Thursday, December 20, 2007
Morning Buzz
Good Morning...It is Thursday!!! Not a ton of BIG headlines out there today. But take a look at today's morning buzz...



Top Stories

Rescuers spot lost family's twig 'Help' sign
Stranded in the snowy California woods for three days after losing their way while searching for a Christmas tree, a father and his three children fashioned a "Help" sign out of twigs on a nearby unpaved road, according to the helicopter pilots who found them.

Key Setbacks Dim Luster of Democrats' Year
The first Democratic-led Congress in a dozen years limped out of Washington last night with a lengthy list of accomplishments, from the first increase in fuel-efficiency standards in a generation to the first minimum-wage hike in a decade.

Congress -- Tax trap?
More than 20 million taxpayers will escape the alternative minimum tax this year, thanks to a stopgap measure Congress approved Wednesday. But lawmakers waited so late in the year to vote that many early filers could have to wait until March to get their refunds.

Realignment of the Army
President Bush has approved what officials are describing as the most significant realignment of the Army since World War II, signing off on a plan that will keep more troops than previously envisioned in Europe and add large numbers of soldiers to bases in Colorado, Georgia and Texas, Army officials said Wednesday.

New Zealand rocked by 6.8 quake
A magnitude 6.8 earthquake off New Zealand's east coast rocked much of mainland New Zealand on Thursday, emergency officials said.


Raw Politics

NEW CNN Iowa Poll -- It is down to the wire
Two weeks to go until the Iowa caucuses and itappears to be a dead heat in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination in the Hawkeye State, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll out Thursday morning. Thirty percent of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers support Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York as the nominee, with Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois at 28 percent and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina at 26 percent.

Giuliani taken to hospital
Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani was taken to a hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, with flu-like symptoms and is spending the night there, a Giuliani spokesman confirmed to CNN early Thursday.

Kerrey apologizes to Obama
Former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey has apologized to Barack Obama for any unintentional insult he committed by raising the Democratic presidential candidate's Muslim heritage while endorsing rival candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Huckabee defends record on clemencies
Republican Mike Huckabee on Wednesday defended his handling of requests for clemency when he was Arkansas governor and in turn accused Mitt Romney of denying such requests to protect his political future.


Keepin' Them Honest

TONIGHT ON AC360 Drew Griffin reports: It's only fitting the International Museum of Women would be found in an international city, like San Francisco. There's just one problem.... It can't be found- and trust Drew, he looked all over.


Crime & Punishment

Congress OKs Va Tech-inspired gun bill
Congress passed a long-stalled bill inspired by the Virginia Tech shootings that would more easily flag prospective gun buyers who have documented mental health problems. The measure also would help states with the cost.

Aruba to detail evidence in Holloway case
Prosecutors on Thursday plan to divulge evidence they gathered over the last eight months against three young men who will not be charged in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway because it was not sufficient to charge anyone.


AC360 folo

Nicaraguan prosecutors appealing American's release
Nicaraguan prosecutors are appealing a court's decision that overturned an American man's conviction in the killing of his former girlfriend and set the stage for his release, officials said.


What YOU Will be talking about Today

Hitting the road (literally) with some faithful ***tonight on AC360***
If you turn to the Bible -- Isaiah Chapter 35, Verse 8 -- you will see a passage that in part says, "A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness."

Whales may be related to deer-like beast
The gigantic ocean-dwelling whale may have evolved from a land animal the size of a small raccoon, new research suggests. What might be the missing evolutionary link between whales and land animals is an odd animal that looks like a long-tailed deer without antlers or an overgrown long-legged rat, fossils indicate.
Posted By jamie kraft: 5:21 AM ET
  4 Comments
Jamie,
I was so glad to hear that the family that was lost for three days in the woods had been found safe and sound. Most of the time these things turn out horribly wrong. I bet they won't go hunting for a tree next year! LOL BTW...Anderson did a great interview with them last night!!

No...what dimmed the Democrats year is that they laid down and didn't try to do anything for fear of losing their votes!! That is the real lack luster of their year! And a disservice to us all for voting them into their seats in the first place!

I figured that the army would eventually be realigned to allow for these wars and to keep more people over seas.

Well I don't really trust any of these polls. You can make anything look the way you want it to with them. I just wish this Iowa caucus would hurry up and be over! It has dragged on WAY too long. May the best man win...I say!

There seems to be ALOT of apologizing going on this go round of the elections!! Can't these people say what they mean and stick with it!? And why try and tear someone down and then say sorry! That defeats the purpose.

Can't wait to see Drew's report! More of our tax money disappearing into thin air it seems! HMMM that seems to happen alot these days!

I knew that the Nicaraguan prosecutors would appeal Eric Volz's overturned conviction. Especially since it got to a mob mentality there during the trial. I hope that he is OK and the overturned sentence will stand. Hopefully he'll be released soon.

OK...while I do believe in prayer and all of that I think that what they are doing at I-35 is a bit much! They should be spending their time helping others if they want to make a difference! Thinking that this road is one that was talked about in the Bible to me is ridiculous! Some people take things WAY too seriously sometimes! Can't wait to see this report from Gary for sure!!

How in the world can a big ole whale come from a little deer or rat like animal!? I can't see that at all!! They've got alot of explaining to do to convince me of that!!

Cynthia, Covington, Ga.
Posted By Blogger Cindy : 8:12 AM ET
I loved the interview Anderson did with the rescued kids. They were so adorable. It was nice to have such a happy ending to this story!
Posted By Anonymous Jess, Paris, KY : 8:36 AM ET
Good morning,

I just have a comment on " Hitting the highway".
Well, what those people are doing is similar to what religious people are doing back home, Saudi Arabia that is. I have been BURNED and suffer for the literal translation of the Quran to the point that I, and many liberal like me, will end up living in caves.
The funny things is that religious people don't translate what is in the Holy books if that will be used against them. So basically they use what they like to force their points of view.

Just be careful, because if you let them do this, they will continue and will not stop until they make the world goes back 1,000 years.

Note:
I have noticed that despite the TYPE of religion they follow, they have so many things in common, why is that? why would they understand the religion in different way than most of us?!
Posted By Blogger Saudi_Hind : 9:25 AM ET
Hi Jamie,
Drew's report on that "missing" museum sounds interesting, and fun!
I don't know about the Hitting the Road story though. I guess I'll see what that's about tonight.
Have a great day Jamie!
Posted By Blogger Kristien : 10:56 AM ET
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