Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 10/28/09
Tonight we're look at the accusations Pres. Obama is giving big donors access to the White House. We've got the raw politics. And we're looking into reports that the CIA has a drug lord on its payroll in Afghanistan – the brother of the Pres. Hamid Karzi.
Want to know what else we're covering? Read EVENING BUZZ
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Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
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Am I angry that the CIA is paying Karzai's corrupt brother? Yes. Surprised, no.
@ Dodie-CA
Your remarks on who and what to make illegal are right on the mark!
@Rodney: And thank you for your comments! 🙂
@gail: And thank _you_ for having the guts to say what I didn't... 🙂
@ John King - glad to have you back in the anchor chair tonight . Hope Anderson is enjoying his time off. I know President Obama promised a lot in the campaign – but it takes time to change "how things work" in Washington. Sometimes you have to play the game if you want to accomplish things. Doesn't me he likes it or we like it – but just the way it is....
@John King
As far as your question as to whether or not I thought that money equally access would change because Obama was President, no I did not, but I did naively think that the press would get more serious and cover real news after the 8 years they did not with Bush. Substance gets and keeps a lot more viewers.
Constituents should have access to elected officials though. And some of those policy invitations do go out to people who may not have big money but can make big policy contributions. Even so, bugs me that a certain contrib amount gets you a certain access.
A great discussion with Paul Begala and Ed Rollins. Tracking promises very responsible.
5000 pounds of metal I wondered how much metal fell and on rush hour traffic. And no one was injured? thank God.
Wow CA Gov. wrote an acrostic? or is that an anagram?
I think blogging on AC360 is multitasking. You have to watch and listen to the TV, read blogs, write blogs. In addition, I am knitting.
Interested in what you think of the piece Candy has in the show a bit later on Sarah Palin. Is there anyone out there in the middle when it comes to the former Alaska governor? I was in Alaska a few weeks ago and in her hometown, Wasilla, it was either “love her” or “she isn’t ready” for the national stage. Not much middle ground. The volume will go way up again when her book comes out next month.
congratulations to the president for signing the Hate Crimes bill. i guess it passed only by being attached to some defense bill, but this is real progress and i hope he will be given SOME credit for it.
@John King
This is a perceived problem being pushed by the media. No one said that the President has done a quid pro quo for any of his donors. You all in the media need to deal in FACTS. The swamp that really needs draining is the one in which poor journalism resides.
@ Shannon, hes just stiring it up in the Palin household, seems he is trying to ruin any chance she has at the 2012 Presidency, but with a 71% poll stating she would not be right for the Presidency, she doesnt need any help/bashing....
@ John King
You are good at multitasking!
@ John King,
I think that you had a great discussion there was Ed & Paul...great to have you here again.
@ Erica,
Great to see you on the blog with us tonight...hope that all is going well with you!
@ Glen Up North
Thanks for being honest. I really think people should have the guts to recognize honest efforts when they are place into motion. I have stated that there is always a set of standards for some people and some for another. I didn't see anyone holding President Bush's feet to the fire after 9 months in office. As I stated earlier, where were all of these experts when the Bank CEOs were raking us over the coals? They always have the answers after the fact.
@ Gregg
I completely agree. Lobbyists are using our TARP money to throw at Congress in order to get what they want! Just outrageous.
This is too big for just the president. We all must support and join him.
Remember the OBAMA slogan? YES, we can! ( does this mean they can do whatever they want) Taking it too far Mr. President?
Hello Erica,
I agree with you, John is doing great job anchor fill-in for Anderson. 🙂
I have no problem with President Obama doing what every President has done. President Obama is the head of the DNC, he raises money for them . So what. This is not a controversy except among those in the media that find it necessary to find something to criticize about this man. Not substantive criticism , but nit picking crap that no one cares about. The Hate Crimes Legislation was passed today and this is not what leads , but this fake news media controversy. Is it any wonder that cable news is taking a hit.
Good evening, all!
Oh man, more Levi Johnston? I guess I can't fault him for milking his fifteen minutes for all it's worth, but god, I am tired of him.
Hi Erica, great show as usual, hope Anderson is safe over there.
@ Henya,
It's great that Pres.Obama signed that Hate Crime Law Bill....
There is an image problem that Obama has here.... He said that he would change things when he was elected!
Yeay...Toobin and Bloom! 😀
What bothers me about the White House being used to raise funds for the democratic party is that the White House is a symbol of ALL the people regardless of party affilation. It should not be used by an party to raise funds, unles the same opportunity is given to all parties no matter who the sitting President is.
It is so disingenuous for the GOP to complain about the Presidents ties to rich guys.
Spending a night in the Lincoln Bedroom or throwing a ball down the bowling alley - who cares?! I expect a lot of change from Obama, but change in things that are important.
