your country so please don’t bore us with your ignorant comments.

McCain nor Abama had anything to do with the surge. It was done by President Bush. Abama and McCain can only voice their opinion, rather it was a good thing or a bad thing. I don’t want to hear the surge mention again by two people who had nothing to do with it.

It is important to know the truth about the success of the so called “Surge”. The decrease in violence and reduction in death toll had nothing to do with increasing the troops by few more soldiers as McCain claims. It has to do with the brave and smart leaders on the ground that have made amends with the “Sunni’s” insurgents and helped them to defend themselves against the “Shiite”. The original cause of the violence was due to the miscalculated support for the Shiite militia. The surge was not successful, Diplomacy was. That is what Mr. Obama has been campaigning for.

I don’t think forgetting a few details about a time-line is nearly as bad as not knowing how many states are in the United States. In one of his speeches Obama said that there were 57 or maybe 58 states. As forgetful as I am sometimes, I don’t think I would ever forget that there are 50 states in this great country.- unless I were to become completely senile.

I can’t imagine Obama going against the advice of General Petraus., especially, when he (Obama,) has had very little experience in foreign affairs. The thought that he may become President is terrifying to me.

Anderson, I am excited tonight about the second segment of BLACK IN AMERICA. My neighbor (White) came over this afternoon and told me I had to watch it. Said he watched it last night and it blew him away. I told him I had seen the show last night and he got quiet and asked me if after the show, maybe this weekend we could sit down and talk. He said he was a bit uncomfortable but the show made him want to know more. I told him sure. We will throw some food on the grill this weekend and talk. So you see Anderson, some good has come from the program. Talking and listening is what we need to do more of for people to have a better understanding of each other. Pass my thanks to Soledad for me. Maybe she or someone will consider doing something like this program for Whites or Hispanics. You see we, Blacks, have questions too. Thanks Anderson and Soledad and all that took part in this program.