Low Dancing Wolf

Its been one of those nights where I just have too much to put into one post. I'm afraid one of these days, you'll be seeing the left overs. This is what made the final cut:

I was reading about this weekend's News To Me:

One Man's Quest for "Real Change"

His name is Ed Port Ed Needs a Miracle and he has "neurofibromatosis", a rare genetic disorder characterized most notably by benign tumors that, in his case, have disfigured his face. His good friend Michael Murphy, is an artist who is using his talents to find Ed some help. It's a touching story, but a happy ending may depend on you or someone you know. Watch, be moved, and see how you may be able to help!

New Year's Eve Fire at Bangkok Club

It was supposed to be a happy celebration, ringing in 2009. But as one iReporter described it, it was absolute pandemonium! The sirens were wailing as people streamed out of the club, screaming and crying, some were badly burned! It was an inferno that happened in just minutes! We are on the scene with the images and stories provided by you.

Life Under the Big Top!

You know at one time or another every child has dreamt of running off to join the circus... but for one woman, that dream turned reality almost killed her! Kate Meinhardt bloggedKate's Circus Life about her years on the road working with animals and we talked to her about what she calls, "the coolest job in the world!"

The Ed Needs a Miracle report sounds like it is going to provide yet another example of why our health care system just might need an overhaul.

News To Me was at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Host Eric Lanford provided a behind the scenes look:

There's more about their week on the News To Me Blog.

News to Me airs on HLN on Saturday and Sunday nights at 7:30PM, 9:30PM, and 12:30AM ET.

If you don't have access to HLN (check your local listings to make sure), you can check the News To Me website where they post some of their archived stories.

The Situation Room on Friday afternoon was a real treat! Remember when Ellen Degeneres asked Wolf Blitzer to come on her show? If you need a refresher on the back and forth between the two shows, here are our prior posts.

Well.... Wolf taped his appearance on Ellen Thursday night and had clips to share today on The Situation Room. And YES, he danced!

Jack Cafferty may have a point there.

There's more, just like Wolf said. Here's the second clip:

Wolf's going to leave Anderson Cooper out in the cold!

And one more.... Wolf continued his discussion on the appearance with his panel: Gloria Borger, Steve Hayes, and Candy Crowley.

At the end of that clip, Wolf asked Jack Cafferty about his new book which is expected to be released in March. The title of the new book is: Now or Never: Getting Down to the Business of Saving Our American Dream

You can watch Wolf on Ellen on Monday, January 12th.

Just a reminder: Sunday will be the last day that Wolf anchors Late Edition- 11AM ET.

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Saturday Night Politics

Saturday night 9PM ET on CNN, who’s on? King, of course! No, not Larry King. John King has has been frequenting the time slot with analysis of the debates, but this week it’s a look at the Battleground states. John King was in one of those battleground states, Ohio, on Friday- here’s a clip from a report that aired on The Situation Room.

Earlier in the week, he was in the Election Center in New York with John Roberts, who was filling in for Wolf Blitzer on The Situation Room. They were taking a look at the results of the latest polls on the magic map.

Did anyone else notice that at the end of that clip, if Nevada had been turned blue instead of red the electoral college would have been tied 269 – 269? As if the roller coaster economy isn’t news enough, there has been quite a buzz the last few days about the possibility of a truly tied election. Can you imagine having to wait until January to find out who wins the election?

Here’s a scary little fact:

If no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives elects the President from the 3 Presidential candidates who received the most electoral votes. Each State delegation has one vote. The Senate would elect the Vice President from the 2 Vice Presidential candidates with the most electoral votes. Each Senator would cast one vote for Vice President. If the House of Representatives fails to elect a President by Inauguration Day, the Vice-President Elect serves as acting President until the deadlock is resolved in the House.

Source: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/electoral-college/faq.html#270

Of course, we never see the wheels of the House of Representative grind to a halt, so we don’t have anything to worry about, right?

John King is not the only one that will be on Saturday night. Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s special Fit To Lead, will air at 8PM ET. Dr. Gupta was on The Situation Room on Wednesday talking with John Roberts.

One more item about Saturday’s programming. Bill Bennett returns with another hour of Beyond the Politics.

In a second special edition of Beyond the Politics with Bill Bennett, CNN political contributor and national radio talk show host Bill Bennett will lead a conversation to explore issues weighing heavily on American voters as Election Day draws near. The one-hour program will air on Saturday, Oct.11, at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 12, at 2 p.m. (ET).

