Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 03/12/09
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Tonight on AC360°, Madoff’s confession. Today the former Nasdaq chairman and Wall Street fat cat pleaded guilty to defrauding thousands of investors out of 65 billion dollars. He said he knew what he did was wrong and fully expected this day to come. Tonight he’s in jail, awaiting his June sentencing. He faces up to 150 years. Considering he’s 70 years old, he’ll likely die in prison. But confessing to the massive Ponzi scheme won’t bring his victims’ money back. We’ll be digging deeper into the story tonight. We’d love to hear your thoughts on Bernie Madoff. We want to keep the live blog on this one topic. So, please share your thoughts on Madoff’s guilty plea below.
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Talking about the mexican cartel, i think getting our troops out of iraq and to the mexican border well help usa so much!!!! High school graduates rates have dropped so much because of drugs!!! we have a war at home we should solve before going to another country!
EJ, "teens at risk" (literally) are continually seduced by promises of "the good life", and are looking for a way out of the poverty and misery they face everyday... and a way out _fast_. The promise of $100,000, even if they have to go to jail, may mean their family gets to eat. If they actually escape justice, then that means they can live "large" for at least a part of their lives. That is why crime is so seductive to "teens at risk". You're right that most teens wouldn't go as far as kill others. But most teens don't go to bed hungry every night... and have a bed to go to.
Some people were saying, well Rihanna started it by hitting him. Even if true,you have a right to defend yourself with equal or lesser force. You don't have a right to then become an aggressor yourself. The most frightening thing to me is that Chris Brown clearly lost control. As he punched her out, he couldn't even exercise the self preservation to realize the amount of money that was on the line for him with that stupid act.
@Minou, not nescessary. I think sometimes those hitmen have fun doing it, a it's easy money, b the thril of having power when gun in their hand.
Mr Cooper, Will you field cover the mexican violence in the near future?
Ana Nicole Smith stayed with us at and filmed an episode of her show at the hotel we owned/operated years ago. I'll just say we were one step from a Robert Downey Jr. episode, etc., etc., etc., and that Howard Stern "lawyer" seemed to be a real enabler.
3 years for throwing a shoe is too much. It was an insult, but c'mon...plenty of Americans who would throw stuff at Bush if they could.
I love shark and man in the ocean!!!!! it is so amazing...... I can't wait see this!!! that is so cool!!!!! maybe The Shot????
Shoe thrower gets 3 years for an insult. How many years in jail should George Bush get?
Thank you for the piece on the drug cartels moving into the US. This problem is compounded by the arms sale to the cartels right here in the united states as well as the US demand for drugs. We need to take this seriously.
I watched the Oprah show today...I found it amazing how many of the teenage girls interviewed found excuses for Chris Brown's behavior.
It was clear these issues really need to be addressed.
So, who is the actual predator in this story, people with spears or the shark. I am a little disturbed by the end picture of that guy holding the tail and the jaw of that white shark.
These kids have become "numb" between right and wrong. Have you seen any video games lately?
@ Sean, Soldier in IRAQ
These are urban warfare ...
And as in any war, the lives lost is the most unfair.
Leave children devalued and provide no guidance towards a future of promise and be too busy to notice they aren't going to school any longer...where were parents? were their lives so compromised that they had nothing to offer their children as far as loving attentions is concerned? And the kids were easily attracted to easy money. Their community didn't give them sufficient attention so the cartel did. It is sad.
Hi all, I'm glad Madoff went directly to jail. I'm sorry for all those who now have to start all over with their work lives thanks to him.
hi. anderson.. thank you soo much for shedding light into the horrible attrocities that are happening in my city.. Many of us are so scared to go to Nuevo Laredo or simply to go out to local clubs. Throughout the year many of them have closed down due to shootings or drug wars among the owners.. We really need the government to step up and do something to restore the peace and safety in our city. We need something to be done as soon as possible. thank you once again
That tiger shark story was interesting and scary. So its a shark that eats anything it sees. Guess you know when you see one of those exactly where you stand – no guess work required. Ugh!!
Teenagers/Kids lack the skills to make adult decisions but they are consistently bombarded with media that pushes them to try to act like adults. They are easy targets.
Our country's corrupt leaders, free trade policy, tolerance of illegal immigration and human/drug trafficking, lack of ecomonic or political sanctions imposed on Mexico, a refusal to take a firm stand with Bush family friend and former El Presidente, a tolerance of gangs and their no snitch campaign within our own society, and an economic policy in our own country that favors the rich at the expense of the poor and middle class, have all contributed to the violence inside and along our borders. The drug cartel people have lots of money, so follow the money, arrest and prosecute. I don't want our country to end up like Mexico.
Hello again -
Yes, some news that was definitely encouraging today. In not so encouraging category, must say that I was disappointed to hear that another major appointee to Geithner team has apparently bitten the dust. Treasury really needs to bolster its team to help him.
To Bridget from Tx - No word yet from those who went to business roundtable how it went. Did hear from others in biz not there who said they were pleased by what they heard from the President.
