Friday, February 02, 2007
The Cafferty File: Spending splurge
On "The Situation Room" today, we asked viewers the following questions, and here are some of our favorite responses that we didn't get to read on air:

How could $245 billion for the war be better spent?

If we took just $1 billion and offered it as an award to the first company that could cure cancer or HIV, I bet we would see some action!
Scott, Baltimore, Maryland

Two words Jack: New Orleans. Have we forgotten about the people of New Orleans? Not a dime should leave this country until every American has been helped.
T.J.

Dear Jack, We have children going to school hungry every day, we have children without health care, we have elderly who have to choose between meds, food, or heat. I would strongly suggest we could better use the $245 billion to take care of our own. I am a proud daughter, mother and wife of military veterans, but Bush definitely has our priorities screwed up.
Bev, Washington

Gee, I can't think of anything, unless you count the stinking cesspool that was once New Orleans, or the wide open border where millions of who-knows-what kind of terrorists maybe pouring into the U.S., or the devastation in Florida, or, well, nothing here could be as important as Bush's war against terror, could it?
Bill, Dickson, Tennessee

Florida plans to do away with touch screen voting machines. Should other states do the same?

What's that Florida governor's name? He should be running for president I would vote for him. First piece of common sense that's come out of Florida in years.
Dennis

This is a good waste of money, to make sure that my most precious right as an American, the right to vote, is protected. If this works, you might even see a jump in political participation from the middle class once again.
Jose, Newark, New Jersey

They should be outlawed in all states. I want a paper trail. I want a printed receipt of my votes handed to me before I leave the polls so I can feel secure that my votes were registered correctly.
Deborah, Pleasant Lake, Indiana

Should dire intelligence estimates about the future of Iraq prevent the U.S. from withdrawing its troops?

I honestly do not think that we can do anything to prevent what is a long-standing blood feud. Historically, these domestic disputes eventually end when the various parties become sick of the bloodshed.
David, Crescent City, California

The stage is set for a Shia/Sunni civil war which will spread throughout the Middle East. I fear we are past the point of no return in this war and, sadly, keeping our troops there will only produce more U.S. casualties with no chance of influencing the long term outcome.
Ron, Waynesboro, Pennsylvania

Iraq has become all about Iran all of a sudden. If Iran defends Iraq's Shia, Syria and Saudi Arabia will defend Iraq's Sunni. They'll all be too busy killing each other to bother with Israel. We'll lose Middle East Oil but so what. It's time for a crash course in non-fossil fuel anyway.
Richard, Seattle, Washington
Posted By Jack Cafferty, CNN Commentator: 2/02/2007 05:33:00 PM ET | Permalink
The Situation Online: Global warming, digital Dems, deadly storms
Dire predictions
According to new report (PDF) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, global warming is here to stay -- and humans are "very likely" to blame. The report links the increase of global temperatures to manmade greenhouse gases. Also, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has posted images and animations online to complement the report. We examine the report and animations.

Dot com Dems
Today marks the day one of the three-day Democratic National Committee's Winter Meeting. The DNC is streaming video of the meeting and is archiving video and images of the event's speakers, which include all of the party's 2008 Presidential hopefuls. The DNC has also invited dozens of bloggers to the gathering.

Deadly storm damage
Tornados ripped though central Florida last night, killing 19. We'll take a look at some of the devastating images sent to CNN's I-Report.

Watch "The Situation Room" at 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 7:00 PM ET for these stories and more from our Internet reporters.
Posted By The Situation Online Producers: 2/02/2007 05:30:00 PM ET | Permalink
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The Cafferty File: Biden's bid
On "The Situation Room" today, we asked viewers the following questions, and here are some of our favorite responses that we didn't get to read on air:

Should Senator Joe Biden withdraw from the presidential race?

