Roman Polanski, 2009

Bruce Crumley/ Paris
Time

Although the cultural divide between Europe and the U.S. has narrowed over the years, the legal fate of director Roman Polanski shows there are still major differences. Polanski's arrest in Switzerland on Sept. 26 was greeted with satisfaction in the U.S., where authorities hope he will face sentencing for having sex with a 13-year-old girl in 1977. Europeans, meanwhile, are shocked and dismayed that an internationally acclaimed artist could be jailed for such an old offense.

"To see him thrown to the lions and put in prison because of ancient history — and as he was traveling to an event honoring him — is absolutely horrifying," French Culture Minister Frédéric Mitterrand said after Polanski was arrested upon arrival in Switzerland to attend the Zurich Film Festival, where he was to receive a lifetime achievement award. "There's an America we love and an America that scares us, and it's that latter America that has just shown us its face." In comments that appeared to be directed at Swiss and American authorities to free Polanski, Mitterrand added that both he and French President Nicolas Sarkozy hoped for a "rapid resolution to the situation which would allow Roman Polanski to rejoin his family as quickly as possible."

(Read "Redeeming Roman Polanski.")

Polanski, who won an Academy Award in 2003 for directing The Pianist, admitted to having unlawful sexual intercourse with 13-year-old Samantha Geimer as part of a plea bargain in which other charges — including drugging and raping the girl — were dropped. However, fearful that the Los Angeles judge in the case was about to renege on the deal and slap him with a long prison sentence, Polanski fled the U.S. in 1978 and never returned. He has spent the past 30 years in France, where he has raised a family and continued his career unhindered. That is, until Saturday. Swiss police seized Polanski on an international warrant issued by U.S. authorities in 2005 and, under bilateral treaties, will now extradite him to the U.S. unless barred from doing so by Swiss courts.

France never complied with the arrest warrant because its laws prohibit the extradition of its citizens to other countries. At the same time, many people in France have over the years downplayed the gravity of Polanski's crime because of his immense talent and artistry as a director. The 76-year-old, who was born in France, has increasingly been seen as the victim of an obsessive U.S. justice system that is ready to pluck him up and drag him off to prison at any moment. Those feelings were reinforced by the 2008 documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired, in which filmmaker Marina Zenovich argues that the judge and prosecutor in the case may have engaged in legal misconduct to obtain Polanski's guilty plea. The film also contains an appeal by Geimer, the victim, for Polanski to be pardoned — leaving his European supporters perplexed as to why U.S. officials wouldn't finally close the book on him.

(Read "More Sex, Please, We're French.")

"The French view Polanski as an artist and celebrity and feel he deserves a different kind of treatment than ordinary people, which just isn't an option in the U.S.," says Ted Stanger, an author and longtime resident of France who has written extensively on the differing public views and attitudes across the Atlantic. "The French in particular, and Europeans in general, don't understand why it isn't possible for American officials to intervene and say, 'Hey, it's been over 30 years and things look a little different now. Let's just forget this thing.' "

Indeed, police in other European countries have turned a blind eye to Polanski's travel across the continent for work and pleasure over the years. The director has even made frequent visits to Switzerland in the past without any problem. His supporters claim that Swiss authorities finally caved in to U.S. pressure to nab the director. But Swiss and U.S. justice officials say they knew where he would be thanks to press releases by the Zurich Film Festival touting his presence to accept the award. "There was a valid arrest request, and we knew when he was coming. That's why he was taken into custody," says Guido Balmer, spokesman for Switzerland's Justice Ministry. Adds Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office: "It wasn't a big secret that he was going to be in Zurich — they had announced it on the Internet."

As Polanski's fans across Europe decry his detention, his lawyers say they're filing appeals of both his arrest and eventual transfer to the U.S. "To the French mind, this has made Polanski a combination of Oscar Wilde and Alfred Dreyfus — the victim of systematic persecution," Stanger says. "To the American mind, he's proof that no one is above the law." That's a perception gap as wide as the Atlantic.

Editor's Note: After last night's AC360°, many of you wrote in to say that you were excited about the prospect of change with this new administration. Some of you think that former President Bush’s trickle-down economy did not work and hope that President Obama tries out a trickle-up economic approach. Many of you wrote to say that you enjoyed the sneak peek of the Air Force One National Geographic special. We also heard from those of you who appreciated Erica Hill and David Gergen's postings on the AC360° blog – making it a truly interactive show. What's your take?
____________________________________________________________________________________

Love the Air Force One sneak peek. Will DVR it most likely. Great contemplative pictures of President Obama by the photographer..........

The Republicans have tried the 'top down' method for the last 8 years and look where it has gotten us? The more the top got, the greedier they got. The people have spoken – it's time to give Obama's plan a chance by approving the proposed economic recovery plan that combines bottom up and top down! Go, Obama!

I have a feeling this man has the potential to be great. I am an Independent, Ex-Democrat, but I really like the way this man handles himself, so far. I could care less about the lack of experience. How much experience does it take to think, and make the right decision? This man is an educated man. I could care less what his race is.

I've enjoyed watching AC360° for some time. Tonight, for the first time, I watched and read the blog postings as they came in. This kind of public participation is great. I appreciate that David Gergen and Erica Hill also post to the conversation, to truly make it interactive....

Editor's Note: Following Wednesday night’s AC360°, our viewers wrote to us about the “re-do” of the Presidential swearing in. Many felt that having it occur without media presence was the right choice. Some of you also emailed us their opinions about Carolyn Kennedy dropping out of the senate race. And of course, Anderson’s statement that people would not see him dancing opened the door to many requests that he dance on the show. Here’s some of what we saw, and we’d love your thoughts as well:
___________________________________________________________________________________

Your own commentators are correct. The talk about retaking the oath is ridiculous. A “circus"; leave it alone. No wrongdoing has occurred. Just because the media wasn't invited to the redo is not a reason to create news.

I think the press wasn't invited to witness the oath out of President Obama's respect for Chief Justice Roberts and his desire to spare the Chief Justice any further embarrassment.

In the picture from Obama's second swearing in, his hand is not on the Bible. Is that not another mistake?

