New Orleans' "Who Dat?" Superbowl Parade For The Saints

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Michelle Obama On Larry King Live: Childhood Obesity, Health Care, etc.,

First Lady: Childhood Obesity Fight Is About Fitness, Not Looks


Michelle Obama says her call for the country to fight childhood obesity isn't about physical appearances, but rather quality of life.

"Teachers are seeing the challenges that kids with weight issues are having -- not being able to participate in gym, feeling a little more sluggish," the first lady told CNN's "Larry King Live" on Tuesday. "It's not about weight ... it's about fitness and it's about overall nutrition."

Obama earlier Tuesday introduced the "Let's Move" campaign, which aims to reduce childhood obesity in the United States within a generation. Obama asked parents, teachers, physicians, coaches and kids to get involved and suggested they look at the new Let's Move Web site for helpful tips, strategies and updates on beating obesity in children.

The first lady, during the "Larry King Live" interview, said a doctor got her own family to take a hard look at its exercise and eating habits, even though she thought she already was doing everything she could to promote healthy lifestyles for her own grade-school daughters.

The family, while her husband was campaigning, was eating too much fast food, she said. A pediatrician "saw a little uptick in the kids' [body mass index], and he kind of pulled me aside," she said.

"I was shocked at first because I thought I was doing what I was supposed to do, and I hadn't noticed any changes in my kids, so it was a little bit shocking and a little disorienting," Obama said. "But I went home, and it was kind of a wake-up call, and we made some changes even with busy schedules."

The changes, she said, included smaller portion sizes, more cooked meals, a dessert ban on weekdays and substituting sugary drinks with milk, water and fresh-squeezed juices. "The point is that small changes made a difference," she said.

That interview aired hours after she announced the Let's Move initiative at the White House. The program focuses on what families, communities and the public and private sectors can do to help fight childhood obesity, which she and health experts have termed an epidemic in the United States.

"There are more and more kids with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure today than ever before. Things we used to see only in adults," she said at the White House.

From more farmers markets to increasing physical activity in schools or expanding and modernizing the President's Physical Fitness Challenge, the first lady said the Obama administration will partner with public health professionals and private companies to address the obesity issue.

"About one-third of our children are overweight or obese. None of us want that for our country," she said. "It's time to get moving."

Mayors, doctors, members of the Cabinet, and leaders in sports, entertainment and business joined the first lady for the announcement.

Former NFL player Tiki Barber introduced several speakers, including a pediatrician, an urban farmer and mayors from Mississippi and Massachusetts.

President Obama signed a memorandum earlier Tuesday morning establishing a federal task force to tackle childhood obesity, calling it "one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country."

"We think that this has enormous promise in improving the health of our children, in giving support to parents to make the kinds of healthy choices that oftentimes are very difficult," he said.

The task force, according to the memorandum, will have 90 days to craft a plan encouraging "optimal coordination" between the federal government and both the private and nonprofit sectors. Several Cabinet members, including the secretaries of Interior, Agriculture and Health and Human Services, will serve on the task force to complement Michelle Obama's public awareness effort.

In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the first lady urged America's parents to turn off the television, drink more water and serve smaller portions to curb the growing public health problem.

She stressed that parents need the tools to make it easier to understand how to help their kids stay healthy. She said many parents know certain foods are bad for their kids, but don't know the solutions.

"They feel like the deck is stacked against them. They feel guilty," she said. "We need to help them."

The administration, in partnership with public health professionals and private companies, will address these issues in several ways:

First, according to Obama, package labels should be easier to read.

By the end of the year, the Food and Drug Administration will begin working with retailers and manufacturers to adopt new nutritionally sound and consumer friendly front-of-package labeling to provide 65 million parents in America and other caregivers with easy access to the information they need to make healthy choices for their children.

The average soda contains 110 calories, yet many kids drink one or more a day. In an effort to make kids and parents more aware of these calories, the American Beverage Association has voluntarily committed to put calorie labels on the front of its cans, bottles, vending and fountain machines within two years. The label will reflect total calories per container, up to 20 ounces and 12-ounce serving size in multiserve containers.

School lunches also will play a big role.

According to the White House, on school days, many American children consume more than half their daily calories at school, and more than 30 million of these kids participate in the National School Lunch Program.

With this program, students will have access to healthier food in schools through several initiatives:

• The Obama administration is requesting an investment of an additional $10 billion over 10 years, starting in 2011, to improve the quality of the school lunch and breakfast programs, increase the number of kids participating and ensure that schools have the resources they need to make program changes.

• With the money, more fruits, vegetables, whole-grain foods and low-fat dairy products will be served in school cafeterias.

• Major school food suppliers are to decrease the sugar, fat and salt in school meals over 10 years, and also increase whole grains and produce served within 10 years.

Obama also set an ambitious goal to eliminate food deserts, which are areas with limited access to affordable and nutritious food.

"Let's move to ensure all our families have access to healthy, affordable food in their communities," she said. "We're making a commitment to completely eliminating food deserts in America. And we plan to do that within seven years."

The Center for Science in the Public Interest applauded Obama for taking on childhood obesity.

The "first lady has the clout and visibility to change that and mobilize the nation's resources to address the problem," the nonprofit health advocacy group said.

Obama encouraged doctors and parents to work together to help kids stay healthy.

In this initiative, the American Academy of Pediatrics will educate its members about obesity to make sure pediatricians regularly measure a child's body mass index and identify a weight problem early. If a child is getting heavy, the physician can write an official prescription for healthy, active living.

Body mass index is a number -- calculated from height, weight, age and gender -- that measures body fat.

On Tuesday, Dr. Judith Palfrey, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said there are ways to encourage activity -- like making charts recording children's TV time and having children set jump-roping, running and fitness goals.

"This is a long-term commitment to our children's health," she said. "It will take a concerted effort among all of us -- the whole nation -- to create healthier communities for our children. We must take on this challenge."

The number of overweight children ages 6 to 19 has tripled since 1970, a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study found.

