Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 11/13/09
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Is civilian court the right venue to try the alleged mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and four other suspected terrorists? You might be surprised to learn who we found even suggested the civilian trials. We're Keeping the Honest. Plus, the raw politics of Sarah Palin's new book. Hear what Sen. John McCain thinks of his former running mate's possible plans for 2012.
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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Wow, was just watching the clip and McCain's either a great liar or he really sees something in her a lot of people don't.
@Patty Banks way to go winning Beat 360 today !
I beat 360 once too !
Again if we dont teach the world about the rule of law who will, if our justice system cant handle the crime of the century which one can ? Lets just take them out back and shoot them thats should set an example for world order ?
@Casey Jones – Palm Springs, CA, I don't know if I would characterize it as spin, but we better hope there aren't any normal people being recruited by these groups or we will be in bigger trouble than we are already!
The events of 9/11 wasn't just an attack of our nation but of what this nation was founded and built upon. These terrorist don't deserve a trial, but if there's going to be one I don't care if its civilian or military as long as it leads to their executions. We need to take back control.
I can not see Sarah Palin as President of the United States.
They "kept her bottled up"?!!! ...LOL!
Is it a "pop-up" picture book?
coloring book?
I'm so tired of Sarah vs Levi and the whole maverick style .This is just for publicity please go away ,Sarah ! ugh !
Why is a man who's serving a life sentence in prison wearing street clothes and being allowed access to the general public?? Charles Manson should be left to rot in a dark cave.....far away from civilization.
@ Casey Jones,
I wonder if Oprah asked her if many people confuse what Tina Fey said, (ie, 'I can see Russia from my house!') with Palins' own statements?!
Terrorists should never be tried in a military court, it legitimizes their plight and therefore recognizes them as soldiers, which they definitely are not. They have for the most part committed their unspeakable crimes against innocent civilians.
John.
Why morbid fascination with a mass murderer and a bunch of his groupies?
The real story is coming out now on Sarah Palin and what really went on behind the scens of the campain ,she has to stop blaming others for her own lack of skills and knowledge or lack thereof .
I want to see Manson's eyes. The historical footage and pictures of Manson say a lot when you look into his eyes. Chilling...
@Isabel and Emily, I wonder about that too, I have heard that the military courts offer virtually the same protections to defendants as civilian courts but I don't know the specific differences.
Also, are detainees at Guantanamo being tried in the military court system or in military tribunals? I thought as Jeffery Toobin pt'd out that the military tribunals had not got up and running fully and were discontinued at this pt. Am I right about this? Can anyone tell me?
How many trials have there been at Guantanamo?
Conviction rates of the Federal courts that Joe Johns notes are solid record. Problem is venue and publicity concommittant w/ trials.
Something sounds so off about the whole Palin thing. Too many things don't make sense. But I suppose it sells books - that's the point, right?
Palin' book sounds as if it will be as conroversial as she has always been.
I admire John McCaine's classy response.
Great report, as always, Candy.
@ Casey Jones – Palm Springs, CA
Funny... (Did Oprah ask Sarah Palin how it feels to be a retired beauty queen?)
Lets be honest Palin is out there so we can be entertained "have a laugh" Thank You CNN
Abderson,
Killer Nidal, need to court marhalled.
@JoAnn, your spin on the type of people that are recruited is a very good (and accurate) point.
I wonder if Levi Johnson will be coming to the Palin house for thanksgiving ,i won't hold my breath though .
Really wondering when Sarah Palin is going to stop blaming everyone around her and take some accountability for her own thoughts and actions. I am betting on "never". She sure has mastered the art of playing a victim". Someone want to tell me how that makes her a "maverick"?
I agree with you Megan Anderson did great as fill in for Campbell Brown !
Did Oprah ask Sarah Palin how it feels to be a retired beauty queen?
Those snap shot captures were funny. How do they come up with this stuff? I wonder!
That was a very funny beat360 – congrats Ish – I was laughing.
Manson controls his followers in much the same way that radical Muslims control their followers. They attract the misfits of society.
Will Palin's book contain as much "word salad" as her resignation speech?
sarah walked of the job she quit........why would anyone seriously want to hear what she has to say unless they want a good laugh.........
