Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 08/06/09
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How are Americans Laura Ling and Euna Lee doing since being freed from a North Korean prison camp and returning home? Tonight, only on 360° you'll hear from Laura's sister, Lisa. Plus, the Charles Manson obsession. 40 years after the Mason murders, we'll look at why so many people are still hooked on the case.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
Scroll down to join the live chat during the program. It's your chance to share your thoughts on tonight's headlines. Keep in mind, you have a better chance of having your comment get past our moderators if you follow our rules.
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The king of Mexican drug lords: "El Chapo"
Program Note: Tune in tonight for more about the war next door. Michael Ware reports on Joaquin Guzman Leora (also knows as "El Chapo"). He was on Forbes Magazine's annual wealthiest people list earlier this year. He's also on the FBI's Most Wanted list. Authorities say his $1 billion dollars is derived from cocaine trafficking.
AC360°
Michael Ware interviews Lawyer Antonio Ortega, one of the only people who has met Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman and is brave enough to talk about it.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/08/06/art.vert.chapo.jpg caption="This July 10, 1993 file photo shows Mexican Joaquin Guzman Loera, aka El Chapo, at La Palma prison in Almoloya of Juarez. " width=292 height=320]
Photo Gallery: Obama’s unofficial 200 days
Program Note: Watch Tom Foreman's report on President Obama's second 100 days in office tonight on AC360° at 10p ET. Also, don't forget to grade the Obama Administration and Congress on how they have handled their second 100 days in office.
Robert Yoon
CNN Sr. Research Analyst
Selected moments from President Obama's first 200 days in office.
1/22/2009: The White House confirms that Obama has a special presidential BlackBerry.
2/3/2009: Obama tells CNN that he hasn't had a cigarette on White House grounds. FULL POST
Dear President Obama #199: Report card day!
Reporter's Note: No matter how the weeks add up, I continue my quest to write a letter each day to the White House.
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Tom Foreman | Bio
AC360° Correspondent
Dear Mr. President,
Congratulations on reaching another pretend milestone in your presidency; the 200 day mark! Ta dah! (Well, the way I count it, the actual day is Friday, but who is counting?) I’m not entirely sure why 200 days holds any particular significance. This is also your first Psoriasis Awareness Month, and we’re not making a big fuss about that. Just like we completely overlooked your first Ground Hog Day.
Nonetheless, we media types have decided to take stock of your progress at this particular time, and lacking any better hitching post for that task…well, I won’t complain about it any more.
Two hundred days, eh? Seems more like six-and-a-half months to me, but like the old saying goes, “Time flies when you’re writing to the leader of the free world.” I know a lot has changed for you since you raised your hand and took the oath on that chilly day in January. For starters I imagine when you hear someone say, “Here comes the president,” you no longer look around the room wondering where he is. I suppose you have grown at least vaguely accustomed to the Oval Office as “your” office. And perhaps you’ve accepted the rather startling notion that you can now call pretty much anyone in the world at any hour and he or she will not only take your call, the voice at the other end of the line won’t even complain that you just shot a perfectly good night’s sleep all to hell.
Clinton says trial shows Iran 'is afraid of its own people'
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/08/06/clinton.iran.trials/art.hillary.clinton.closeup.jpg.jpg caption="Iran is afraid of the truth and the facts coming out, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said."]
CNN Politics
Iran's trial of more than 100 people who it has linked to post-election unrest is a "sign of weakness" and shows that the Islamic republic "is afraid of its own people," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told CNN Thursday.
"It is a show trial, there's no doubt about it," Clinton told CNN's Fareed Zakaria in a wide-ranging interview to be broadcast on his "GPS" program Sunday.
"It demonstrates I think better than any of us could ever say that this Iranian leadership is afraid of their own people, and afraid of the truth and the facts coming out."
Clinton spoke to Zakaria during her visit to Africa.
Those on trial include Newsweek reporter Maziar Bahari, who has dual citizenship in Iran and Canada, and Kian Tajbakhsh, an Iranian-American scholar. The trial, which began over the weekend, is scheduled to resume Saturday, according to Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency.
This week, the State Department issued a statement expressing deep concern for Tajbakhsh.
Evening Buzz: Americans Freed
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/US/08/05/nkorea.journalists/art.family.afp.gi.jpg aption= "The families of Euna Lee, left, and Laura Ling greet them Wednesday in California."]
Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer
Join us for an AC360° exclusive tonight. You'll hear from Lisa Ling, the sister of Laura, who along with Euna Lee, arrived back in the U.S. yesterday after being freed from 12 years of hard labor in North Korea. That's after former Pres. Bill Clinton's surprise visit to Pyongyang. What was it like for the Ling family during the 140 days Laura was held in captivity? And, how are Laura and Euna doing now that they're back home? Don't miss Laura's first interview since her sister's release.
Pakistan's most wanted man may be dead tonight after a U.S. drone attack. His name is Baitullah Mehsud. He's Pakistan's Taliban leader. He has quite the resume of suspected offenses. He's best known for allegedly being behind the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was gunned down at a political rally in December 2008. Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, is the current president of Pakistan. We'll have more on the suspected killing of Mehsud tonight on 360°.
Back here at home, from 8-10pm ET on CNN don't miss the National Report Card on Pres. Obama's second 100 days in office. Across the nation, CNN viewers are grading Mr. Obama on how he's handling the economy, health care and other issues (Click here for details on the report card). Tonight on 360° will be digging deeper on his presidency and give you unique perspective from a group of women voters. When Gary Tuchman met them just before the election last fall they were undecided voters and frustrated about the rhetoric on the campaign trail and the direction the country was heading. Nine months later, Gary has caught up again with this same group of women to see how they voted and to see if they think Pres. Obama has been successful in his first 200 days in office.
And, Sunday will mark the 40th anniversary of the Manson murders. We continue our week-long look at one of the most infamous killing sprees in U.S. history. Decades later, the fascination with Charles Manson endures. When his prison mug shot was released in March, millions viewed in online. And, "Helter Skelter" is still the number one selling true crime book of all-time. It was written by Vincent Bugliosi, the prosecutor, who put Manson in prison for life. Tonight, Ted Rowlands looks at the obsession with Manson.
Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10pm ET. See you then!
What impact will Sotomayor have on the high court?
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Bill Mears
CNN Supreme Court Producer
With Sonia Sotomayor soon to fulfill her long-held dream to sit on the Supreme Court, she will have the prestige of joining the highest court in the land, lifetime job security, and a public forum as the first Hispanic on that bench.
Her formal swear-in will be Saturday morning at the high court, with Chief Justice John Roberts administering the judicial oath.
The 55-year-old judge now has the opportunity to become a influential force among her new colleagues, a legal pioneer who could help shape the law and its effect on society in any number of ways. But such a legacy will not come easily and it certainly will not come quickly. The internal dynamics of a body built on tradition and stability have long discouraged swift and sweeping forces that are regularly felt in the other branches of government, and society at large.
After her Thursday confirmation by the Senate, Sotomayor will become the junior justice, someone with the least seniority but no less authority than her eight benchmates. She brings with her a bit of history, and is sure to be the focus of public attention and political scrutiny.
Beat 360º 8/6/09
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:
Former President Bill Clinton speaks at a news conference at the headquarters of the Clinton Foundation concerning a recent new initiative to treat AIDS patients in developing countries August 6, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
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 – BEAT 360º WINNERS
Staff:
Gabriel Falcon
Kim Jong Il is a strange guy. I mean, come on, who uses a toothbrush this big?
Viewer:
Sal, Yuma, Arizona
It doesn’t take a village, it takes a Clinton.
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For Obama, around the world in 200 days
Program Note: Watch Tom Foreman's report on President Obama's second 100 days in office tonight on AC360° at 10p ET. Also, don't forget to grade the Obama Administration and Congress on how they have handled their second 100 days in office.
Robert Yoon
CNN Sr. Research Analyst
Before Barack Obama was elected president, he promised to restore America's stature in the world by meeting with world leaders. During his first 200 days in office, he has spent a good deal of time abroad, traveling to a total of 14 countries. To see where he's been, check out the map below. The number on each location tells the day in office on which the President visited that location. Full listings of locations are below the images.
Graphic by: Jacob Smilovitz, AC360° Intern
Charles Manson fan?
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/CRIME/06/05/california.manson.family.hearing/art.manson.courtesy.jpg caption="Charles Manson was sentenced to life in prison after the death penalty was ruled unconstitutional in the 1970s."]
AC360°
Over the past 50 years, the story of Charles Manson has been popularized by books, recordings and films. Believe it or not, he's become quite an icon for some people. From a MySpace fan page to shirts with his face on them, the Manson cult continues to this day. Check out some of these websites.