Obama concluded her statements quoting President Franklin Roosevelt.

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future."


Sources: CNN, Larry King Live, Let's Move.gov

2nd Major Snowstorm Turns D.C. Into A Ghost Town

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Paralyzed Capital Braces For 2nd Major Storm



A paralyzed U.S. capital is bracing for a second winter storm to hit in less than a week, closing down Congress, keeping federal workers home and even rescheduling a White House concert.

Downtown Washington resembled a ghost town with its 230,000 federal workers at home for a second day on Tuesday and many shops shut or closing early as more snow was predicted to pound the U.S. East Coast, bringing another 9 more inches (23 more centimeters) of snow.

Airports in Washington were closing early Tuesday, roughly a day after they reopened for service following the weekend storm. Most airlines canceled flights through Wednesday so their planes don't get stuck in the snow.

Meanwhile, in New York the United Nations announced that it would be closed Wednesday.

Concert moved

President Barack Obama stayed close to the White House on Tuesday, holding a meeting with some members of Congress and hosting a concert in honor of Black History Month featuring Bob Dylan, Smokey Robinson and Natalie Cole that had been moved up from Wednesday in anticipation of the snow.

In the past couple of days the U.S. capital and its surrounding areas have seen as much snow as they normally see in a year and if the 9 inches (23 centimeters) predicted fall on Tuesday night it could become the snowiest winter since records were first kept in 1884. Nearby states were also bracing for another dumping and several had called a state of emergency.

In the capital, government workers jostled with other residents in supermarket check-out lines, often 30-people long, to stock up on whatever staples were still available. Delivery trucks had trouble reaching many area supermarkets, leaving customers seeking cheese, fresh fruits and vegetables and even Diet Coke staring at empty shelves.

Despite canceled hearings and announcements at the many U.S. federal agencies, the government does not come to a grinding halt, said Linda Springer, a former director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, who now helps head up the public sector practice at Ernst & Young.

Government hasn't gone dark

"The government hasn't gone dark," said Springer, noting each federal agency has a core group of employees who can handle priority work. Other employees can work from home, and about 85 percent of the federal work force works outside the Washington region.

"Anything that is critical is going to get done," Springer said. Shuttering the agencies for a day costs the government an estimated $100 million in lost productivity and other associated costs.

David Fiore, 49, an employee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, said he had gone to four stores looking for milk on Monday, with no success. By Tuesday morning, his local supermarket had restocked and he left with a 1 gallon (3 liters) of milk, more than he usually buys.

Fiore said that he planned to do some work when he returned home. "They're open in Turkey. I'm getting e-mails from Morocco. The work goes on," Fiore said.

Washington area schools were to remain closed on Wednesday and New York City announced its 1.1 million students would have a rare snow day, only the third in six years.


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Sources: MSNBC, Google Maps

Doug Wilder To Obama: Fire "Chicago Politics" Staff & Kaine!

Doug Wilder: Obama Needs a Staff Shakeup



During the 2008 campaign, I strongly endorsed Barack Obama for President. I did so early, when many Democratic leaders — including many prominent African-American politicians — believed the safe bet was to back then-front-runner Hillary Clinton.

I backed Obama not because of skin color but because he convincingly made the case that he stood for “change” that this country needs. Now, across many fronts — in public policy and politics alike — people have rightly been questioning whether the change has been for the better. Unfortunately, the answer so far is clear: not yet.

I still believe Obama can stand for positive change. But first he must make some hard changes of his own.

The need is becoming more obvious by the day: He must overhaul his own team, replacing the admittedly brilliant advisers who helped elect him with others more capable of helping him govern. Getting elected and getting things done for the people are two different jobs.

I am an admirer of Tim Kaine, whom I backed in his current position and as one of my successors as Virginia governor and even recommended for the vice presidency. But a spate of recent losses in races that Democrats should have won underscores what has been obvious to me for a long time: The chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee is the wrong job for him.

The changes must go much deeper. Obama’s West Wing is filled with people who are in their jobs because of their Chicago connections or because they signed on with Obama early during his presidential campaign.

One problem is that they do not have sufficient experience at governing at the executive branch level. The deeper problem is that they are not listening to the people.

Hearing is one thing; Listening is another.

Some are even questioning whether Obama has forgotten how he got elected and the promises he made to the people who elected him.

Don't take my word for any of this. Look at the clear message the American people have been sending at the polls these past few months.

In my native Virginia, voters went to the polls and turned the Democrats out of the Executive Mansion with more votes and by a higher percentage than had ever happened since we ended one-party government rule 50 years ago. I told the president that this could very well happen and did not support his candidate.

Indeed, even before Bob McDonnell’s resounding victory, the canary had been dead on the floor for months. In Virginia's most Democratic-friendly regions, the Democrats had been narrowly winning — or outright losing — special elections that should have been taken easily.

The same trends that are evident in Virginia are obvious elsewhere — even in states that historically are much more Democratic. New Jersey voters, given a chance to reelect a Democratic governor who promised to be the president's partner in the state capital and for whom Obama vigorously campaigned, instead chose a Republican prosecutor who had been appointed to his job by George W. Bush.

After both these debacles, people at the DNC and the White House insisted these were local results with no deeper meaning.

Then came Massachusetts. When Scott Brown promised voters he would be the 41st vote in the U.S. Senate to halt the Obama agenda, generally, and the health care plan, in particular, his rise in the polls was meteoric.

It's not rocket science where the American public wants the president to concentrate his energies. In all the above elections I cited, voters were practically screaming one word with four simple letters: Jobs.

People will rightly hold Obama accountable. Obama must in turn hold the people on his own team accountable.

Tim Kaine is a friend whom I respect. I personally pushed for his consideration by Obama for the vice presidency because he was the first governor outside of Obama's home state to endorse him, and it was a bold step away from our state's past history.

Though I discussed with Tim what I was doing relative to the vice presidency, he and I never had any discussions as to whether he should be the national party chairman. There are several reasons why I felt then, and do now, that it is not a good fit for Tim, the party or Obama.