Joining Bennett to discuss the ailing economy, national security, and the role of government will be William Galston, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former policy adviser to President Bill Clinton; Andrew McCarthy, legal affairs editor of National Review and author of Willfull Blindness; Tara Wall, CNN political contributor and deputy editorial page editor for The Washington Times; and Cornel West, Princeton University professor and author of Race Matters.

Question: Has This Week in Politics gone the same way as This Week At War? It has been preempted by other programming frequently over the last several weeks. Oh course, if I could pick between the two programs, I’d prefer seeing Tom Foreman doing This Week At War. I think CNN has filled their politics quota and a single hour of programming focusing on the hand full of wars going on isn’t too much to ask, but that’s just my opinion.

All Things CNN is now on Twitter.

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

A Pail In Comparison

With tonight being last of the 2008 primaries, eventually the focus of this election will go from "Who is the nominee?" to "Who is the running mate?" If you were asked to describe the Vice Presidency in 10 words or less, how would you do it? Well, Richard Stengel of Time Magazine only used 5 words on Monday’s the Situation Room. Wolf Blitzer was talking with Stengel, Gloria Borger, and Jack Cafferty about the role and power of the Vice President.

This is not the first phrase that came to my mind, but I obviously need to brush up on my VP factoids. There’s some history behind Stengel’s words. John Nance Garner who was Franklin D. Roosevelt’s VP from 1933 – 1941 reportedly described the office of the vice presidency as being "not worth a bucket of warm piss." Members of the media have been known to use the toned down “warm spit” version of this quote. (Source: Wikipedia)

One last Situation Room clip, this one is from a few weeks ago when Jack Cafferty was talking about his blog. The Cafferty File blog reached has had over 10 million page views!

If you visit the blog, you'll notice on the sidebar that PC users can download a Situation Room screen saver.

CNN’s special correspondent, Frank Sesno, has a new talk show, but you won’t see it on CNN. Episodes of The Global Wire will be available on the web and it will feature a bipartisan range of distinguished foreign policy thinkers as guests. The first episode was filmed in front of a live audience at The George Washington University and features a conversation with Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) on the global challenges facing the next president. Episodes of the show are available for viewing on the Center’s website, www.usglobalengagement.org, as well as on the Center’s YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/cusge. (Source: Press Release)

Former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright is scheduled to be the second interview in this series.

All content, unless otherwise cited, is © All Things CNN and may not be used without consent of the blog administrator.

Tonight Really Is All Things CNN!

Kiran Chetry was the Master of Ceremonies at the American-Nepal Friendship Society annual awards dinner on September 29 in New York City. The event also included a panel discussion on "US Nepal Relations: Expectations and Realities in a Period of Transformation." where Kiran acted as moderator.
The America-Nepal Friendship Society (ANFS) is an association of individuals engaged in bringing the people of the United States and Nepal closer together in understanding, appreciation, and cooperation. According to a press release by the ANFS, Kiran Chetry, provided insight as well as a personal Nepali connection in moderating the panel which included Minister Sahana Pradhan. James T. Walsh,

member of the United States House of Representatives, Kul Chandra Gautam, Assistant Secretary General of the UN and Deputy Executive Director of UNICEF among others. At the conclusion of the panel discussion, Moderator and Master of Ceremony Kiran Chetry was presented with a Nepali scarf and Honorary Certificate as a token of appreciation by Dr. Tara Niraula
For a full report click here

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CNN’s The Situation Room at 4p Wins Another Month in P25-54, Ranking #1 Among All Cable News Nets in September

For the second time this year, CNN’s The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer at 4p dominated the P25-54 demo, raking first among all cable news nets for the month of September.

Congratulations Wolf and Situation Room team!

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The CBC Institute and CNN announced the date for the upcoming debate they will be carrying. It will be on January 17, 2008. The Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute (CBC Institute) announced today that a date has been set for a Democratic presidential debate in Myrtle Beach, SC. The debate will be held on the evening of January 17, 2008 and will be produced and broadcast by CNN.
In making the announcement, CBC Institute Board Chair, Rep. Bennie Thompson, said “We are excited about this debate and look forward to hosting the Democratic candidates in South Carolina.”Congressman Thompson also said, “The debate site will be the Palace Theatre in Myrtle Beach. We are working to complete debate logistics and will make those arrangements public in the next few weeks.”