Anderson, you ask your panel for their take about Caroline Kennedy dropping out of the race. My take is Mr. Ted Kennedy will now retire, and she will then be prime to move into his spot.

Thanks for the coverage today, and I hope that Anderson Cooper does dance, because we need a bit more of that now. Mr. Cooper, your hard-hitting questions are appreciated. Yet I have to say that I'm sad and tired of all the bad news, and so it was extra-soothing to have one day (yesterday) which celebrated what is good about us humans. Could you give us one more day of that, without nit-picking? Just one more day of music and hugs, and staying warm together in the cold. We Canadians are celebrating with you. Thanks to CNN for yesterday.

What?!! Anderson won't dance? Anderson you are so cool. We, some African Americans in New Haven, were going to bestow you with the title "honorary African American." Can't do that now that we know you won't dance on TV. Anderson, you need to bust some moves for the entire world to see.

Program Note: Tune in to CNN where we'll be broadcasting live all weekend and Monday and Tuesday.

Kay Jones
AC360° Coordinating Editorial Producer

It’s cold here. There’s not any other way to describe DC right now. Any walking around the area must be accompanied by heavy outerwear, and trust me, even that isn’t enough. For the 360 faithful, it’s not as bad as New Year’s Eve in Times Square, but it’s pretty close.

If you are watching our air today, you’ll see Anderson, Wolf, Soledad, David Gergen, John King & Roland Martin on the set. The area they are sitting is covered, but it’s open. They are bundled up and during commercial breaks, they head to the closest heaters to try and get some warmth. The crew, however, is covered from head to toe, and I don’t even know who is behind the camera because I can only see their eyes through their hats, scarves, etc. Even though I haven’t heard any complaints, I can see on their faces that this isn’t the most pleasant experience ever.

The weather looks to be getting a little warmer as the weekend goes on, and we roll into Tuesday’s Inauguration. But it’ll still be cold.

_________________________________
UPDATE 4:18 p.m.
Scrolling through the reader comments, I thought I’d address some things that have come up:

It is true that Anderson & Wolf are not wearing hats, but there are heaters out there near the set, and even as close to the set as we can possibly get them. So although it’s still not the type of environment anyone really wants to be in for hours on end, there is a little relief with those heaters. We continue to bring coffee, hot cocoa, etc to the set. As you know, Anderson doesn’t drink hot liquids (as he’s talked about on his numerous appearances on Live with Regis & Kelly), so he’s kind of left in the cold, literally.

The workspace area, where most of the producers are stationed as well as where the restrooms are, is 2 floors down. The only access to the roof is via stairs, so anytime anyone needs to go up and down from the set, you are doing a lot of walking. I plan on firming up my calves and glutes during the next 4 days. It also helps, oddly enough, with warming us up a little.

We’ll be on air until 7pm tonight so be sure to stay tuned in!

More updates to come from the Newseum, where CNN is broadcasting live all weekend and Monday & Tuesday.

The inaugural committee will set up 28,000 chairs for ticket holders to watch Barack Obama's swearing-in.

Jackie Puskas
AC360° Editorial Producer

Hi all, we here at AC360° are looking forward to bringing you all the momentous and moving moments of the inauguration events over the next 5 days!

I am an editorial producer for AC360° heading to DC on Monday to make sure our contributors and guests are where they should be when they should be next week. It should be quite a challenge given what we’re hearing about the crowds, security and locations!

I have the added bonus of getting to see my sister, Beth Puskas, who is an equestrian instructor and jumping coach with Culver Academies, ride with her students in her second parade. They have quite an interesting story! This is the FIFTEENTH time they have participated in an Inaugural Parade – the first was in 1913 honoring Woodrow Wilson.

They make for quite an awesome and patriotic site: more than 80 students from grades 9-12, on horseback, carrying flags and marching through the streets of DC. The members of Culver’s Black Horse Troop represent 20 states and 11 countries.

We’re looking forward to bringing you the best anchors, guests, coverage and behind-the-scenes stories – see you there!

Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer

Just moments ago, a plane crashed into the middle of the Hudson River between midtown Manhattan and Weehawken, N.J.

The FAA confirms it was US Airways Flight 1549. The Airbus A320 took off from LaGuardia Airport just after 3pm E.T. and was headed to Charlotte, North Carolina.

155 people were on board the plane, including 5 crew members.  Everyone on board was rescued. Let me repeat that: Everyone on board was rescued.

Just seconds after the plane hit  the water ferry boats were on the scene to help passengers escape the plane. Keep in mind the water temperature in the Hudson River is 41° F. The rescued passengers are bundled in blankets now on dry land.

Alberto Panero, a passenger who escaped the plane, tells CNN the pilot told everyone on board to "brace for impact" just seconds before they hit the water.

Another passenger tells us it was a smooth landing, as smooth as you can get on water.

According to the N.J. State Police , the pilot declared an emergency in flight and a "bird strike".

My fellow writer, Cate Vojdik, did a web search and discovered that bird strikes in flight are more common than you might think.

Check out these web sites she found:

Bird Hazards to Aircraft

Bird Strike Information

Editor's Note: Following Wednesday night’s AC360°, viewers wrote in commenting on the continuing news of the bailouts as well as President-Elect Obama’s choices for cabinet members. Many also commented on the redecorating of the White House and the “big party” (the inauguration) seeing both as expenses that the American people should not have to support with tax dollars given the state of the economy. Outside of the economy and politics, many of you had much to say about odds names for children, having no sympathy for the parents who named their son Adolf Hitler - but still feel that they have the right to do it. Lastly, there were comments on the Gaza conflict. Here's some of what many had to say - what do YOU think?

__________________________________________________________________________________

The lack of organization surrounding the bailouts and some of the new appointments for the upcoming new administration proves the old saying, "Haste Makes Waste." To quote an old song I want to tell President-Elect Obama to “slow down, you move too fast".

Obama seems to be paying for the current administration's haphazard handling of the first TARP. Can Obama and team go back to the beneficiaries of the first installment and demand accounting, and perhaps redistribution of what the banks, AIG etc. were given? That still rankles with many of us.