Positioning Democrats as "tax and spend" has been a favorite pastime of Republicans. Another has been "soft on crime."

Republicans are surely going to remind voters, nationwide, that Chairman Kaine tried to balance his budget in his last days as governor by proposing a $1 billion-plus personal income tax increase. This measure was "shot down" in the first week of the legislative session with not a single person, including Democrats, voting for it (0-97). Even the patron of the bill abstained.

Kaine's recommendation to the Justice Department to transfer one of Virginia's inmates to a federal jurisdiction, and ultimately to Germany, for possible parole in two years was almost immediately withdrawn by the incoming Republican governor and Republican attorney general. Because of the serious nature of these heinous murders and the clearest evidence of guilt, many are still asking why.

Is that who this president wants to be arm in arm with as we enter a pivotal election year? For his sake, it shouldn't be. The president has enough to worry about and defend without this detracting sideshow as to feckless party leadership.

The president was the one elected to lead, not the people around him. He was elected to be in front, to take charge. Leadership is a tautology; it defines itself.

Obama's job approval ratings are sliding, but we Democrats are told not to worry. We are told that he remains personally popular with the American people.

It would be a grave mistake for the president and those around him to misread the current polls and analysis.

They suggest that:

1) The American people do not like the direction in which the country is heading.

2) They do not believe that either Democrats or Republicans are showing that they get the message and are doing the business of the people.

3) They hold Congress in very low regard.

4) They really like the president. Yet, they keep going to the polls to rebuke him resoundingly every chance it is presented.

Unless changes are made at the top, by the top, when the time comes for voters to show how they really feel about Obama, his policies and the messages he sends directly or through the people around him, the president will discover that Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts were not just temporary aberrations but, rather, timely expressions of voters who always show that they are ahead of the politicians.

The President should keep uppermost in his mind the biblical admonition as to what happens to those trees that do not bear "good fruit": The ax is already at the tree.

L. Douglas Wilder was the nation’s first African-American to be elected governor. He served as governor of Virginia from 1990 to 1994.





Doug Wilder Sounds Off On Reid Racist Remark Controversy



Douglas Wilder, an African-American political trailblazer, sounded off Sunday about controversial remarks made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid during the 2008 presidential campaign which were not disclosed until the recent publication of a book chronicling the historic White House race.

Journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann reported the remarks in their new book, "Game Change," which is scheduled to be in bookstores Tuesday.

The authors quote Reid as saying privately that Obama, as a black candidate, could be successful thanks, in part, to his "light-skinned" appearance and speaking patterns "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."

In a statement to CNN Saturday, Reid said, "I deeply regret using such a poor choice of words."

"I sincerely apologize for offending any and all Americans, especially African Americans for my improper comments.”

Asked about Reid’s comments, Virginia Democrat Douglas Wilder, who became the first African-American to be elected governor of a state 20 years ago, took issue with Reid’s assumptions about race relations. “We’re not where he thought we may have been a year ago,” Wilder said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union.

“We crossed that threshold 20 years ago,” Wilder said making a reference to his own historic election as Virginia’s chief executive in 1989.

“The unfortunate thing, John,” Wilder told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King, “is that one snippet ... by Harry Reid illustrates the need for a more open discussion about race and put it where it belongs – into the closet. [President] Obama wasn’t elected because he was – or was not – of any color. He represented a change. He represented a fastening of the dreams and the aspirations of the American people to someone who could bring about change.”

Saying he would have liked to have thought his own election as Virginia’s governor would have put to rest any concerns about an African-American candidate’s race, Wilder also said Sunday that he was “saddened … to see that 20 years later there still is that degree of apprehension on behalf of some people who are in leadership positions.”

Though he was critical of Reid for the recently reported comments, Wilder said he disagreed with the suggestion Sunday from Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee’s first African-American Chairman, that Reid should step down.

And, on the eve of Obama’s first anniversary in office, Wilder also said he thought it was too early to assess the nation’s first African-American president.

“I think it’s too early to even give a grade,” Wilder told King. “Because I think the Obama administration inherited a tremendous amount of problems – not just one. And every day things change.”

“It takes a year or two to get your sea legs, to get your feet under you,” Wilder said pointing to his own tenure as Virginia’s governor. “I had some degree of executive experience. Obama’s had none at all.”

But, Wilder added that he thought Obama was on his way to developing into the kind of president who knows how to wield the power of the nation’s most powerful office.


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Sources: Politico, CNN, Google Maps

NC Republicans Smell Blood For 2010 Elections! Senate Takeover Possible

Possible N.C. Political Game-Changers: 6 Trends Shaping Local & State Races


Who will hold power in Raleigh?

Not since 1898 have Republicans run the General Assembly. But a flurry of Democratic departures in the Senate, aggressive candidate recruiting for the House, ongoing budget woes and lingering Democratic scandals could create what Republicans hope will be their perfect storm.

In the Senate, Republicans need six seats to take control. Seven Democrats, including Majority Leader Tony Rand, plan to retire or already have left. Some, such as veteran David Hoyle of Gaston County, are in districts that otherwise lean Republican.

The GOP needs nine seats for control in the 120-member House. Minority Leader Paul Stam of Raleigh says among the Democratic seats he's targeting, 14 are in districts carried last year by Republican John McCain.

Last month Raleigh-based Public Policy Polling found voters split. A slight majority favored Republican legislative candidates. But independents, a crucial swing vote, preferred the GOP 45 percent to 23 percent.

"It's not as if the state is overwhelmingly deciding to vote Republican," said poll director Tom Jensen. "We're going to see a lot more competitive races than usual."

Tea Party: What kind of impact?

Tea Partiers took credit for electing Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts, but they could be a wild card in North Carolina.

Groups with Tea Party roots have sprung up across the state. Though fundamentally conservative, many are motivated by a skepticism of status quo politics in both parties. A national Rasmussen poll last month, for example, found that 75 percent of GOP voters believe Congressional Republicans have lost touch with them.

