Join us: CNN & MTV honor the vets
Program Note: 3 out of 4 young people know someone who is currently serving or has served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Anderson helps MTV shine a light on issues facing young veterans... Check out MTV.com for how to get involved.
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Anderson with MTV's Sway at the taping of MTV's special 'A Night for Vets'
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Anderson Cooper
Last night just before the broadcast, I was at the Nokia theater in Times Square for a really cool night in support of our troops. CNN and MTV teamed up for a tribute to veterans home from Iraq and Afghanistan, and the brave men and women who are still serving. The place was packed with vets and their loved ones, and it was such an honor to meet them and be a part of the event. (Here's a sneak peak)
My buddy Robin Meade from Headline News was also involved, and she did a great job, she even got a vet to propose to his girlfriend. I’m not sure how she managed that, but the girlfriend said “yes,” in case you are wondering. There were a lot of live musical performances – 50 Cent, Ludacris, and other big names appeared on tape, like Kanye West and Linkin Park. But it really was a night dedicated to veterans, highlighting the lives they live now, and the challenges they’ll face in the future.
The special airs tonight on MTV at 8pm, and then both tomorrow night and Sunday night at 8pm we are airing a 360° special on CNN called 'Back From The Battle.' I hope you'll watch. I think you will really be moved by some of these vets stories, by their courage, and by their determination.
Uncovering America with Joe Johns
We assembled two panels – one black, one white – both evenly divided among McCain and Obama supporters, to talk about some of the more controversial statements on the campaign trail. Watch AC360° at 10p ET to see what each panel had to say about McCain’s question “Who is the real Obama?”, whether Reverend Wright is fair game, and Obama’s ties to Bill Ayers.
Here you can watch extended clips of both panels. You can watch the caucasian panel here with Tom Foreman and catch the African American panel with Joe Johns below.
11 days out, and the whispering begins
Marc Ambinder
Blogger on The Atlantic
Call it a circular firing squad, or internal dissension, or simply the natural evolution of a campaign that is disappointed with how the endgame is playing out.
There's a faction within the McCain campaign has begun to whisper about Gov. Sarah Palin to reporters. The faction includes staff members and advisers who consult with staff members. It does not seem to include any members of the senior staff, although the definition of the senior staff here is a bit elastic.
This faction has come to believe that Palin, perhaps unwittingly subconsciously or otherwise, has begun to play Sen. McCain off of the base, consistently and deliberately departed from the campaign's message of the day in ways that damage McCain.
Uncovering America with Tom Foreman
We assembled two panels – one black, one white – both evenly divided among McCain and Obama supporters, to talk about some of the more controversial statements on the campaign trail. Watch AC360° at 10p ET to see what each panel had to say about McCain's question "Who is the real Obama?", whether Reverend Wright is fair game, and Obama's ties to Bill Ayers.
Here you can watch extended clips of both panels. First, the caucasian panel, interviewed by Tom Foreman. 
Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 10/24/08
For what’s in the program take a look at tonight’s Evening Buzz.
Erica Hill is off so Randi Kaye will be doing tonight’s webcast. LINK TO WEBCAST
And take a look at Anderson and Randi on our live web camera from the 360° studio. We’ll turn the camera on at 945p ET and turn it off at 11p ET. LINK TO THE BLOG CAMERA
Wondering why some comments are posted while others aren’t? Here’s a post that may help: LINK TO COMMENTS POST
Evening Buzz: Assault Hoax, Double Murder & More
Maureen Miller
AC360° WriterWhew! With that title for a blog I bet you can tell it's a busy night here in the 360 newsroom. We're following several different stories.
I'm a bit crunched for time with just 30 minutes until the newscast begins, so let me just list them for you.
1) In a few minutes, the GOP campaign worker who made up a story about being attacked by a man upset by a John McCain bumper sticker on her car will be arraigned in a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-area courtroom. We'll have the latest on this bizarre case.
2) A shocking story out of Chicago. The mother and brother of actress-singer Jennifer Hudson have been found dead in their home. And, police are searching for a 7 year old boy who they believe was abducted from the home. We'll have the breaking developments.
3) Gov. Sarah Palin has finished giving three hours of depositions to the Alaska Personnel Board, which is looking into whether she unfairly fired the state's top cop this summer.
4) Michelle Obama filled in for Sen. Barack Obama on the trail today, while he visited his ailing grandmother in Hawaii.