Why is everyone calling Geithner's tax evasion a mishap? If Obama's camp was aware of this issue prior to the nomination, why did they not communicate it for transparency sake? Is Geithner the best man for the job? If he is acknowledge that he evaded taxes, then paid the taxes and penalties and let's go forward. If he is too stupid to pay the appropriate taxes he is not the best man for the job.

Parents have a right to name their children whatever they chose. However, parents of all persuasions should be mindful not to give their children names that could attract adverse opinion or action. This sounds like another case of parents using their children to advance their own philosophy without regard for future consequences.

The Nazi or offensive names are obviously disturbing, but seem to fall within our constitutional rights. I don’t think we should go there.

Who is paying for the big party the government is having on January 20? Haven't the taxpayer given enough? When do we see the "Change"?

Let's leave aside that past Presidents traveled down the redecorating road. The point is: where is the "change we can believe in" here? How is Obama showing that he will be conservative and judicious with money at a time when many Americans are struggling to get adequate medical care or put food on the table? Where is he getting the money from to redecorate? Is the taxpayer picking up the tab? Did you maybe want to address where the money comes from and who pays? Why don't you suggest that Obama consider some financial stimulus package for other Americans out there who might want to redecorate their homes but don't have a cushy $100K allowance to fall back on! For those who might say Obama has a challenging road ahead and he deserves a comfortable home to work/live in, let me point out that we are not sending the man to a shack. This is the White House not a hovel in some red light district. How many times does the White House need to be redecorated to be "comfortable"?

I had high "hope" that you would "keep them honest" How can you report on the Obamas' choosing a decorator and building a basketball court when the Obamas are asking the tax payers to sacrifice and to fund another bailout to all the dysfunctional companies–a bailout that will harm our children's future.

Year after year and seemingly century after century this conflict seems to resurface….is it really that hard to find a way to peace when it would mean sparing the lives of so many innocent people?

Following Tuesday night’s AC360°, viewers were passionate on many of the topics discussed on the show. Take a look below at examples of what they had to say about continued media coverage of Governor Palin, Bill Clinton’s charity accepting contributions from foreign interests, why Tim Geithner seems to be going unpunished for not paying his taxes, and the story on the Indiana pilot who tried to fake his death. Then tell us what YOU think:

______________________________________________________________________________________

I totally agree with James and Bill regarding Sarah Palin. She definitely wants to keep her name out there. She's been running off at the mouth for some time now. Right now she is using the press as her friend when she talks nothing but bad against them. The press should just leave her alone. Quit giving her all this publicity. This is her way of staying in the picture. Remember she has big plans for 2012.

Palin has a point. Thanks to 'non-journalism', very few voting Americans knew of Palin's many accomplishments in Alaska, her strength of character in standing against Republican abuse of power, no matter the personal cost to herself….

Hillary Clinton is going to be great ! Bill Clinton made public all his connections and is completely open for resolve in view and support of the situation. Hillary Clinton is going to be strong as a Secretary Of State and we lucked up she took the job.

How could James Carville deny that Hillary would not be influenced by heads of state donating money to her husband's foundation which also pays him? Why even create a situation that has the appearance of impropriety? Is the Secretary of State appointment a payback for the Clinton's "forced" support of Obama and Hillary backing out of the campaign? Sure seems like it. The Senate should require that no contributions be accepted during Hillary's term.

I thought it was unbecoming a new organization to make excuses for Geithner "mistake" on his taxes. David Gergen was particularly apologetic for Geithner. The reality is that 10 's of thousands of Americans pay taxes in this manner, anyone self-employed, independent consultants, et. al. Indeed, even Turbo Tax walks you through the process. Geithner is either dumb (not well suited for his presumed position) or is at a minimum deceptive.. How do you just give him a pass. At a minimum, please do not conjure up excuses for him. He is a big boy and can make his own revelations of how this was just a "mistake".

How is it that the IRS chief nominee has not paid any fines for not paying taxes for over 8yrs, while I owe 4K taxes for 2007 and the IRS threatens to garnish my property in spite of my willingness to work out a payment plan? The Big Guy wins and the little me gets thrown out on the streets. When will justice be applied fairly to the highest persons of the land?

There is no evidence to suggest that the pilot tried to fake his own death. There are no charges. Please do not accuse people falsely before evidence is gathered and processed and then released to the media. You really have poor quality journalism going on there. Please take greater pains to do a job that is more than a video version of a tabloid.

The Pilot poorly planned for the plane to run out of fuel over the Gulf of Mexico whereby the broken windshield and blood story could "hold water"! His biggest mistake was the Red motorcycle.

Following Monday night’s AC360°, viewers responded primarily to President Bush’s news conference, particularly his comments on the handling of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. Many people also felt compelled to voice their opinion on the remarks made by Prince Harry with most believing they were not made with malicious intent, and questioned why they even matter when they are three-years-old. A few viewers offered their general comments about the conflict in Gaza, and a new dog for President-Elect Obama.

Here are a few of the comments:
_______________________________________________________________________________

I think your guests tonight are outrageous. Don't you remember that the Gov of Louisiana didn't want any help and the mayor said they could handle it?? How quickly we forget and how easy to blame President Bush?

Obviously President Bush made some mistakes, as all presidents do, but I think history will judge him much better than everyone does now. I do not want the talking heads speaking for me. I feel a great sense of sadness to see him go, and wish him a sincere farewell and best wishes.

I voted for this guy twice and have ended up feeling like an idiot. I voted "my pocketbook" and my pocket got picked. “Just go away” is my feedback.

The comments President Bush made today concerning Katrina just shows how out of touch he is with the country.

After all this time, when will the government officials from Louisiana take the blame for a totally Keystone Cops preparation "plan?" It's their state, they know they are frequented by hurricanes; so why does Bush continually take the rap for Louisiana’s ghastly failure to prepare?

The story on Prince Harry is outrageous. The video is three years old. He was a much younger man. At his tender age, a few years mean much. Secondly, there is not a hint of condescension or hatred in his voice. He's just an army guy in his environment. Both of the words used were tame considering what else he could have said. Shame on the press!