"All we know at this point is that the villagers have pitchforks and torches, and are marching up the hill," Duke University political scientist Mike Munger recently wrote in Reason magazine.

Munger says their march could make 2010 either like 1964, when internal splits doomed the GOP, or like 1994 when conservatives and moderates united to give Republicans a congressional majority.

Corey Thompson of Charlotte, a Tea Partier who plans to run for the county board, says tensions clearly exist.

"Tea Party folks tend to be concerned that Republicans have moved away from their traditional base," he says. "And Republicans are concerned that Tea Party folks may be a little too radical."

Are Scandals trial for Democrats?

How tough has it been for Republicans to make the "culture of corruption" charge stick? Consider this: In May 2007, when former House Speaker Jim Black was facing sentencing on corruption charges, a poll found that half of North Carolinians didn't even know he was a Democrat.

Since then, Black has gone to prison. So have former Reps. Mike Decker and Thomas Wright. Two high-profile Democrats, former Gov. Mike Easley and ex-U.S. Sen. John Edwards, are subjects of federal grand jury probes.

Republicans again are trying to hammer the issue home.

Chris Hayes, senior legislative analyst at the conservative Civitas Institute, says his polls show many people, particularly outside Raleigh and Charlotte, still aren't following the scandals very closely.

Political analyst John Davis of Raleigh says the scandals could depress Democratic turnout, but may not make the impact Republicans hope.

"There's really no empirical evidence from watching campaigns in North Carolina," he says, "that would suggest that if Easley is indicted, it's going to keep a legislator in Spruce Pine or Beulaville from winning their campaign."

Will Court ruling open spigots?

With control of state government, N.C. Democrats long have enjoyed a financial advantage in state campaigns. And so far, the party has outraised its GOP counterpart more than 2-1.

Less clear is the effect of last month's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that opens the door to corporate and labor money coming into states which, like North Carolina, have banned it.

State Elections Director Gary Bartlett says one effect will probably be the end of blackout periods. State law now bans so-called issue advocacy ads 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election.

Representatives of business and labor groups say it's too early to tell what the ruling will mean in North Carolina. But Bartlett says it could give outside groups a louder voice in framing campaigns.

"We're going into a new era," he says, "and we're not quite sure how it will play out."

Will the revolving door close?

Since 1974, the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Richard Burr has changed hands every six years. For now, he seems to be riding high in his drive to keep it.

Polls show him with double-digit leads over his best-known Democratic opponents. And new reports showed him with a 13-1 cash advantage heading into the election year.

That almost surely will change. But until May 4, most attention will be on the race to oppose him.

Former state Sen. Cal Cunningham is backed by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the White House. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall has won three statewide races.

But new reports showed Kenneth Lewis, a little-known Chapel Hill attorney, with a small fundraising edge over his better-known rivals. To run his campaign Lewis has hired Bruce Clark, the man who engineered the election of Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx. And like Foxx, he starts with an ace in the hole.

According to the state elections board, 41 percent of Democratic voters are, like Lewis, African American. A candidate needs just 40 percent of the vote to win a primary.

"A candidate who is able to excite that community in a primary has a great advantage," says Lewis aide David Mitchell.

Will we see Congressional upsets?

Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell of the 8th District has attracted the biggest field of GOP challengers - including one who has put $550,000 into his own campaign.

But Kissell, whose vote against a Democratic health care bill alienated some in his party, also is expected to face a primary. A poll last month by Public Policy Polling found, however, that just 29 percent of his constituents knew how he voted on health care.

The first-termer could be North Carolina's most vulnerable incumbent. But maybe not the only one:

Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry faces two deep-pocketed primary challengers in the 10th District. After each giving their campaigns $250,000, each has more in the bank than the incumbent.

The 11th District has always been tough for Democrats. But second-term Rep. Heath Shuler has $1.2 million in the bank and no challenger is even close.









NC Republicans Buoyant As Candidate Filing Opens


Rarely have N.C. Republicans seen so much interest in running for office.

Dozens of prospective candidates have come to orientation sessions put on by House Republicans. Interest in congressional and local races also is high.

"You're going to see a huge number of candidates file on the Republican side because they smell blood in the water," says political analyst John Davis of Raleigh.

Filing for offices from the U.S. Senate to county commissioner opens Monday across North Carolina and runs through Feb. 26. The May 4 primaries are less than three months away.

The races take place against backdrops that seem to favor Republicans.

The GOP has enjoyed high-profile successes in Virginia, New Jersey and even Massachusetts. Despite personal appeals from President Barack Obama, voters in each state rejected his candidate.

In North Carolina, which Obama narrowly carried, a survey last month by Raleigh's Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling found only 44 percent of voters like the job he's doing.

The elections also follow the worst budget year and one of the highest tax increases in N.C. history. And they take place as federal grand juries investigate a former Democratic governor and former U.S. senator.

Chris Hayes, a senior analyst with the Civitas Institute, a conservative think tank, says his polls reflect those dynamics.

"You're getting a huge number of Democrats, especially those whose only voting participation was 2008, saying they're not going to vote in 2010," he says. By contrast, enthusiasm among Republicans is "sky high."

"They're chomping at the bit to get out and vote."


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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Charlotte Observer, NCGOP, WCNC, Google Maps

Obama Gives W.H. Briefing; Pushes "Bi-Partsian" Jobs Bill

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Obama Open To Incremental Steps On Job Growth



President Obama indicated Tuesday he's open to "incremental steps" on job growth legislation.

"It's realistic for us to get a package moving quickly that may not include all the things I think need to be done," he said at a White House briefing after meeting with a bipartisan delegation of congressional leaders on job growth initiatives.

Obama said he hoped an initial bill would help "build trust" and allow Congress to then move on to other measures.

"We spent a lot of time in this meeting discussing a jobs package and how we can move forward on that," Obama said. "And if there are additional ideas, I will consider them."