To Lori from Illinois: wasn't sure what to make of GM announcing today it didn't need govt money right away... hope it is a positive sign... some will wonder if GM is trying to stave off U.S. govt from forcing it into bankruptcy late this month, when key decisions have to be made by Washington.
Oprah sure is getting a lot of mileage out of this Rihanna beating.
If the guy wasn't in the ocean attempting to kill fish, he wouldn't have been attacked by a giant one.
Hopefully the drugs wars in Mexico would soon end, because this is beyond the stupidity, this recklessness to our world we live in.
I don't think tiger sharks are known to attack humans.
Stop spearfishing!!!! These are my favorites sharks!!!!
@ Sean in Iraq - recuitment is recruitment and we all know money gets everyone's attention. The recruiters always prey on the weakest.
I don't think these teens are like child soldiers at all.
The child soldiers in Darfur, Sierra Leone, Iraq, Congo are forced into committing heinous crimes. Many as young as 7 or 8. Many have seen their families killed in front of their eyes.
I don't think dangling some money in front of an American teenager – and them going along with killing someone – is nothing like child soldiers – unless they are forced into it. It's possible some of the teen drug lords or assassins in Mexico are born into it or forced into it..
A buddy of mine grew up in the bad part of the Bronx. He's seen so much violence, he thought nothing of it when his friend head-butted a guy in the face who tried to take away his ipod. He laughed about that. I was horrified. Those kids are numb.
I believe Rusty. What is Obama waiting for?
We need to finish the fence with Mexico, and station troops on the border. Every vehicle coming from Mexico needs to be searched for drugs and weapons. We have 'sniffers' that can do the job, we just lack the political will.
Lou Dobbs of CNN has reported on the drug "war" for years and no one, especially Congress or the Pres. seem s to listen.
We NEED tighter borders....more border guards (perhaps) even (if it continues the way it is) soldiers. now i recognize the soldiers might be too extreme to Mexico, but they have their soldiers attempting to guard their side.
We need better laws re: the border .... if the kids can't get into Mexico very easily, then perhaps they would not become home grown terrorists.
This is really scary that American teens are getting "recruited" by the cartels. This so-called "War on Drugs" is not looking good for us.
i don't think most Americans even care about what's going on in Mexico much less realize how bad it is down there.
Cindy..Ga.
Thanks Anderson for keeping us informed on this Mexico issue. It's getting real crazy.
Hi Sean in Iraq glad to see you.
I can understand that Pew poll. I think people are interested in their own dreams and hopes and loved ones more than any thing else. I agree w/David about President Obama reaching out to the business community. He's been reaching to congress, the different groups who would be involved in healthcare legislation and I feel this has helped get things moving.
Rihanna back with Chris B? STUPID. With all the hype and all about her career–she is just one of those young women who have self-esteem issues. She doesnt need Chris B., she needs therapy!
Maybe America needs a new drug policy to make
things less profitable for the cartels.
If we know that "20-30% of the drugs coming into the country" are coming through a particular port – why is that port still open at all?
I would consider them hit man/ mercenaries. Becuase they are literally being paid by the shot. And would this be considered terriorist acts? What is our duty to ensure that our people are safe? Do we want to deploy soldiers into Border Towns in order to keep the regulations on this "WAR". Second can we please stop calling it a "WAR".
I agree with bloggers!!!
I am so disappoint teenagers to hire murder people, that is so danger place in Mexico......... that is so horrible I hear!! What teenagers were thinking????? Please say no drug at all.
Thank you Anderson for reporting on the continued problems in Mexico! You truly keep us all informed.
If these parents would act like parents and stop trying to be their kids' BF they might be able to control them.
Teenagers are easily manipulated by large amounts of money, but those teenagers had to have some psychological issues. Most teenagers have enough of a moral compass to know not to kill people, no matter how much they are paid. Especially with teenagers like the ones shown who actually enjoyed the killing. Scary that people like this exist in the world.
Jacqueline, you’re right that money is a thing, and I’m certainly not comparing it to a child’s innocence…but there are elderly people who have lost everything and have had to go back to work because of this man. They don’t have much opportunity at their age to make the money back. One guy was a bricklayer all his life, an honest working man who worked his fingers to the bone and lived frugally to save a million dollars, and now he has absolutely nothing. Money is a thing, but be it right or wrong it is a very important thing in the Western world.
those teenagers are scociopaths not psychopaths
Just little cowards, if they were staring at the barrel of my 45 cal. they wouldn't feel like Superman. Don't give them too much press!!
I think what we'll find is that with folks like Mr. Madoff and others we will be reminded that perhaps are lives should not rise and set with the market. Madoff's and others actions will offer us opportunity for introspection about what we as a nation value. I played a serious game of hide and seek with my kids after work. It was the best part of my day.
madoff will live better in the pen then most americans believe me ive been there
Its sad and scary how easy it is for these drug cartels to hire these kids to murder people. Its even scarier to think that they may live next door to you.
Teenagers are easily manipulated.
Not to kill people though. The overwhelming majority of teens are not anywhere near that crazy.