Paul and Ed had a pretty good balance there; the president will be judged on the big issues. But questions like this access stuff don’t help, and some will see them as not quite up to the overarching promise of his campaign: the change Washington and “drain the swamp,” real or perceived, in politics.
Make Illegal:
derivatives
Lobbyists
Hedge funds
If we just make those illegal, we can make major changes
Re the public's expectations of the President. they want instant miracles! See this week's newsweek lead article, the president's character is against instant miracles; he wants to think through anything he does rather than make rash decisions. And, "government works by inches, not by instantaneous actions at the snap of a finger." i am willing to give him some time. you can bet that had he acted rashly and swiftly on some things, he would be criticized on all sides for being impetuous and reckless.
Hi, everyone. Good to have John with us again tonight.
John,
I think you guys are totally unfair of this administration. Where were you as a company when the Bush Administration was in office the past eight years. I haven't heard one story on how KBR and Haliburton got no bid contracts from the Federal Government knowing the former Vice President was the CEO before he became Vice-President. Why aren't you reporting on how people are hurting due to the previous eight years of crooks and cronies wrecking our system?
Do you have to give money to the President to golf with him?
You can pay the President to do alot of things?
Bowling and golf?
President Obama is working on it all the time I also appreciate his effort's unfortunately we have narrow minded people that do not want any change so they will resist but for me our President is doing awesome, just today he singed the Hate Crime Law after12 years of tiring, all presidants do fund rasing this is not new or news to me,
Ed Rollins is making alot of great points!
@Kathy, I thought that was the case for _all_ presidents. Why should Obama be blamed for bringing the people he believes in to the group?
It's true that Candidate Obama ran on and promised "Change we can believe in."
However, it certainly is beginning to look like now Pres. Obama, is either by custom or necessity becoming more like a Wash. DC guy.
I think the panelists are correct, it is not a crime, it is an Image problem.
Good evening John King, Erica, Isabel, everyone. Seems like an intractable problem in some ways, supporters of the President and his party want to associate with him, they have pts of vw, hopes and dreams in common that they hold. So they go golfing, but the social accessing opening up as the money contributions increase just seems fishy. Lucky the President has the press keeping him honest on this, this can help him protect his gains and progress as I am learning is important.
stop the partying at the White House and get to work!
Welcome back Kathy! Myself, I'm taking advantage from being away from work (4 PM to midnight shift) to be able to blog on here. Of course, I would _love_ to visit the CNN studios while visiting NYC tomorrow...
This President receives comparatively little from the big Donors. The majority of his money comes from the little guys. That’s why he can take on the big guys like the health industry.
Hello John King, Erica, Megan & Bloggers!
Sounds like "if the price is correct..."
I recall "transparency" was a big word for now-Pres. Obama...
Would he have had to pass a bill in order to release this info. or make this change?
Obama hired all of his friends and invited the rest to the White House. Politics as usual. I am not surprised.
Okay, here's my pre-emptive strike for each time a question of Obama "coming up short". We're literally getting to see _inside_ the White House with this "airing of the logs". Why should this be "coming up short"? We finally get to KNOW what goes on, and by knowing, we can voice our opinion as to whether we LIKE what's going on or whether we don't. How can we say what we like and what we don't like when we don't know what there is to like or not???
Ever since Obama came into power, it seems to me that he's been listening... Why should that change? And why should our perception of that openness change by finding out things which we may not like? Voice it, and allow Obama the time to respond! Maybe we're just making a mountain out of a molehill...
I guess what we need to understand abt Pres. Obama is that though he promised to bring about change, there's still that aspect of "normalcy" that he cannot tear himself from.
Good evening John, Erica, bloggers,,,,Lobbyist's are ruining Washington, when will it all end, if ever..
Hello John King, Erica ^ entire Team 360.
Hello fellow bloggers.
Another night of excellent reporting......
Hi John King! I missed everyone. We had horrible cable and no CNN for 5 days.
Hi John, Erica, David G and all you great bloggers out there. Hopefully Anderson's okay.
Good Evening John King... nice to see you here tonight, Erica David, and other bloggers
Helloooo John King (Anderson), Erica, Ed Henry, David Gergen Martina Ilstad, Emily and my friends Twitter/Facebook Bloggers!!!!!
Happy Wednesday night. 🙂
hi everyone .. JK in again .. happy Wednesday ....a busy show tonight.
Give money, get access. It’s a time-honored Washington tradition, and that tradition carries on in the Obama White House. They say it’s different – that they will soon release all the names of folks who get Oval Office visits and use of the White House bowling alley. But they haven’t released the names yet, and it should be noted that for all the promises of transparency, the decision to make the White House visitor logs public, eventually, was made as part of a settlement of a lawsuit against the administration.
The question is whether folks who supported Obama and thought ending such access would be part of the promised change will see this as coming up short. What do you think?