Top Republicans emerged from the meeting expressing cautious optimism that an agreement could be reached on a "small package" to help lower the country's 9.7 percent unemployment rate.

The question of how to balance immediate economic concerns with growing fears of skyrocketing budget deficits is just one of several contentious issues dividing Obama and top Republicans.

Sharp debates over economic management, health care reform and other topics have contributed to what many observers now characterize as a toxic political climate on Capitol Hill.

In his recent State of the Union address, Obama called for monthly meetings with both Democratic and GOP leaders as a way to help break the partisan logjam.

Tuesday's meeting included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The same group is tentatively scheduled to meet February 25 to discuss health care reform.

"Part of what we'd like to see is the ability of Congress to move forward in a more bipartisan fashion on some of the key challenges that the country is facing right now," Obama said at the start of Tuesday's meeting. "I think it's fair to say that the American people are frustrated with the lack of progress on some key issues."

The president asserted that while "the parties are not going to agree on every single item, there should be some areas where we can agree and we can get some things done." He also backed the idea of having more "vigorous debates" on subjects where a bipartisan agreement cannot be reached.

McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters after the meeting that "there's a chance we could move (a jobs bill) forward on a bipartisan basis." It's possible "the Senate could get there with a small package."

McConnell stressed traditional GOP priorities such as nuclear power, off-shore oil drilling, and clean coal technology. He also urged passage of stalled trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.

Such measures, he argued, would be "jobs generators."

Emphasizing deficit-related concerns, Boehner said he urged the president to push for immediate spending cuts, as opposed to deciding to "punt all of this off to some spending commission."

Calls for bipartisanship have grown in the wake of GOP Sen. Scott Brown's upset win in the recent Massachusetts special election. Brown's victory stripped Democrats of their 60-seat Senate supermajority and gave Republicans enough votes to block most legislation.

Since Brown's election, Democrats have moved away from introducing a comprehensive jobs bill similar to the $154 billion legislation passed by the House in December.

Instead, Democratic leaders have appeared to be more inclined to push through smaller measures in stages.

The Democrats' agenda includes renewing existing highway legislation for a year, which is expected to result in a million jobs, Reid recently said. It also includes enacting small-business and job-creation tax credits and extending Build America Bonds, a stimulus measure that helps states and municipalities fund capital construction projects.

The president's fiscal 2011 budget, unveiled last week, would direct $50 billion to job creation measures, including clean energy initiatives and road projects.

Top Democrats would also like to enact the president's Cash for Caulkers proposal, which would subsidize making homes and buildings more energy efficient.

The first job creation bill of the new year, promoted by Sens. Charles Schumer, D-New York, and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, aids any private sector employer who hires a worker who's been unemployed for at least 60 days. That employer is absolved of paying the 6.2 percent share of the employee's Social Security payroll tax for the rest of 2010.

Also, employers who keep these workers on the payroll continuously for a year would be eligible for a $1,000 tax credit on their 2011 tax returns.

Democrats' other measures, however, aren't likely to get as warm a reception from the GOP. Several Republican senators have come out against using TARP bank bailout funds to jump-start lending to small businesses, and against raising taxes on the wealthy.

Obama has promoted the idea of boosting small business lending by giving $30 billion in TARP funds to banks and providing these firms with a $5,000 tax credit for each addition to their payrolls.

Norman Ornstein, a political observer at the American Enterprise Institute, recently argued that out of all legislation before Congress, a jobs bill is most likely to bring Republicans and Democrats together.

"Not because Republicans are eager to give Obama and the Democrats the victory (and) not because they have a fundamental agreement with a lot of things they want to do," he said. But politically, "to say you're going to oppose even a government program on jobs is a harder thing to do than say you're going to oppose a government takeover of the health care system."


Sources: MSNBC, CNN

Arlen Specter Agrees With GOP On Terror! No Miranda Rights!

This afternoon during an interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell, Democrat Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) of whom by the way is a former Prosecutor, agreed with his G.O.P. Congressional colleagues that Terrorists who come on American soil and commit War Crimes should NOT be Mirandized or given Legal Rights.

He also sees nothing wrong with holding trials for Terrorists in Military Tribunals.

OMG!

Does the Obama Administration have egg on its face?

You should have seen Andrea Mitchell's face.

She thought Senator Specter was going to bash Republicans for saying Pres. Obama's Admininstration handled Umar Matallab's Interrogation incorrectly.

Instead he agreed with them.

Ha Ha!

As Scott Brown mentioned when delivering his victory speech, the American government should NOT be wasting Taxpayer dollars on ensuring that Terrorists who come to KILL American citizens, have legal rights.

Pres. Obama let me ask you when it comes to the "War on Terror" what's more important?

Protecting American Citizens or Mirandizing Terrorists for symbolic purposes??

As the 44th elected U.S. President who is your allegiance to the world stage or American citizens?

I hope Senator Specter doesn't suffer Retaliation from Pres. Obama or Democrats for speaking the truth regarding this situation.

Check out the videos below to hear both sides of the Terror debate including Senator Specter agreeing with Republican Party leadership.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Sources: MSNBC, CNN

Mark Kerrigan Killed His Father! Autopsy Results

Autopsy: Fight Led To Kerrigan Dad's Death


Skating star Nancy Kerrigan's father died of a heart problem after he suffered a neck injury during a fight with his son, according to autopsy results released Tuesday.

Daniel Kerrigan's death has been ruled a homicide, but officials were still deciding if new charges would be brought against Mark Kerrigan, who is accused of assaulting his 70-year-old father.

"The cause of death was cardiac dysrhythmia following a physical altercation with neck compression causing injury to the neck in the form of a cartilage fracture to the larynx area," Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone said in a statement.

The autopsy also revealed that Daniel Kerrigan had underlying health issues in the form of "atherosclerotic cardiovascular heart disease."

Daniel Kerrigan died on Jan. 24 after a struggle with his 45-year-old son at their Stoneham home, police said. Mark Kerrigan told police he put his hands around his father's neck.