No. Sen. Biden represents a viewpoint that should be a part of the political debate leading up to the primary elections. I do not agree with him in areas, but having input like his is needed to help form a final, coherent platform for the Democrats. No single candidate will be 100% correct; we need the discussion and synthesis of different ideas.
Jim, Fredricksburg, Virginia

Joe Biden is supposed to be one of the good ones. He keeps sticking his foot in his mouth on race issues. As a black man, I would never trust him.
James, Las Vegas, Nevada

Jack, The idea that Sen. Biden should drop out of the '08 race is absurd. Putting every sentence under a magnifying glass results in candidates who speak only from scripted talking points. This is a tempest in a teapot set to boil by the need to fill 24/7 news programs. We should encourage candidates to talk in a genuine manner and not kill them when they do. Let's all lighten up!
Mary, Rotonda West, Florida

Biden doesn't need to drop out. The voters will do that for him.
Jim, Floyd, Virginia

What's your reaction to Exxon earning $75,000 a minute last year?

I'm not good at arithmetic. Is the $75,000 per minute more than the new $7.25 per hour minimum wage proposal?
Norman, Boca Raton, Florida

My reaction is good. I'm glad an American company can make those great profits from sales all over the world. Stop reporting Cafferty as if all those profits came out of American pockets. They didn't!
D.

My mom is on Social Security; they earn in one minute what it would take her 117.5 months to earn. Pretty sad isn't it? Even if she could afford groceries, she can't afford the gas to go buy them.
Christine, Illinois

I get all my gas from Citgo. That is my answer to Exxon.
Michael

Is Al Gore Nobel Peace Prize and Oscar material?

It looks like we should have grabbed on to Al Gore when we had the chance in the 2000 election. He has proved to be an honest man who cares about the American people, unlike what we put in the White House.
Debbie, Smyrna, Tennessee

My hope is that as Al Gore is giving his Oscar "thank you" speech, he announces his intention to run for president.
Kathy, Sunnyvale, California

Nobel Peace Prize? No way! But Oscar material, absolutely. How many characters has he played over the years in his reinvent-me history? Surely he wins an Oscar for best political actor!
Roxie, Dilworth, Minnesota
Posted By Jack Cafferty, CNN Commentator: 2/01/2007 07:45:00 PM ET | Permalink
The Situation Online: Bomb scare & virtual march
Going, going ... bomb?
As the two men charged in connection with the Boston bomb scare entered not guilty pleas in court today, the "mooninite" promotional signs that sparked the scare were being sold on eBay. Along with online images of the signs from around the country, a Web video has been circulating that shows how the devices were set up. Boston police told CNN their intelligence unit was monitoring blog activity during their investigation.

Iraq showdown online
As a showdown looms between the White House and the Senate over U.S. policy in Iraq, activists online are pressuring their Senators to take sides. MoveOn.org is organizing a virtual march against the troop buildup. Meanwhile, conservative bloggers are threatening to withhold funds from any Republican Senator who supports a resolution criticizing the President's plan.

Watch "The Situation Room" at 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 7:00 PM ET for these stories and more from our Internet reporters.
Posted By The Situation Online Producers: 2/01/2007 07:00:00 PM ET | Permalink
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
The Cafferty File: Waste in Iraq
On "The Situation Room" today, we asked viewers the following questions, and here are some of our favorite responses that we didn't get to read on air:

How can the U.S. avoid wasting millions of dollars in Iraq on things like an unused police academy and unaccounted for weapons?

You know how to save money, Jack? Operate the government the same way a private business does: check your invoices against services rendered, ask for an accounting from each department, and hold employees (private contractors in this case) accountable for the waste.
Marie

The same way we could have saved the billions we have already wasted in Iraq: get out.
Mary, San Diego, California

The reconstruction has been nothing but one big boondoggle. From no-bid contracts to Cheney's Halliburton cronies, to the wholesale corruption and embezzlement by both the Iraqis and the American contractors. First wasted billion, shame on you. Second wasted billion, shame on us.
Jonathan

What kind of obligation does the U.S. have to help Iraqi refugees?