Oh those winning Beat 360's were both priceless!! Perfect for a Friday
This is a group of foreign nationals that were born, trained, and funded abroad and who attacked the United States. What else do you call this? They declared war on the US and they belong in the military system. What is wrong with our government and our leaders?
NOW why doesn't the media do a real service to the public and explain the differenc between the military and the federal courts!
It makes absolutely no sense to put the 911 terrorists through the US Federal Court system.
1. they are not US citizens and don't have the right.
2. Obama and Eric Holder only doing this to try and give the perception that we are giving the terrorists a fair trial. But then Holder basically says that no matter what happens they will be found guilty???
On the trying of the 911 defendants, the distinction I see is that these perpetrators were terrorists but not of a nation state. Isn't it true that war can technically only be waged against nation states? The U.S. did not declare war on a nation state of which these men were actors. Al-Qaeda is not a nation state. I've always felt that the term "War on Terror" has always been a misnomer and should never have been used. This was a crime, albeit a truly heinous one, and should be treated as such.
@ Patty Banks
I didn't say you would win the Beat today! 🙂
Congratulations, my friend!
That was a funny Beat360! 😛
Anderson, if we look at this intellectually and not emotionally, plenty of other countries have been dealing with terrorism on a daily basis this not just a military matter but a civil law enforcement matter as well.
We as Americans need to take personal and civil responsibility in the so called war on terrorism. So I feel that Eric Holder made the correct choice in sending suspects here for trail. Lets ban together to make sure that New York is secure and fair in the court process.
Many of us are growing very weary of the questioning or complaining about every little thing President Obama or his administration does. Bush said they sould be tried in U.S. courts. Did anyone question the wisdom of that? The disrespect for our President is becoming quite alarming. He is trying to clean up the mess he inherited and those who made the mess, just want to complain. We are sick of it!
I wish I can visit New York City, It is really awesome city I have seen! Not terrorist.
This needs to be adjudicated by a military tribunal. There are too many rights granted to defendants in civil cases that are guaranteed to US citizens, which have no business being granted to terrorists from other countries who attack the US. Furthermore, there are innumerable crooked loopholes and legal mechanisms that can be introduced in a civil trial for the protection of these defendants, which would be inadmissible in a military trial.
9/11 was a military attack against the nation, not simply the city of New York. It was effectively an act of war that has brought many nations together in a fight against terrorism. This is larger than a civil trial. It requires nothing less than the full weight of a military tribunal, and anything less is an insult to the memory of those who lost their lives in the attack, and to freedom itself.
I disagree with the decision to try the 9/11 criminals (alleged)
in standard court, especially in NYC. I think this will be dangerous and pose a public risk. Perhaps a military court, as someone stated on the show. How can we guarantee safety of the city's millions with these people in the city?
the tears are flowing! not!
Hasan is paralyzed!
Critics are crying about the difficulty and expense of civilian trials. What about the difficulty and expense of two wars? I guess us Americans just don't see a profit in the justice system, only the war machine.
This is an outrage!! The families of the victims of 9-11 don't deserve this, the citizens of New York who will be targets again don't deserve this, the American people who can not afford to pay for another 4 year long trial (as it was with Moussoui) don't deserve this. Everyone thought the OJ Simpson trial would end in a conviction but with lawyer manipulation he was not convicted. It happens. Our court system isn't perfect. Guilty people go free. Innocent people are sometimes convicted. Arrogance about our perfect court system will hurt us again.
I was wondering about the costs that would be incurred as well – another angle to consider regarding the trials.
I'm only 11 I luv ac 360 watchit every night. I think the terrorist should have their trial in NYC and the federal courts and law will send them to the death penalty just like the sniper guy
Thanks to the MSM Charles Manson has been able to stretch his 15 minutes over decades!
Where have these criminals supposedly confessed... If not in court, those confessions won't stand up, will they? There will be a trial and appeal after appeal after appeal...
Ninad, I like your point. Thank you. If we want to be the world's beacon of light, we should act like it.
Hi AC, EH and fellow AC360 team casts,
No...Not in the big apple!, though 9/11 took placed in manhattan that left many people emotional scars. I think what happened in NYC could be categorized as a crime against federal, therefore it should be trial where it represents United States as a whole....The hill perhaps?
Happy Friday likewise to you, mr cooper =)