How about a Soft Coat Wheaten Terrier for the Obamas? Hypo Allergenic – ( no matter what she says) and more compatible for kids and yet also apartment life. Friendly, and really cute...

The Portuguese water dog is hypoallergenic. Look on the internet. Labs shed terribly and poodles shed even though people don't think so, so I vote for the water dog!

Regarding the conflict in Gaza, I am wondering if the issue of the tunnels running between Egypt and the Gaza territory could be resolved by having the Egyptian border police monitoring all above-ground traffic across the border to ensure that humanitarian supplies (food, medicines) are permitted into Gaza, while any attempts to smuggle arms are thwarted. It seems to me this would allow all sides to have the tunnels destroyed and to openly accept the humanitarian supplies above ground. Do you think the Egyptian government would be amenable to this process even if it means having to station more guards along that border?

Alyssa Caplan
AC360° Staffer

If this week has taught me anything, it's that it should become mandatory that elections fall on Thursdays. That way, historically questionable days like Monday through Wednesday would be more palpable as the excitement builds toward the day when the fate of our nation finally gets revealed.

Then, with only one more work day to get through after an emotionally and physically draining week/two years, the media and country could throw on their favorite track suits and gather for the world's biggest virtual post-mortem "brunch" before waving goodbye for a quiet weekend of reflective and restorative processing time.

But mostly, the fact that the day after the election would then fall on a Friday would help promote bi-partisan healing because if your candidate wasn't chosen, you could say comforting things to yourself like, "Well, the country may officially just bought itself a one way ticket to hell in a hand bag, but at least its Friday!!" And if the candidate you were pulling for was chosen, you could tap in to the energy of everyone's favorite day of the week and ride an even bigger wave of excitement, hope and wonder in to the blissful weekend sunset.

Instead, this has seemingly been the longest week in the history of the world.

This morning I found myself thinking back to the events that transpired on Tuesday, and nostalgically waxing about that historic day three years...wait a second...that was three DAYS ago. Tuesday itself could have been a lifetime. My mind is still stuck in overdrive frantically trying to sort and compute retrograded incoming data like those coin machines in which you can dump a mass amount of change and after a period of clanking a dollar amount mysteriously appears.

Tuesday alone I am contending with understanding that I may never fully grasp why November 4, 2008 felt "different" than all other days. Not because I heard the words "Obama" and "McCain" in Japanese for the first time as an overseas anchor broadcasted live from the CNN newsroom, and not because people spontaneously burst into coordinated cheering at one point on my subway ride, and even jumped up to help me when the door shut on me.  I assure you, that has never happened before...people helping me open the door, that is.  Not because I found myself in the middle of Times Square late in the evening and realized I'd never in my life been in the midst of such a large crowd that wasn't sloppy and pushing each other. And maybe not even because the way McCain and Obama spoke reminded me of the days after 9/11 when our country came together with fierce patriotism and an elevated sense to aspire to act in a way that was bigger and better than the day before. And that was just Tuesday!

While some relished in victories for their crusade for change on Tuesday, others waited anxiously, ultimately hearing news that their desired outcome would have to wait (In California, the battle over the Proposition 8 vote banning same-same marriages is far from over). And by Thursday some of the bitter political rhetoric sparked back up again as critics came out against Obama's chief of staff choice.  Today, Obama had his first news conference as president-elect, answering questions about dogs, and now I'm reading about the Dog Whisperer's advice for how to assimilate the new White House pooch into the family.

It's all too much! I cant take it!

Which is why, in conclusion, I make my case for why elections need to fall on Thursdays.

Cate Vojdik
AC360° Writer

I live about 20 blocks from CNN's New York offices and usually walk to work. Today, as I followed my familiar route, there were subtle yet definite reminders of the history made last night.

Two blocks from my apartment building a chalkboard sign outside a local bar caught my eye. It read: "Yes, we did." I snapped a quick picture on my blackberry. Continuing on, I made a detour to the CVS on the corner to pick up a prescription; a young African American man wearing a "Vote Obama" t-shirt was smiling as he chatted with an employee in the pharmacy department. Several blocks beyond CVS, I noticed a cluster of red, white and blue balloons nestled in the branches of a tree on a side street. Just hours earlier in my neighborhood (Hell's Kitchen, west of Times Square) spontaneous celebrations had erupted in the street when CNN called the election for Barack Obama; I had watched from my 20th floor balcony.

Now, about 12 hours later, the streets were relatively quiet, aside from the typical traffic. But the balloons were a reminder that Election Day 2008 in New York City was unlike any I'd witnessed.

Several blocks later, as I neared the Time Warner Center, I passed another sign outside a restaurant, advertising a "Bailout Recession Special for $10, tax included." The meal included a burger or cheeseburger, a bag of chips, and a soda or Snapple. What I really loved was the tag line: "You've already spent $750 billion. What's ten more?" I snapped another picture. If the exit polling we've seen is right, that burger special encapsulates why so many Americans had such an appetite for voting yesterday.

Gabe Falcon
AC360° Writer

I had an interesting voting experience.

First, the back story: my wife and I moved from one part of the Upper West Side in New York to another part of the Upper West Side. Considering we’ve never left the neighborhood, this was a big bold step.

At the time of our relocation, my wife, Jenny, filled out a new voter registration form that noted the address change. I did not. She mocked me and said I would have to walk 10 blocks to vote while she just had to saunter over to the Public School 8 across our street and cast her ballot.

This morning, Jenny grabbed a coat and a cup of coffee and headed over to the school. My daughter and I strolled quietly behind her. Inside the polling center, a volunteer informed Jenny that her name was not on their manifest. Jenny asked the worker to check again. He did. The same result. Maybe you’re still registered at the old address?

My wife turned around to me and did what she usually does – insist this was all my fault. I have been married long enough to know she was right. (A helpful hint to husbands: when your wife calls and you answer the phone, don’t say hello – just say I’m sorry.)

So Jenny, Emily and I walked down Amsterdam Avenue to our original polling center. It’s also a school. But instead of the 15-minute wait at P.S. 8, this one was packed with hundreds of voters. The line snaked back to Amsterdam before doubling back up to the front of the school.