If they were people who helped and supported the U.S., the military, etc., then yes we should help them. If not, Iraq needs to help its own citizens. They have oil revenue and U.S. reconstruction money.
Mark

Jack, None, of course. According to the Bush administration, we have used Iraq as a battlefield upon which we are fighting the evil-doers so that we won't have to fight them here. In other words, we have been willing to destroy Iraq, and kill tens of thousands of Iraq citizens, to avoid a war at home. That is hardly what I call nobility! Given that logic, why should we do anything for them?
Peter, Denver, Colorado

I suggest that V.P. Cheney and President Bush host 50 families each on their respective ranches. They created the mess and they can contribute to the clean-up.
Dottie, Overland Park, Kansas

The answer is simple: every Iraqi that desires to come to the U.S. should be allowed in, no questions asked! After all, they didn't ask for the U.S. to come and "break" their country.
Matt, Memphis, Tennessee

Would you support a bipartisan presidential ticket in 2008?

Jack, There isn't a spit of difference between them anyway. Neither represents my interests. We need a few new parties that truly represent the middle and low class backbone of this country.
George, Fort Worth, Texas

I'm down for a bipartisan ticket: McCain-Clinton 2008!
Max

I love the idea of a bipartisan ticket just as long as no politicians are included!
Rob, Delray Beach, Florida

I would support Mickey Mouse and Daffy Duck if they would end this hideous war and re-establish our country's reputation in the world.
W., Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Posted By Jack Cafferty, CNN Commentator: 1/31/2007 05:42:00 PM ET | Permalink
The Situation Online: Waste, fraud & abuse in Iraq


Sunni tribal leaders and American troops met earlier this month to discuss reconstruction in the Anbar province.

Waste, fraud & abuse in Iraq
A new report (PDF) by the Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction says tens of millions of your taxpayer dollars have been wasted in rebuilding Iraq. Why were millions spent on VIP trailers and an Olympic size swimming pool? We'll take a look.

Watch "The Situation Room" at 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 7:00 PM ET for these stories and more from our Internet reporters.
Posted By The Situation Online Producers: 1/31/2007 05:22:00 PM ET | Permalink
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
The Cafferty File: Republican rebel?
On "The Situation Room" today, we asked viewers the following questions, and here are some of our favorite responses that we didn't get to read on air:

What does it mean if Republican Senator Chuck Hagel is a tougher critic of the Bush administration than many Democrats?

New twist: Maybe he's just saying what he thinks, which happens to have been what I think. It's not our war to win or lose. When are we going to stop demonizing American politicians and realize who the bad guys really are?
Janice, Fort Worth, Texas

It means that Senator Hagel is a Democrat! Welcome to the real world, Chuck. Here, we are not delusional, and we're not evil.
Ar, Fort Collins, Colorado

That he is casting out a net feeling the waters for a presidential nomination. He certainly could not run as a true Republican, nobody can do that anymore. Republicans are all becoming 'closet' Democrats now for self-serving reasons.
Fran, Pennsylvania

What does it mean that President Bush is using taxpayer money to fund a private army in Iraq without the knowledge of the American people?

If my husband, a retired naval officer, knew that Blackwater trains and sends contractors, aka mercenaries, to Iraq, why is Congress and the press just finding out?
Rebecca, Huntington, Vermont

What does it mean? It means the Americans need take back their country and their government and dismantle this quasi-dictatorship. Congress! Get off your butts and do something! Impeach! Impeach! Impeach!
Eve, Louisiana

It means that there's something going on in this country right there at the White House which none of us know about including the House and Senate. A conspiracy? Did he sell our ports to the Arabs yet? How does India enjoy our technology? Are the terrorists still buying our armor and parts? We got a big problem folks and the beat goes on and on?
Roger, St. Louis, Missouri

Is it possible to train politicians not to stay stupid things ever?

No, Jack, I don't think politicians can be trained to not say anything stupid ever. Isn't that what they're for? After all, if they didn't say anything stupid, you and Wolf would be out of part of your jobs.
John, Georgetown, Indiana

It would be easier to teach a dog not to bark!
Warren, Easton, Maryland

While politicians obviously have the compliant nature needed for training, sadly they fall far short of the second required quality, intelligence.
Mike, Macomb, Illinois

Everyone puts their foot in their mouth from time to time. Instead of worrying about the spin, all they really need to do is say, "Sorry that isn't what I meant to say." We need to be more concerned about what is not being said.
John, Auburn, New York

The question itself is stupid... take a lesson.
David, Anacortes, Washington
Posted By Jack Cafferty, CNN Commentator: 1/30/2007 05:55:00 PM ET | Permalink
The Situation Online: Inside the Libby trial


Former New York Times reporter Judith Miller arrives at the courthouse on Tuesday with attorney Robert Bennett.