Death of Nancy Kerrigan's Father Ruled a Homicide


The medical examiner has ruled that the death of Daniel Kerrigan, the father of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, was a homicide, the Middlesex County district attorney's office said Tuesday.

The skater's brother, Mark, was arraigned in January on assault and battery charges in an incident involving his father, but the district attorney's office would not say if other charges might be filed against the younger Kerrigan in light of the medical examiner's finding.

Daniel Kerrigan, 70, died January 24 after an alleged altercation with his son at the Kerrigan home in Stoneham, Massachusetts.

The Kerrigan family released a statement through their attorney expressing disappointment "that the medical examiner would release a cause of death without having all of the relevant facts. We believe this finding to be premature and inaccurate."

"The Kerrigan family does not blame anyone for the unfortunate death of Dan Kerrigan, who had a pre-existing heart condition," said the family statement, released by attorney Tracy Miner.

Mark Kerrigan, 45, pleaded not guilty to the charges against him January 26. Through his attorney, he denied any responsibility in his father's death.

According to Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Keeley, police responded to a 911 call at approximately 1:30 a.m. January 24 from Brenda Kerrigan, wife of Daniel and mother to Mark and Nancy Kerrigan.

Keeley told District Court Judge Mark Sullivan during the arraignment for Mark Kerrigan that there was a violent argument and struggle between the father and his son, resulting in the elder Kerrigan falling or collapsing on the kitchen floor. Keeley said Mark Kerrigan told authorities "that he did in fact have an argument with his father, the argument became physical, he grabbed his father around the neck, and at some point the father collapsed to the floor."

According to Keeley, police found Mark Kerrigan in the basement of the house, "clearly intoxicated" and "extremely combative." He refused to comply with police officers, said Keeley, and they had to subdue him with pepper spray before forcibly removing him from the home.

Mark Kerrigan's attorney, Denise Moore, said in court that Kerrigan was unemployed, was recently released from a correctional facility and was living at home with his parents. He is taking medications and seeking psychological help for post-traumatic stress, apparently from his time in the Army, she added.

Despite appeals from his attorney, the judge ordered Kerrigan held on $10,000 cash bail. His next court appearance is expected to be February 24.

Nancy Kerrigan first gained prominence by winning a bronze medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. In 1994 she earned a silver medal in Lillehammer, Norway. But she is perhaps best remembered for being injured in an attack before the 1994 Winter Games by skating rival Tonya Harding's ex-husband and an accomplice.




















Nancy Kerrigan's Brother Sent For Mental Evaluation


The brother of figure skater Nancy Kerrigan has been sent for a psychological evaluation after being charged with assaulting his 70-year-old father, who later died.

A spokeswoman for Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone in Massachusetts said Tuesday that Mark Kerrigan has been sent to Bridgewater State Hospital for a competency evaluation.

Mark Kerrigan pleaded not guilty Monday to assaulting his father, Daniel Kerrigan, at the family home in the Boston suburb of Stoneham.

Family members say that Daniel Kerrigan died of a heart attack and that his death was unrelated to an argument he had with his 45-year-old son early Sunday. Autopsy results are pending.

Mark Kerrigan's lawyer said in court that her client was on medication for post-traumatic stress and was seeing a psychiatrist.


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Sources: The Boston Channel, MSNBC, CNN, Google Maps

Ben Nelson (Dem.) To Block Obama's Labor Union Rel. Nominee

Ben Nelson Will Back GOP Filibuster For Obama's Nominee


Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) announced Monday evening that he will support a Republican-led filibuster over President Barack Obama's nominee to serve on the National Labor Relations Board.

The move is likely to infuriate labor groups who have fought hard for Craig Becker's nomination to serve on the five-member NLRB - and will likely give Republicans enough support to sustain a filibuster Tuesday.

“Mr. Becker’s previous statements strongly indicate that he would take an aggressive personal agenda to the NLRB, and that he would pursue a personal agenda there, rather than that of the administration,” Nelson said in a statement. “This is of great concern, considering that the board’s main responsibility is to resolve labor disputes with an even and impartial hand."

Nelson, a conservative Democrat up for re-election in 2012, has seen his approval ratings drop sharply since he lent his support for Obama's health care bill in December and secured deals for Nebraska's Medicaid payments.

His latest decision could help him tout his independent credentials back home, but will likely generate anger from the left, which says Becker is a well-qualified nominee who has been denigrated by his opponents.

Republicans have tried to make Becker's nomination a referendum on the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier to unionize. In his statement, Nelson said Becker has made several statements that "fly in the face of Nebraska’s Right to Work laws."


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Sources: Politico, Google Maps

Michelle Obama Launches Childhood Obesity Prevention Program..."Let's Move!"

First Lady Calls For United Effort To Fight Childhood Obesity


Michelle Obama is telling America that it's time to get moving.

In a news conference at noon Tuesday at the White House, the First Lady introduced a national effort to combat childhood obesity.

"We're determined to take on one of the most serious threats -- and that's the epidemic of childhood obesity today," she said.

Called The Let's Move campaign, the program focuses on what families, communities and the public and private sectors can do to help fight childhood obesity, which she and health experts have termed an epidemic in the United States. The campaign aims to take steps to reduce childhood obesity within a generation.

Mayors, doctors, members of the Cabinet, and leaders in sports, entertainment and business joined the First Lady.

Former NFL player Tiki Barber introduced several speakers including a pediatrician, an urban farmer, and mayors from Mississippi and Massachusetts.

President Obama signed a memorandum earlier Tuesday morning establishing a federal task force to tackle childhood obesity, calling it "one of the most urgent health issues that we face in this country."

"We think that this has enormous promise in improving the health of our children, in giving support to parents to make the kinds of healthy choices that oftentimes are very difficult."

The task force, according to the memorandum, will have 90 days to craft a plan encouraging "optimal coordination" between the federal government and both the private and nonprofit sectors. Several Cabinet members, including the secretaries of Interior, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services, will serve on the task force to complement Obama's public awareness effort.