Jenny was not happy. But we waited. And waited. And waited.

An hour and a half later, we were inside the cafeteria. I noticed a Republican inspector sitting by himself in a corner. He said business has been slow. I suggested he move to Texas.

I walked up to the counter, gave them my name, received a voting card, pulled the lever and that was that.

When I emerged from the booth, I heard my wife. I didn’t see her. I didn’t have to. She was having an argument with another official. “What do you mean you don’t have my name? What is going on here?”

She was furious. Somehow, her identification was in election limbo. “You can fill out a paper ballot,” she was informed. That didn’t go over well with her. But Jenny signed the form and handed it back to the official.

She then did what I knew was coming. She yelled at me.

And I told her she was right to yell at me. Because it was my fault. It always is.

83rd BETWEEN 1st AND 2nd, NEW YORK CITY

Editor's Note: We knew voters would turn out in full force, but even we were surprised at what we saw. AC360°  staff share their voting stories.

Penny Manis
AC360° Senior Producer

Precinct 111 on 53rd and 9th told me I was in wrong place after looking at my paperwork, and sent me to another site a block away. When I got to second location, they also told me I was in wrong place and sent me back to where I started to begin with! I guess the guy at the original location misread the number of my district. Thankfully the line was very short and I was in and out in 10 minutes when I was finally at the right place. Had it not been for the original confusion and circling of my block trying to vote, it would've been a totally pleasant and quick experience. After some initial irritation, in the end I guess it was all good. I was happy to vote as it was an inspiring experience, and what the heck some brisk morning exercise isn’t terrible, right?

From one shy AC360° staffer

Talk about quick at 102nd + Amsterdam! We ran into a neighbor on our way out of the building who said there was barely a line and he was right. I arrived around 11:45am, and was done in less then 15 minutes.

It wasn't all super smooth, though. My husband triple-checked his registration status online even after receiving his voter card in the mail, yet he wasn't on the roster. He had to fill out a paper ballot. The woman checking names said the same thing happened to her. He wasn't happy – still isn't. I told him to call the CNN voter hotline!

My son pulled the lever to record the votes; I love that he can be part of the process.

One interesting note: while I was waiting to sign in, a woman,  probably in her 50's, came out of the booth. The guy behind me in line, who looked to be in his 30's, waved and smiled. They said a warm hello and she then told him, looking a bit down-trodden, "Well, I did it. I'm a Hillary, and it still stings, but I did it." He said, "Good for you. Thanks." No idea who she voted for... though I could guess.

The other bit of convo I picked up on: they'd just run out of doughnuts.

Sean Yates
AC360° Senior Producer

My election day experience started with a celebrity sighting.

I stopped at Starbucks to get a coffee, and two caffeine addicts down from me in line is none other than Eli Manning, quarterback of the New York Giants.

I left him alone, in part because I was still half asleep and didn't want to sound like a gawking idiot fan and also because I wanted to get out of there to beat the rush to the polls.

It was only a one block walk to the polling station and I was prepared for a long line. In fact I expected one with the idea that I could drink my coffee and read the paper while waiting.

It didn't happen. There was no line. None. I walked in, voted and walked out in about two minutes with my nearly full coffee still in hand.

However, while heading to the gym I passed another polling station only two blocks away with a line that was around the block and three local TV stations which had satellite trucks set up for live shots.

And there in line was fellow Starbucks drinker, election day voter and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, waiting to vote, just like you (but not me!).

Brooke Turnbull
AC360° Staff

Move to the burbs! No lines, and baked goods in Greenwich, Connecticut district 1 at Julian Curtis School. In an out in less than five minutes with a cup of coffee in hand. Interesting that the old hand lever machines are gone. Paper ballots instead, mark it with a pen and slide it into an electronic scanner. Rather painless.

Brittany Harris
AC360° Producer

Washington Square Village  had almost no wait around 9:30am, about 20 people total and most were in line for the other precinct. The whole process took less than ten minutes. I asked the poll worker if it had been busier earlier and she said yes, but she also said in general it's not a busy polling station, so i think I just got lucky.

Kay Jones
AC360° Coordinating Editorial Producer

Precinct 73, in Hell's Kitchen, had a wait of about an hour, but that's due to only one voting machine.  The 2nd one was broken and they were still waiting as of 11a for someone to come down and fix it.  Fortunately, the workers were nice, and the line snaked around a big conference room.

Chuck Hadad
AC360° Producer

I vote at a school on 82nd between 1st and 2nd and the line goes out to 2nd, up the avenue and wraps down 83rd halfway to 1st avenue, easily 300 to 400 people deep, probably more, and similar lines around the hood. I've voted here for 7 years and it's usually a 5 minute wait. NEVER seen anything like this. I have to say, it's inspiring.

Eric Bloom
AC360° Producer

Same here. My station is on 51st and almost 3rd Ave. the line runs down to 2nd Ave, wraps around up to 52nd and half way back toward 3rd Ave. The McCain supporters are out in force!!

Barclay Palmer
AC360° Senior Producer

77th street station was an hour+ wait. With a line down 77th and up Amsterdam to 78th. No sign of McCain supporters on this part of the west side. But there was a school bake sale.

Matt Minton
AC360° Staff

My friendly neighborhood Warren T. Jackson Elementary polling place in Fulton County, GA had coffee service and fresh bakery goods served by the school kids and local girl scouts. All in all, the total process; waiting in line, eating a muffin, downing my 1st cappuccino of the day, and pulling the lever took under an hour...not bad!

More pictures from Warren T. Jackson Elementary

Alyssa Caplan
AC360 Staffer

For many of us 360 staffers, today was supposed to be a much coveted “Summer Friday.” With no live show to produce, our usual late night schedules were replaced with the promise of champagne wishes and caviar dreams — a rare chance to get out of work while the sun still shines, meet friends on a roof deck, beat traffic out of town, or in my case, complete a blog post on which I had been working, but hadn’t had a chance to finish. Then I planned to re-unite with my all but estranged “normal working hour” friends and tend to my vitamin D deficiency.