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Kyra Phillips had a busy day in the CNN NewsRoom. Kyra conducted an interview with the President of Gallaudet University, the nation’s only liberal arts university for the deaf. She asked questions about an incident involving a black student at Gallaudet University residential high school. She also reported that he was held against his will by seven other students who scrawled swastikas and the letters KKK on him.
You can read Kyra’s full interview with the President of Gallaudet University here.

Kyra also interviewed Adm. Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard Commandant about the criminal investigation of two racial incidents involving Coast Guard personnel.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The man in charge of the Coast Guard tells me he's disappointed. Knowing him as I do, that's a bit of an understatement. He's Admiral Thad Allen, U.S. Coast Guard commandant, and he joins me now live from Washington, D.C.
Admiral, thanks for being with me.
ADM. THAD ALLEN, U.S. COAST GUARD COMMANDANT: Good afternoon, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I want to go back to that e-mail that you sent out to the entire U.S. Coast Guard. We heard a little bit about it in the piece that I just did to set you up, but you made it very clear that this is behavior that you are not going to tolerate at all.
Tell me what you're going to say to the cadets today as you travel to the academy.
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, the events that occurred are absolutely against our core values, as you stated. But they're very inconsistent with the mission of the Coast Guard, a real humanitarian service. We save people's lives.
We have to watch out for each other when we're doing rescue operations and the country expects that we're going to perform to a high level. You cannot do that when you create these types of environments, and I won't tolerate it and I don't expect my people to either.
PHILLIPS: So tell me what the Coast Guard is doing right now about this criminal investigation into these two incidents involving nooses.
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, at the time of the incidents, we did what was called an admin investigation or a preliminary inquiry. That didn't produce any results. So now we have a criminal investigation under way, and currently there are 13 agents at the Coast Guard Academy conducting interviews.
PHILLIPS: All right. Admiral, stay with me. We're going to take a quick break. We're going to continue this interview.
PHILLIPS: I'm going to continue my interview now. We're talking about hate symbols, unspoken threats, and where these threats are being made.
Two nooses, two hateful messages sent to a Coast Guard cadet and a civil rights officer at the Coast Guard Academy.
Joining us again live, Admiral Thad Allen, the U.S. Coast Guard commandant.
Sir, we talked about the fact that you are headed to the academy to address cadets today, that you will not tolerate this kind of behavior.
We discussed the Coast Guard's criminal investigation.
Now I want to ask you about these two incidents. Has this ever happened before at the U.S. Coast Guard?
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, I've asked our civil rights office to take a look at recent reports around the Coast Guard, and last year we had two incidents where nooses were found at workplaces, but there was no activity directed at an individual. There was immediate action taken by the commands. In one case, the noose was actually a result of a knot-tying training event for our people and they were counseled.
PHILLIPS: Well, you bring up a very interesting point, too, and this was new to me. I had no idea that the Coast Guard had a civil rights director. I had no idea that you had civil rights officers.
Tell me about Terri Dickerson. I understand she's your director of civil rights. She's going with you to the academy. She's a black female.
Why do you have this position, and why does she direct -- report directly to you?
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, we've had a director of civil rights in the Coast Guard for many years. We have a headquarters staff of 21 and we have 27 permanently assigned people in the field to assist our commanding officers in dealing with human relations complaints and provide them advice.
Terri Dickeron is a senior executive in government, reports directly to me, one of only a handful of people in headquarters that does that. And again, this underscores our commitment to make sure that we have workplaces free of a hostile environment.
PHILLIPS: And talk to me about the serious nature of these incidents, how it's impacted your men and women, your men and women of color, and how it's impacted your organization.
ALLEN: Well, this is a demoralizing event to the entire service, and especially to people of color. They need to be able to work in an environment that's free of hostility and be able to work as a team in the Coast Guard.
PHILLIPS: When you find -- and notice I say "when you find" -- the person or persons responsible for these actions, how will they be held accountable? And if they are found guilty of a hate crime, could that take it to an entirely different level?
ALLEN: Well, Kyra, when cadets enter the Coast Guard Academy, they take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, like all our people in the Coast Guard do, and they are held to the same standard of conduct that active duty Coast Guard officers are held to.
And quite frankly, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, this is conduct unbecoming an officer.
PHILLIPS: Is this something that could get an individual or individuals kicked out of the U.S. Coast Guard?
ALLEN: Well, under the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is a separate justice system that applies to military members, it actually exerts a higher standard of conduct for those who serve the country.
There's a range of options from administrative measures at the local level, clear up including a court-martial.
PHILLIPS: A court-martial, so it can go that far.
Let me ask you this, too, Admiral. For blacks, Hispanics, American-Indians, anyone of color who is thinking about joining the Coast Guard or they are in the Coast Guard right now, should they fear for their safety?
ALLEN: I don't think this is a matter of physical safety, Kyra. This is a matter of a hostile work environment that we have to get rid of.
PHILLIPS: Why is diversity important to you? Why is this a personal mission for you, not just a professional one?
ALLEN: Well, anybody who serves this country serves one of the most diverse countries in the world. The people we serve need to see a Coast Guard that looks like them and we need to understand the cultural differences and be sensitive to the fact that the people we're saving out there come from very different walks of life.
PHILLIPS: Final question. You and your director of civil rights, Terri Dickerson, headed to the academy right now to speak to cadets. How will the two of you address them? Your mission, what you're going to say, and her mission.
ALLEN: Well, we're going to find out how this happened, and we have a very detailed investigation ongoing, but we need to figure out moving forward how to prevent this in the future and how to create the right work environment for all of our people. Everybody needs to have the promise that when you enter the Coast Guard you'll be treated equally, fairly, and so we will treat you the same way as the people that we save out there.