In the weeks leading up to the announcement, the first lady urged America's parents to turn off the television, drink more water and serve smaller portions to curb the growing public health problem.

Obama was to comment on how many parents understand the impact of unhealthy food choices and the lack of exercise on their children's health, yet don't know how to make the simple changes to help their kids.

The administration, in partnership with public health professionals and private companies will address these issues in several ways:

First, according to Obama, package labels should be easier to read.

By the end of the year, the Food and Drug Administration will begin working with retailers and manufacturers to adopt new nutritionally sound and consumer friendly front-of-package labeling to provide 65 million parents in America and other caregivers with easy access to the information they need to make healthy choices for their children.

The first lady is also expected to emphasize the need to cut calories.

The average soda contains 110 calories, yet many kids drink one or more a day. In an effort to make kids and parents more aware of these calories, the American Beverage Association has voluntarily committed to put calorie labels on all of front of its cans, bottles, vending and fountain machines within two years. The label will reflect total calories per container, up to 20 ounces and 12-ounce serving size in multiserve containers.

And school lunches also play a big role.

According to the White House, on school days, many American children consume more than half their daily calories at school, and more than 30 million of these kids participate in the National School Lunch Program.

With this program, students will have access to healthier food in schools through several initiatives:

The Obama administration is requesting an investment of an additional $10 billion over 10 years, starting in 2011, to improve the quality of the school lunch and breakfast programs, increase the number of kids participating and ensure that schools have the resources they need to make program changes.

With the money, more fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products will be served in school cafeterias.

Major school food suppliers are to decrease the sugar, fat and salt in school meals over 10 years, and also increase whole grains and produce served within 10 years.

The first lady encouraged doctors and parents to work together to help kids stay healthy.

In this initiative, the American Academy of Pediatrics will educate their members about obesity to make sure pediatricians measure a child's body mass index on a regular basis and identify a weight problem early. If a child is getting heavy, the physician can write an official prescription for healthy, active living.

Body mass index is a number -- calculated from height, weight, age and gender -- that measures body fat.

On Tuesday, Dr. Judith Palfrey, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said there are ways to encourage activity -- like making charts recording children's TV time and having children set jump-roping, running and fitness goals.

"This is a long-term commitment to our children's health," she said. "It will take a concerted effort among all of us -- the whole nation to create healthier communities for our children. We must take on this challenge."

During a speech last month at a Virginia YMCA, the first lady spoke about health issues caused by childhood obesity.

"We've seen the surge in obesity in this country is nothing short of a public health crisis, and it's threatening our children, it's threatening our families, and more importantly it's threatening the future of this nation," she said. "Higher rates of obesity are directly linked, as you've heard, to higher rates of chronic illnesses like heart disease and cancer and diabetes."

The number of overweight children ages 6 to 19 has tripled since 1970, a 2007 New England Journal of Medicine study found.

During her speech at the YMCA, Michelle Obama shared strategies she has used with her own children.

She helped her daughters stay active by limiting television watching, she said. The first lady also cut back on meal sizes and sugary drinks, and added more fruits, vegetables and water to their diet.

"It was really very minor stuff. But these small changes resulted in some really significant improvements," Obama said.


Sources: CNN

Charlotte Schools Block Black Kids From Attending AP Classes

CMS Panel Says Black Students Not Given Equal Access To AP Classes


Students in Charlotte-Mecklenburg's high-poverty schools face an "opportunity gap" in access to college-level classes, says a report from a citizen advisory panel being presented today.

Students at several low-poverty suburban schools can choose from more than 20 Advanced Placement subjects this school year, while students at four high-poverty schools have fewer than 10, the report says.

The Equity Committee, appointed by the school board, spent the past year looking at Advanced Placement along with services for students who don't speak English well. The recommendations, designed to boost equal opportunity, are likely to clash with budget-cutting plans.

For instance, the panel recommends that Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools do more to increase AP offerings at the high-poverty schools, where most students are black or Hispanic. The panel also calls for more minority enrollment in AP courses at all schools. But a consultant advising CMS on the likelihood of budget cuts for 2010-11 has suggested cutting some AP classes with low enrollment to focus on boosting basic skills.

"We're just in challenging times right now," said board Vice Chair Tom Tate. "I think that the board is going to have some pretty interesting debate on this."

AP Challenge

AP offerings range from 25 subjects at South Mecklenburg High to seven at Waddell, the report says. Even at schools such as Mallard Creek High and Northwest School of the Arts, which have large numbers of middle-class black students, AP classes are disproportionately white.

Taking AP classes can help students get into competitive universities, and students who earn high scores on the exams can get college credit. "The lack of a diverse range of core and elective AP courses at all schools raises serious equity concerns," the report says.

CMS offers other college-level options, including classes hosted by Central Piedmont Community College and advanced classes in International Baccalaureate magnets. The report did not look at those.

High-poverty high schools tend to have lower enrollments and more students struggling to meet graduation requirements, both of which can make it challenging to fill AP classes. For instance, Waddell offered 10 options on its "enrollment card" last winter but ended up only teaching seven, the report says.

But those schools also have successful college-bound students. The equity panel recommends offering a set number of AP courses at each school, even if enrollment is low, and urges schools to "actively recruit and place students in those courses."

The report says white students make up 37 percent of CMS's high-school students but account for 62 percent those taking of AP exams. Minority students may be hindered by home support, peer culture or low expectations in lower grades, the report says. Recommendations range from recruiting AP teachers "of various ethnic backgrounds" to "cluster(ing) students of racial groups in AP courses in order to provide peer support."

Language Barrier

On students with limited English skills, the report notes that some schools have so many that students may not be immersed in spoken English, while others have so few that it's tough to provide adequate staff support for kids and families.

CMS has eliminated jobs for bilingual parent advocates, even as the number of students whose families speak Spanish and other languages has grown. The committee recommends restoring those jobs at schools with large numbers of families who need translation, noting that parent involvement is essential to student success.