So I settled at my desk to tackle the post I had conceived about infidelity – inspired by some comments former major league baseball player José Canseco told the TV show "Extra" several weeks ago when the whole A-Rod/Madonna situation was playing out in the media.

Little did I know how timely the topic would be, or how crazy this day would become. Instead of finishing the post, I ended up spending the next two hours booking guests like crazy as the news broke that Sen. Edwards admitted that he did indeed have an affair. So much for an early night!

But I digress… several weeks ago I barely had the volume turned up on my TV when I heard the following comment that haunted me for days, “It's hard enough to have a relationship in today's society," Canseco said. “But a guy like Alex Rodriguez - good looking, money, playing with the Yankees. It's over."

There was something about the comment that rattled me to the core, despite it hardly being a novel concept, nor being delivered by exactly the gold standard authority on relationships. I suddenly found myself wondering if we’re wired to pursue that which is most harmful for long-term stability when seeking a mate.

So I set out to conduct a highly informal and un-scientific inquiry, and pose the following question to some people who I figured would have a wide-array of takes on the topic:

“Is being attractive, wealthy, and having a high profile job a recipe for relationship infidelity? Is it possible to be attractive, wealthy, high profile AND faithful?”

You may, or may not be surprised to learn that I reached out to several publicists of high profile people, and very few got back to me. One in particular, said, “Yeah right. We’re not going to touch this.” I think that speaks for itself. Next.

So here we are. It's Friday. Scandal time. Live program. Game on. Tune in tonight as we spend the hour looking at the latest on Sen. Edwards.

Below you will hear some of the answers people sent me in regards to my fidelity question.
________________________________________________________________________________

Dr. Gail Saltz
Psychiatrist
Author, Anatomy of a Secret Life

Is there a correlation between how desirable you are and how likely you are to cheat? Do handsome, rich, powerful, successful men end up straying from their partner because they are presented with a bevy of women who are after all those attributes? I don’t think that anyone has done the research, but there are a number of issues which make such a possibility potentially true. Attractiveness is often interpreted by a member of the opposite sex as a reflection of good genetic material and good health. Men with higher levels of testosterone tend to display certain facial features, such as a very square jaw, and women will seek out high testosterone males because they are strong, can protect and have good genes. Women may look for softer facial features when it comes to choosing a husband but for the affair, particularly data shows at midcycle time when they are ovulating, they will pick a very handsome strong featured man. From an evolutionary perspective the goal is primarily to get strong male genes to mix with your female genes and your own genetic material is more likely to survive.

Similarly women are often drawn to men with power and wealth. They are both representations of their success and again reflect genetic material that bodes well for the woman’s offspring. Aside from an evolutionary view, women certainly like the idea of financial security and the excitement of power and prestige. They want to be associated with it. Sleeping with that man gives many women a sense of owning a piece of him and thereby getting to have some of that status and power themselves. Even being with a high powered man can allow a woman to identify with him and his lifestyle and she can vicariously enjoy having those attributes.

So, if more women are gravitating to the good looking, wealthy successful guy…you have to think that either he has more willpower than the guy who gets hit on less, or he succumbs more often. Here….we would need some data to really predict what happens. But for celebrities there is one more factor that may tip the scales. Celebs tend to be surrounded by an entourage that provides constant “yes, you are terrific and can have anything you want” feedback. Those close to the celeb tend to yes them to death because they want to hold onto their own proximity and good will. They too want to be rich, important and successful by association. So sadly for a celebrity they may start to believe that they really are entitled to have whatever they want and that the rules do not apply to them. This may contribute to the seemingly large number of affairs and marriage break ups in the celebrity community. Sometimes they get what they seem to want up front and it ends up being very self destructive in the end.

________________________________________________________________________________

Doug Christie
Fmr. NBA Player

Jackie Christie
Wife of Doug Christie/Entrepreneur

Doug Christie: “Having been in the NBA for over a decade, with much success, I personally never found it difficult to be faithful to my wife. I don’t agree that having a high profile job provides an excuse for infidelity. In the sports world, you have to make sure that you’re conveying to others that you’re off the market – period. Yes, people will continue to make advances but the onus is on the athlete to remove themselves from any conversation or situation that does not respect their marriage, family or relationship.”

Jackie Christie: “It is absolutely possible to have a monogamous relationship with a professional athlete; my marriage to Doug is a testament to that. Although I am the wife of a professional athlete, I’ve never viewed our marriage on those terms. Our love and commitment to one another is more important than the money and notoriety that comes with his profession or NBA contract.”

Doug & Jackie Christie: “It is really disappointing that infidelity among entertainers and athletes today is widely accepted and forgiven. Divorce among couples–both in private and public spheres–is considered the norm. It is imperative that we ask ourselves what message this sends to today’s youth, the next generation. We’ve been happily married now for over ten years and have been ridiculed and mocked all for having a solid marriage! Hopefully, society will shift its views, focus and begin to value the benefit of committed relationships.”

Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis after it collapsed on Aug. 1, 2007

Alyssa Caplan
AC360° Staff

Earlier this week when a 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit Southern California, cameras at a “Judge Judy” taping captured a rare glimpse of the moments during the quake. You can see the panic as a once stable room starts to rock and roll.

Thankfully there were no fatalities or serious injuries – but as I watched the video, it was the first time I could really imagine how unnerving it would be to be in an earthquake. Despite what is going on in the world, there is a certain comfort that can found in standing on solid ground.

With the one year anniversary of the Minneapolis bridge collapse approaching, my thoughts quickly turned to another group of people whose world actually crumbled beneath them. Over the past year, I have thought of them often.

On Aug. 1, 2007, I sat at my desk at CNN’s New York offices and watched terrified, unable to get through to family members or friends in my hometown of Minneapolis as the story unfolded and images of the mangled bridge began to appear on television.

The next day, I was in Minneapolis helping find guests and stories for the show. One of my most memorable moments was with a guest who had been driving the day before when her car plunged off the bridge into the Mississippi. We were standing together at dusk on the roof of a building near the collapse where our live shot was set up. She somehow managed to survive the fall and escape from her submerged vehicle that was pinned under water between concrete slabs and debris.

