Heroes & Campaign Killers

Reminder: 8pm Wednesday, November 28th is the YouTube Debate with the Republican presidential candidates.

At 11pm, Campbell Brown's report on Political Attack Ads will premiere. Below is an excerpt from the CNN Press Release:

As the 2008 presidential campaign heats up, CNN anchor Campbell Brown reports on the rising temperatures – and the pugilistic punches – that come with the territory of running for the nation’s highest political office. Following the CNN/YouTube GOP debate, CNN will premiere Broken Government – “Campaign Killers” on Wednesday, Nov. 28, at 11 p.m., with replays on Friday, Nov. 30, at 8 p.m., 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. on CNN/U.S. All times Eastern.

Although Americans say they are turned off by negative political campaigning, attack ads have can have enormous impact on elections. Brown interviews former Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis and adman Floyd Brown about one of the most infamous campaign ads of all time: the Willie Horton ad used to shattering effect in the 1988 presidential race.

In her first documentary for CNN, Brown also goes behind the scenes with the guerrilla warriors of this season’s presidential campaign to see what they're plotting. From the left, Eli Pariser of MoveOn.org talks candidly about the “General Betray-us” ad; from the right, the “Hillary hunters” – David Bossie of Citizens United and the “Stop Her Now” team of cartoonists – discuss the effects of lampooning the Democratic frontrunner.

Senior CNN political analyst Bill Schneider and political marketing consultants Mark McKinnon and Bill Hillsman comment on the impact of attack ads for the 2008 presidential race and the latest evolution in negative campaigning – the anonymous Internet viral attack.

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CNN has released the names of the finalists for the CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. The finalists in each of the six categories include:

MEDICAL MARVEL
Peter Kithene
Ann McGee
S. Ramakrishnan

YOUNG WONDER
Kayla Cornale
Dallas Jessup
Josh Miller

CHAMPIONING CHILDREN
Dr. Rick Hodes
Scott Loeff
Steve Peifer

COMMUNITY CRUSADER
Sgt. Maj. James McDowell
Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe
Julie Rems-Smario

DEFENDING THE PLANET
Florence Cassassuce
Irania Martinez Garcia
Mark Maksimowicz

FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE
Pablo Fajardo
Rangina Hamidi
Lynwood Hughes

The following is an excerpt from the CNN Press Release:

CNN today revealed the names of 18 finalists for “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute,” the culmination of a five-month audience nomination process through which ordinary people will be recognized for accomplishing extraordinary things. Hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour, “CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute” will air live globally on CNN/U.S., CNN International and CNN en Español on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 9 p.m. (ET).

In its first year of the CNN Heroes initiative, CNN received more than 7,000 nominations from viewers in 80 countries, nominating people from more than 90 countries.

Honorees will be announced at the Dec. 6 gala at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, which will include performances from Grammy Award winners Mary J. Blige and Sheryl Crow and a duet by Grammy Award winner Norah Jones and acclaimed performer-producer Wyclef Jean. Presenters will include Tyra Banks, Glenn Close, Harry Connick, Jr., Rosario Dawson, LL Cool J, Kyra Sedgwick and Jimmy Smits.

“We’re honored to shine the spotlight on some of the world’s lesser known heroes with the help of an esteemed slate of performers and presenters,” said Jim Walton, president of CNN Worldwide. “While other awards programs venerate those who are already celebrated, we are recognizing the unheralded, the ones who accomplish great things without the benefit of recognition.”

From May 1 through September, CNN Worldwide has featured everyday heroes across its television networks, digital services and at www.CNN.com/Heroes, encouraging viewers to nominate local heroes they deem deserving of recognition as a CNN Hero.

Additional information about the nominees can be found on CNN's website at: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/cnn.heroes/.

Do you know who will be selecting the winners? CNN has established a Blue Ribbon Panel who will make the final selection in each of the six categories. The members are:

• Lance Armstrong
• Deepak Chopra
• Philippe Cousteau
• Bo Derek
• Sylvia Earle
• Marian Wright Edelman
• Peter Gabriel
• Carolina Herrera
• T.D. Jakes
• Jewel Singer
• Téa Leoni
• Dikembe Mutombo
• Zainab Salbi
• Jerry Yang
• Muhammad Yunus