Also in Kyra Phillips news, this Saturday Kyra will be co-hosting the 17th annual “Cox Presents: A Salute to Teachers” at 7 p.m. The event will be broadcast from the Civic Theatre in downtown San Diego. Check the CNN Calendar of Events for more details.

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Happy Belated Birthday to Brianna Keilar who celebrated her 27th birthday on September 21st.

Also a Happy Belated Birthday to Gary Tuchman who celebrated his “25th” (wink, wink) birthday on October 2nd. A great big thanks to Anderson Cooper and the AC360 team for the tip on Gary’s birthday.

Happy Anniversary, Another Sad Goodbye and a Birthday Greeting Too

Today is the second anniversary of CNN’s “The Situation Room” with Wolf Blitzer, the three-hour weekday program. The Situation Room is must see television for political junkies, and it tops MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews daily when it airs and often beats Fox News in ratings.

Wolf is also accompanied by a great group of reporters including a number of CNN journalists and pundits including Jack Cafferty, Carol Costello, Suzanne Malveaux, Ali Velshi Dana Bash, Barbara Starr, John King, Candy Crowley, Bill Schneider, Abbi Tatton, Paul Begala and J.C. Watts as well as many others.

Blitzer has interviewed many people during the

two years of TSR including Former Presidents Bill Clinton andJimmy Carter, Vice President Dick Cheney, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, U.S. Senators and Congress members to celebrities from Angelina Jolie, Michael Moore and many others. Over the past two year, The Situation Room has also brought us breaking news such as Hurricane Katrina coverage, Hezbollah/Israel War, the deaths of Anna Nicole Smith and Ladybird Johnson and the Minneapolis Bridge collapse.

The Situation Room differs in some ways from similar cable news programs. For instance, the set includes the use of eight video screens. The show also makes use of live RSS feeds that scroll in the background at various times during the show. Live video feeds are commonly present in the show's format.

The Situation Room airs from 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM and again at 7:00 PM Monday to Friday. Happy Anniversary Situation Room!!! Keep up the great work and here is to many, many more!

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OK so considering the crazy weather in New York today I think the statement “when it rains, it pours” is appropriate for the news I came across today. Sibila Vargas resigned from her position as a CNN Entertainment Correspondent/Anchor effective August 24, 2007. Once her contract with CNN is up Sibila will be starting a new job in Houston, Texas.

KRIV in Houston has hired CNN entertainment reporter Sibila Vargas as its new morning anchor. Vargas has covered Hollywood since 1994 out of the CNN Los Angeles bureau as part of the Headline News Show “Showbiz Tonight” team and has been a regular guest on CNN shows American Morning and Anderson Cooper 360°. Prior to CNN, Vargas was a freelance entertainment reporter for KTLA-TV in L.A. and a guest co-host of ABC’s “The View.” Vargas has also hosted TV Guide Channel’s “Hollywood Insider,” Fox Movie Channel News and “FXM Dailies” and Paramount Domestic TV’s “Real TV.” Vargas begins her Houston assignment next month. Good luck to Sibila in her future endeavours!!!

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A Happy Birthday Shout Out to Kyra Phillips who is celebrating her 39th birthday. Hope you had a fantastic day Kyra!!!!!!