Penny Manis
AC360 Senior Producer
The search for alien life. That was the first headline I saw this morning reading in. It’s going to be one of those Fridays, isn’t it?
Did you catch the dramatic scene involving Attorney General Michael Mukasey? He is in the hospital after he collapsed in the midst of giving a speech in Washington, DC. It was caught on camera and likely to be replayed a gazillion times on TV and internet, but most importantly he seems to be fine today.
World markets were up overnight following a rough ride the past couple of days, so Wall Street may be on tap for a better Friday. Also for the first time since March 2005, the average price of gas fell below $2 a gallon. That said, things are rough out there. The jobless claims yday were grim.
President Bush signed legislation to extend unemployment insurance benefits nationwide by at least 7 weeks in every state, and by 13 weeks in states with unemployment rates of at least 6%. It is the only bill passed so far by the lame-duck Congress.
Speaking of Congress, Dems have put the automaker bailout back on life support, they said they would return in Dec. to consider lending the Big 3 $25 billion, IF the companies show them a viable recovery plan. Gary Tuchman is in Moraine, Ohio where GM is the biggest employer and a truck plant there will close on December 23rd so about 1000 people will be out of work.
Chris Lawrence has a story on 100’s of military families who are ready to move into their new homes near Seattle but there is just one problem: the homes haven’t been built and there’s nothing but an empty field where they should be. The govt trusted a private developer who wasted millions of dollars on land one can’t build on. More on this story tonight…
Lastly, Madonna and her hubby Guy Ritchie are one step closer to divorce following a court session. Apparently, Ritchie has agreed to take almost none of her fortune estimated to be around $447 million. You likely won’t see this story on the show tonight, so why am I talking about Madonna? Maybe she has had more influence on your lives than the Fed Chairman or the CEO’s of the Big 3. You can recite all the words to “Like a Virgin”, admit it. See you at 10pet.
| Bev |
November 21st, 2008 8:55 am ET I will be interested to hear what that developer in Seattle did and did not do and what will happen to him. Does anyone care about Madonna? Please leave it for the tabloid programs. I am completely amazed Bush has done something for the little guy. Too bad it took him eight years. |
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| Cindy |
November 21st, 2008 9:23 am ET I haven’t seen the tape of Mukasey falling down because I haven’t turned on my TV yet. But I’m sure when I do I’ll see it non-stop on CNN all day and into the night. I hope that he is doing alright and that it was nothing serious. I’m just wondering if the automakers will even be able to come up with a plan. And honestly if they do and congress gives them the money it doesn’t mean that they will stick to the plan. There has to be someone watching over them in my opinion to make sure that they don’t just go on as business as usual and not try to help themselves. And Madonna is so… YUCK!! I never liked her. She is lucky he isn’t trying to take everything she has since she cheated on him while they were married. She probably had a prenup and that’s why he isn’t fighting for anything. Cindy…Ga. |
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| Michelle D. Fonthill,Ontario |
November 21st, 2008 9:47 am ET Hello Penny and everyone at 360 Thanks for the buzz |
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| Annie Kate |
November 21st, 2008 10:18 am ET What really makes me mad at all this economic mess is that the bigwigs that made millions of dollars with their bad decisions and greed carry on merrily with their lives while they lay off workers, hurting not only the worker but the worker’s whole family….and they do it 2 days before Christmas. Quite the holiday greeting isn’t it? Annie Kate |
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| Heather,ca |
November 21st, 2008 10:37 am ET Madonna has MTV to thank for her career. Without it she wouldnt be who she is. Guy Ritchie is better off without her. He seems very down to earth. I feel bad for him and the children. He will be ok hes a filmmaker. I wonder how David’s biological father feels about his son being adopted to having adoptive parents now divorce. It all seems to be about one person, Madonna! Yes she may be talented, but she is also a mother and until recently a wife as well. I would think how raise your children and how you treat your friends and family and how you conduct yourself in life in general is as important as how talented you are at making a living. |
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| Mary V., Salt Lake City, UT |
November 21st, 2008 11:15 am ET Not a fan of Madonna’s, never have been. I do not read the Hollywood tabloids, do not care about the lives of the ‘famous’. I agree with Annie Kate, I too, am angry with the ‘fat cats’ whom have made millions on the backs of regular hard-working Americans. And have helped destroy this economy with their greed. I am appalled at how Bush & Co., came out, begging America to bail-out the ‘fat-cats’ on Wall Street. The very same people whom last Christmas were getting billions in bonuses! BUT…… Bush is now not supporting help for the auto industry. I do not care about the CEOs, or CFOs, I care about the auto workers and their families! Please, people, have some compassion. I hope that the Congress will LEND the Big Three money and insist on a 5-year plan for success. The CEOs and CFOs of the Big Three need to be fired. |
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| Missy |
November 21st, 2008 11:35 am ET The automaker execs should be fired and replace by people who know how to run a profitable business that makes competitive high quality products without thinking about how much is in it for themselves. Has any of them ever actually driven one of the vehicles that they make? Maybe they should drive one from to Detroit to Washington and they would realize why people don’t want to buy those cars. |
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| Missy |
November 21st, 2008 11:36 am ET BTW, what does Lee Iacocca have to say about the auto industry? |
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| Joanne, Syracuse, NY |
November 21st, 2008 12:16 pm ET Could someone please give us a breakdown of exactly how much bail out money has been actually allocated, where, to whom, on what conditions? Also, could the American people please see the proprsed recovery plans of the big 3 before Congress puts our money out there for these private jet execs and their $75/hr workers. And, Madonna doesn’t deserve coverage at all, it’s all exploitation, no matter how your look at it. |
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| David, Indiana |
November 21st, 2008 12:58 pm ET I agree Cindy, the big three do need someone watching over them, everyone does actually, but its difficult to make changes and sometimes and it helps to have someone who can see you through that process. I guess I’m speaking from experience, but I think that it does apply to the big three. I mean they have to change from business as usual to really getting things moving. They might need a little help with that. |
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