She bravely agreed to take the crazy freight elevator (hard hat not optional) to the top of the building, which quite frankly, jilted me. Peering down in the distance with her at the wreckage, I simply could not believe she was standing next to me – standing, at times smiling, and making jokes. She talked about being underwater and thinking that she had to get out because she had fun plans for the weekend and this just couldn’t be the end. It is amazing to be reminded what resilient creatures we are; what the human spirit can endure.

Kim Dahl, who was driving a school bus filled of children and Lindsay Petterson were also on the bridge. They are part of an active online community, sharing their thoughts and journey of the last year. Their stories can be found here:

KIM DAHL
LINDSAY PETTERSON

Editor's Note: Harvard Law School Professor Laurence Tribe is one of the United States’ preeminent constitutional scholars. An informal advisor to Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, he is one of the presumptive Democratic nominee’s most ardent supporters. The liberal legal icon talks with AC360’s Jack Gray about the impact the next president will have on The Supreme Court, the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned and why Barack Obama is the most amazing student he ever taught.

Q. The economy, two wars, an energy crisis … are legal and judicial issues as important in this election?
A. I think they’re enormously important because they set the framework within which everything else is addressed. If we believe in democracy and the rule of law then an administration that is casual or reckless about the framework of the constitution simply can’t be trusted with either war or peace. So I think that although bread and butter issues of gas prices and home foreclosures are going to dominate individual consciousness, at some level people have to remember that it is our legal system and our political structure that defines our greatness as a nation and that projects our presence onto the world stage and indirectly accounts for our safety and security. If we don’t stand for a fundamental set of legal values abroad we will have an impossible time in the battle of ideas that constitutes the war on terrorism.

Q. There was a Politico article earlier this month that basically said Senator McCain has been mentioning judicial issues much more than Senator Obama and, in fact, Senator Obama doesn’t mention judicial nominations in his stump speech and doesn’t go out of his way to mention upholding Roe v. Wade. Is that simply general election politics? You have to stay near the center when it comes to hot button issues like The Supreme Court and abortion?
A. No, I think the reasons are at least as substantive as they are political. I think everyone knows that The Supreme Court is closely divided and the earliest resignations in the next presidential term are almost certain to be resignations among the justices who are in the center or the left of the Court. It is the right wing of the Court that is the youngest and so it is not likely that Senator Obama would change the Court’s trajectory. He would at most be replacing moderates and progressives with other justices of a moderate and progressive orientation…and because Senator McCain seems to have no clear strategy either for the economy or for the foreign policy of the United States, he is trying to hold on to his right wing base by throwing red meat to some Republicans by saying “vote for me and we will roll back reproductive freedom, we will have more Scalias and Thomases on the Court.” That’s really the centerpiece of his appeal. And from time to time and certainly during at least one of the national presidential debates, Senator Obama will have occasion to remind people that if they believe in and take for granted certain elements of reproductive freedom or personal liberty then it would be dangerous to vote for Senator McCain.

Q. If Senator McCain wins, do you believe Roe v. Wade will be overturned?
A. I do. I think Roe v. Wade, whether it’s overturned expressly or rendered a hollow shell, will cease to provide within a relatively short period any meaningful protection for the reproductive freedom of women. It will then be up to the states and in a number of states there will be severe restrictions on abortion. In other states abortion will be left to the choice of women and their doctors but women who are relatively poor or who are not as mobile will often resort to illegal or dangerous abortions. I think that Senator McCain’s America is going to be one in which abortion - rather than being safe, legal and rare - will be unsafe, in many states illegal, and really not much rarer than it is today. It’s going to be a profound and retrograde change. It won’t happen overnight, but as soon as Justice Stevens who - though vigorous, is going to be 89 before too long - leaves the Court, a replacement by Senator McCain, even with a strongly Democratic senate, is bound to be someone who will vote to reduce Roe v. Wade to shreds.

Q. You mentioned the right wing base. Voters in the center - the ones that inevitably decide these elections - do they vote on Supreme Court picks or is it more the base conservatives and base liberals who pay more attention to these matters?
A. I think it’s very rarely been a decisive voting issue for many people, although there are certainly many people in the hard right who are primarily interested in a president who will pick justices who will help overturn Roe v. Wade and break down the barriers between church and state. Liberals and progressives and people in the center tend to have more immediate and practical concerns but some of the people, in particular in Hillary Clinton’s base, who might otherwise be tempted not to vote at all or to vote for Senator McCain will end up remembering what a McCain Court could do to some of the rights and values that they take for granted and may be motivated by that to go to the polls.

Q. You had Senator Obama as a student (at Harvard Law School). I think I read somewhere – correct me if I’m wrong – you said he was the best student you ever had?
A. He was the most amazing student I ever had. I said he was the most impressive and the most amazing. You know, a word like “best” I think is a little misleading because it’s hard to compare the brilliance of several very brilliant people. But what was special about Barack Obama is that he didn’t just write an amazing “A” exam and he wasn’t simply the best research assistant that I had in many years, but he was also unusually mature. He had an unusually powerful vision of public service. He was all around the most impressive student in the perhaps in the perhaps 30,000 that I’ve taught in nearly 40 years.

Q. Did you think – he graduated in 1991 – that 17 years later he would perhaps be president?
A. Well, nobody has a crystal ball, but I certainly said to my wife that I may have met - in one of my students - someone who could become President of the United States. I was amazed by his talent, by his maturity, by his acumen, by his perceptiveness, by his judgment and by his charisma. I don’t think I had great confidence in a prediction like that because I’ve never made it about anyone else and I had no way of knowing that I might have been on target. But it has never surprised me that his trajectory knows no bounds.

Q. You’ve compared him to President Kennedy.
A. I think he potentially will be at least as good a president as President Kennedy. And it was when President Kennedy was running in the 1960 election when I was a sophomore at Harvard College when I was inspired in a way that I haven’t been since until this candidacy.

Q. How often do you talk to him?
A. From time to time. He’s so busy now. I’m going to talk to him briefly on August 4th on his birthday, and we communicate by e-mail and in ways that don’t take up his time.