Inside the Libby trial
From trial exhibits posted on the prosecution's Web site to colorful insight from bloggers inside the courthouse, the Internet is giving us an up-close look at the perjury and obstruction of justice trial of Lewis "Scooter" Libby. We'll examine what bloggers are saying today about Judith Miller's testimony, prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's suit, and what reporters at the trial are saying to each other.

Watch "The Situation Room" at 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 7:00 PM ET for this story and more from our Internet reporters.
Posted By The Situation Online Producers: 1/30/2007 04:10:00 PM ET | Permalink
Monday, January 29, 2007
The Cafferty File: Lame duck status?
On "The Situation Room" today, we asked viewers the following questions, and here are some of our favorite responses that we didn't get to read on air:

More than half the country, including one in five Republicans, says they wish the Bush presidency were simply over. Is it?

No, the Bush regime is not over and we are condemned to see it played over and over like the movie "Groundhog Day"... where each day repeats, one catastrophe after another, one mistake after another, and one more set of lies after another.
Crystal, Chicago

Of course the Bush presidency isn't over. He has two more years to visit more disasters on this country and the world. And, as Cheney is so quick to point out, no one can stop them. It is truly frightening to contemplate.
Andrea, Twin Lake, Michigan

Of course not. Even with the Democratic Congress hanging like an albatross around his neck (theoretically, anyway), he can still do infinitely more damage than any other individual in the world. And most likely, he will.
Leah, New York

Put me in the one in five Republican column.
Bob

Do you think politics has anything to do with the Bush administration's appointment of federal prosecutors?

Of course. That is the way Pres. Bush and his administration operate. They want their own ideologues in positions of power. The more they can get in place, the more power they have.
Peg, Carrollton, Texas

Does the appointment of U.S. Attorneys have anything to do with politics? No. It has everything to do with politics. This president is the lamest of ducks.
Scott, Phoenix, Arizona

As my 8-year-old son always tells me, "Duh".
Robert, New Orleans, Louisiana

Which presidential candidate would you like to have over your home for dinner?
Jack, I'd like to extend a dinner invitation to any candidate that is going to put the needs of American citizens first. Please tell me who that is.
Barbara, Middletown, New York

Wes Clark is coming to dinner if I have my way. We'd have a complex, wide-ranging conversation with no index cards or talking points, and, yes, we'd have a beer. Hint to voters: Experienced over-achievers spend time hanging out, too. Elect one!
Mary

Hey Jack, About the only person in Washington, candidate or not, I'd like to have over for dinner would be Colin Powell. His dignity, honesty and morality is higher than most of the rest there combined. Otherwise, although I'm a registered Democrat, I'd like to break bread with John McCain.
Steven, Walnut Creek, California

I would like to have Senator Hagel over for dinner. He is an extremely decent, honest individual - a rare find in Washington these days.
Mary, Columbus, Ohio

I would not want any of the presidential candidates over for dinner. However you are welcome any time.
Jo, Ft. Smith, Arkansas
Posted By Jack Cafferty, CNN Commentator: 1/29/2007 05:41:00 PM ET | Permalink
The Situation Online: YouTube pays you?


YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley

YouTube pays you?
YouTube is considering a plan to reward users who upload popular videos with cash. The news came not in a formal announcement, but after someone captured the co-founder Chad Hurley on video discussing the idea, and then posted it -- where else? -- but on YouTube.com. How is the news being received within the YouTube community? We examine comments that range from the positive to the negative, and always the creative.

Watch "The Situation Room" at 4:00 PM, 5:00 PM, and 7:00 PM ET for this story and more from our Internet reporters.
Posted By The Situation Online Producers: 1/29/2007 04:07:00 PM ET | Permalink
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