Like I said, it's a busy night.
We'll have all these stories and more tonight on 360.
Hope you can join us at 10pm ET.
And, hey, have a great weekend!
Beat 360° 10/24/08
Ready for today's Beat 360°?
Everyday we post a picture – and you provide the caption and our staff will join in too.
Tune in tonight at 10pm to see if you are our favorite!
Here is the 'Beat 360°’ pic:
Republican presidential nominee John McCain embraces running mate Sarah Palin during a campaign rally in Ohio on Wednesday.
Have fun with it. We're looking forward to your captions!
Make sure to include your name, city, state (or country) so we can post your comment.
UPDATE: Check out our Beat 360° Winners!
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But wait!… There’s more!
When you win ‘Beat 360°’ not only do you get on-air prime-time name recognition (complete with bragging rights over all your friends, family, and jealous competitors), but you get a “I Won the Beat 360° Challenge” T-shirt!
Lay it on the line for our veterans
Program Note: 3 out of 4 young people know someone who is currently serving or has served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Anderson helps MTV shine a light on issues facing young veterans... Check out MTV.com for how to get involved.
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Learn how you can help those who served us at CNN.COM/IMPACT
Sign The Bill Of Rights For American Veterans
THE ISSUE
Of the more than 1.7 million veterans of combat service in Iraq and Afghanistan, most are between 20-29 years old, according to the United States Department of Defense. Veterans who return from service face a number of challenges when attempting to resume their daily lives and reintegrate back into society. These may range from mental health issues, physical injuries, difficulty finding out what benefits they are entitled to, long waits to receive benefits they’ve earned, as well as many of the issues facing all young Americans like employment, debt, and education.
Additionally, when many of us think of “veterans” we think of older people from wars past that we saw in parades growing up, but the reality is there are hundreds of thousands of veterans in their 20’s. We need to put a new face on veterans and help elevate the issues our peers are facing after having returned from the war.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
FULL POST
Surveying elephants with jubilation and horror
Editor’s note: CNN’s award-winning Planet in Peril returns this year to examine the conflict between growing populations and natural resources. Anderson Cooper, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, and Lisa Ling travel to the front lines of this worldwide battle. Ling has been a co-host of The View, correspondent for The Oprah Winfrey Show, National Geographic and Channel One. She filed this blog from Chad.
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Lisa Ling
AC360° Special Correspondent
Today was a day filled with both extreme jubilation and utter horror.
I’m using the last bit of my computer battery whilst sitting under a mosquito net at the Tinga Camp in the Zakoma National Park in southeastern Chad. We are here to report on the astronomical reduction of Central African Elephants in the region. We’re with Wildlife Conservation Society biologist Mike Fay, who has conducted comprehensive surveys of the region’s elephants over the years. He says over the last four decades, the number of Central African elephants has dwindled from nearly two hundred thousand to several thousand: the pace of the loss has been hugely shocking and disturbing. The global demand for ivory combined with war in neighboring Sudan has nearly killed off the Central African elephant. These elephants are the largest land animals on earth and have roamed the region for thousands of years. They have proven, however, to be no match for man and his gun.
Our day started early. After fueling, we boarded a Cessna airplane in search of elephant herds. Fay says that having an airplane greatly impacts the ability to survey the elephant population but also to defend against poachers. People are not allowed to live in the park, but from the air, we saw camps of nomads living just beyond the borders.
We flew for about an hour and a half without seeing any elephants. I was starting to get sleepy-eyed when Fay surprised us by saying, “I’m seeing a lot of elephant activity.”
Rap for your favorite candidate
Editor's note: Students from The Ron Clark Academy are studying politics in an unusual way... holding mock debates, but also rapping about the upcoming Presidential election. Sixth and seventh graders joined Mr. Clark and performed their latest song You Can Vote However You Like, putting their own lyrics to T.I.’s Whatever You Like. Here are some of the lyrics:
Obama on the left
McCain on the right
We can talk politics all night
And you can vote however you like...
(McCain supporters)
McCain's the best candidate
With Palin as his running mate
They'll fight for gun rights, pro life,
The conservative right
Our future is bright
Better economy in site
And all the world will feel our military might
I want Obama
FORGET OBAMA,
Stick wit McCain you gone have some drama
MORE WAR IN IRAQ
Iran he will attack
CAN'T BRING OUR TROOPS BACK
We gotta vote Barack!
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