Q. He’s taking some flack – particularly in an article in Wednesday’s edition of The Washington Post – for appearing, some are saying, presumptuous, perhaps a bit too presidential as if he already has the election locked up. I’m assuming you disagree with that characterization, but if politics is perception then he’s got to be careful, right?
A. He is about as humble as you can be when you’ve gone as far as he has as fast as he has. He very often repeats that we have only one president at a time and that he doesn’t want to upstage the President of the United States. But there is an intellectual and moral vacuum in The White House and it’s not his fault that other people want him to fill it.

Kay Jones
AC360 Editorial Producer

Music festivals are always an interesting mix of people, sounds, and food. This past weekend at Camp Bisco in Mariaville, New York, was no different.

With artists like The Disco Biscuits, DJ Shadow & Cut Chemist, Bassnectar and Snoop Dogg taking the main stage, there was ample opportunity to dance and mingle with new friends while soaking up the hot sun. But just off the main stage, was an opportunity to do something that will last long past the three days of nonstop music: Voter Registration.

Many concerts and music festivals have voter registration tents. But at Camp Bisco the organizers of HeadCount made the most of their opportunity, making their tent the first you pass while leaving the main stage area. HeadCount says it is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization that was created in 2004 by a group of artists, music professionals and fans who wanted the music scene represented at the polls. They have traveled around to various concerts and festivals over the past four years and are seeing record numbers this year.

While Camp Bisco isn’t the biggest festival they’ve been at, HeadCount co-chair Andy Bernstein told me that percentage wise, this was the most successful mid-size festival this year with 366 of the roughly 7500 in attendance registering. The music fans at this particular festival were mostly fans of the event organizers, The Disco Biscuits, and those who came to the tent early in the day Thursday and Friday got a real treat as Marc Brownstein, the bass player for the band, came out to talk to those interested in HeadCount.

Brownstein is the other co-chair of the organization and is doing all he can to make sure people know what to do to get their voice heard, even mentioning HeadCount during Thursday night’s Disco Biscuits show.

HeadCount will be out and about at many more concerts and festivals this summer, encouraging young people to get involved in the political process. And while every election cycle has stories about how the youth vote will set records, after seeing how many people were interested in our voting process in this short three-day span, I am inclined to think this year’s election actually will set records.

Susan Chun
AC360 Producer

Debate over the N-word has intensified in the past couple years.

Remember when Michael Richards from “Seinfeld” was caught on tape two years ago using the n-word in a comedy routine? People were outraged and Richards had to apologize.

The NAACP last year held a symbolic funeral to bury the N-word. And the Rev. Jesse Jackson has called on rappers and entertainers to stop using it in their performances.

But Fox News says Jackson himself used the word in what he thought was an off camera moment. He was criticizing Senator Obama for “talking down” to blacks. The full quote from Jackson, according to Fox, is “Barack..he’s talking down to black people… telling 'n-word' how to behave.”

Jason Whitlock, columnist for the Kansas City Star, told us he thinks Jackson, like many other African Americans, is “addicted” to the N-word and struggles with giving it up.

Ebony Magazine editor Bryan Monroe disagrees, saying African Americans are using the word less because they are finally understanding how hurtful and damaging it is.

Some New Yorkers on the street told us they think Jackson is a hypocrite for using the N-word, though one young African American woman said she doesn’t view it as a derogatory term when used by black people. She said it’s simply a way to say “hi friend.”

We caught up with Jackson, who’s in Madrid for a conference. He has apoligized to Obama and to the American people, and a healing process has begun. But he didn’t comment specifically on his use of the N-word. That alone has sparked a fresh debate over this word so loaded with painful history.

Reporter Randi Kaye stuck in the airport.

Randi Kaye
AC360° Correspondent

Who ever said life in television news was glamorous?

I guess on certain days it might be, but sometimes just trying to get from point A to point B is a nightmare.

I came to Minneapolis on Tuesday so I could spend the next day shooting with Al Franken, who's running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota.

My flight was smooth as silk. My shoot with Al Franken was great. We went to a county fair, played games, he won me a stuffed animal, and of course we talked politics, and lots of it.

This is of course one of the most watched Senate races in the country and one of the most expensive. Franken has raised more than 11 million dollars. But I digress…

I’m writing today to share with you, and vent, about my trip home. Have I mentioned I’m not home YET! My producer, Jason Rovou, had warned me about severe storms moving in, but that’s not the problem.

I’ve been at the airport in Minneapolis since 11am this morning. As I write this it is almost 4:30pm.

I was booked on a 12:44pm flight today back home. That flight was cancelled. An hour later they had another plane for us. So we boarded and took off.

Well, we flew for about a half hour toward New York and then turned around for Minneapolis again. Why? The air conditioning wasn’t working. Who knows if that was checked before hand. All I know is that it felt like it was more than 100 degrees on our flight.

People were taking their shirts off. Babies were sweating. One girl two rows ahead of me threw up. (Sorry, I had to share everything!) Even the pilots were sweating. It was 100 degrees in the cockpit, we were told.

So we went back to Minneapolis where we were greeted by emergency vehicles and ambulances on the tarmac, just in case.

Did I mention the pilot declared an “on-board emergency” on the way back? Glad I didn’t know that.

The airline gave us each a $10 meal voucher. And it was kind enough to rebook me on another flight that left Minneapolis at 3:30pm. BUT—the airline never notified me OR the gate agent - she didn't know - SO I missed it!

When I called the reservations line, a woman told me I had been rebooked on that 3:30 flight. But it left in 10 minutes and I was 3 concourses away. If you’ve ever been to the Minneapolis airport you know it can seem to take days to get through it.

So I was booked on a third flight. Then that one was delayed for two hours. And now it's just been canceled, too.

All three flights were canceled for maintenance problems. Is it just me, or would that make you wonder what's going on here?

Anyway, now I'm booked on a fourth flight, scheduled to leave at 7pm.

The joys of summer travel… and life on the road!

Have you had a travel nightmare? Misery loves company!

See you in the friendly skies...