The report describes a visit to Merry Oaks Elementary, where 19 languages are spoken, most children come from low-income homes, and some students "not only don't speak English but may not have any experience with indoor bathrooms or electricity." Committee members saw a woman arrive to enroll a young child, who did most of the translating between his mother and the school secretary. Two hours later, the child and his mother "were still trying to navigate the enrollment process," it says.

The report urges CMS to make sure schools make better use of available translation services and make it easier for families without cars to get to the Family Application Center south of uptown, where international students must register. City buses used to run along that road, the report says, but no longer do.

The school board meets at 6 p.m. today at the Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St. The meeting is open to the public and televised live on CMS-TV Cable 3.


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Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, Charlotte Observer, Charmeck.org, Wikipedia, Google Maps

Toyota Recalls The Prius Too; Company No Longer #1

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Toyota Recalls Prius, Other Hybrids Worldwide


Toyota says it is recalling about 437,000 Prius and other hybrid vehicles worldwide to fix brake problems — the latest in a string of embarrassing safety lapses at the world's largest automaker.

"I don't see Toyota as an infallible company that never makes mistakes," President Akio Toyoda said at a news conference Tuesday. "We will face up to the facts and correct the problem, putting customers' safety and convenience first."

With the Prius announcement, the number of vehicles recalled globally by Toyota Motor Corp. has ballooned to 8.5 million, including for floor mats which can trap gas pedals and faulty gas pedals that are slow to return to the idle position. The 2010 Prius wasn't part of the earlier recalls.

There have been about 200 complaints in Japan and the U.S. about a delay when the brakes in the Prius were pressed in cold conditions and on some bumpy roads. The delay doesn't indicate a brake failure. The company says the problem can be fixed in 40 minutes with new software that oversees the controls of the antilock brakes.

"Let me assure everyone that we will redouble our commitment to quality as the lifeline of our company," Toyoda said.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement Tuesday that Toyota's leaders have assured him they are taking safety concerns "very seriously." The statement said LaHood's agency will stay in constant communication with Toyota to hold the company to its promise.

A U.S. House hearing on Toyota's gas pedal recalls scheduled for Wednesday was postponed due to weather, aides told NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell.

Also, State Farm, the largest auto insurer in the U.S., said it alerted federal regulators late in 2007 about a rise in reports of unexpected acceleration in Toyota vehicles. Congressional investigators are looking into whether the government missed warning signs.

Toyota officials went to Japan's Transport Ministry earlier Tuesday to formally notify officials the company is recalling the 2010 Prius gas-electric hybrid — the world's top-selling hybrid car. The automaker is also recalling two other hybrid models in Japan, the Lexus HS250h sedan, sold in the U.S. and Japan, and the Sai, which is sold only in Japan.

The 223,000 cars being recalled in Japan include nearly 200,000 Priuses sold from April last year through Monday, according to papers the automaker filed with the ministry. The Prius is Japan's top-selling car.

In the U.S., Toyota will recall 133,000 Prius cars and 14,500 Lexus HS250h vehicles. Nearly 53,000 Priuses are also being recalled in Europe. Toyota is suspending production of the Sai and Lexus HS250h in Japan until the updated software for those models is ready.

If drivers experience a delayed reaction when depressing the brakes in any of these models, they should keep pressing, according to Toyota and the transport ministry.

The Prius repairs will start in Japan on Wednesday. U.S. owners will start receiving letters about the recall next week.

Toyoda, the president, has been criticized for being largely invisible during the two weeks after the company announced Jan. 21 the gas pedal recall in the U.S., Europe and China.

He apologized at his first public news conference last Friday, but was criticized by the Japanese media for failing to outline concrete steps to tackle the safety crisis and reassure customers.

In contrast to his halting English in response to questions from foreign reporters at last week's news conference, Toyoda seemed much better prepared Tuesday, reading from an English statement after doing so in Japanese.

"We will do everything in our power to regain the confidence of our customers," Toyoda said.

He said he planned to go to the U.S. soon to talk with American workers and dealers to bring the ranks together.

Analysts said fears of an even bigger consumer backlash prodded Toyota into recalling the Prius.

"If they hadn't done the recalls, their image would have suffered even more," said Ryoichi Saito, auto analyst at Mizuho Investors Securities in Tokyo.

The Japanese transport minister rapped Toyota as reacting too slowly, and said he was meeting U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Roos on Wednesday to exchange views about Toyota's recalls and make sure U.S.-Japan relations remained on good terms.

"The consideration for customers was lacking in Toyota," Seiji Maehara told reporters, after a meeting with Toyoda. "We hope this never happens again."

Toyoda, who visited the minister after his news conference, apologized and explained the recalls, Maehara said.

U.S. safety officials are investigating the brake problem.

It is suspected in four crashes resulting in two minor injuries, according to data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Toyota says it's cooperating with NHTSA's investigation.

Also Tuesday, Toyota said it will voluntarily recall about 7,300 four-cylinder Camry sedans produced early in the 2010 model year because of a possible brake fluid leak. Dealers will inspect the cars for a power steering hose that could come in contact with a brake tube, causing a leak. The leak means it could take longer for the vehicle to stop, the company said. Owners will get letters starting in mid-February.

Problems with hybrid braking systems haven't been limited to Toyota.

Ford Motor Co. said last week it plans to fix 17,600 Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion gas-electric hybrids because of a software problem that can give drivers the impression that the brakes have failed. The automaker says the problem occurs in transition between two braking systems and at no time are drivers without brakes.

Toyota's plug-in hybrid is also being recalled in Japan, Europe and the U.S., but in small numbers because it is a largely experimental model for rental and government use.

The Prius holds a cherished spot in Toyota's vehicle lineup and is symbolic of its leadership in the "green" car market.

The Toyota executive overseeing quality, Shinichi Sasaki, said the delay that Prius drivers can feel when braking lasts for a fraction of a second as the antilock brakes kick in.

The problem happens only on snowy or bumpy surfaces, and the complaints did not become more numerous until winter, Sasaki said.

But Toyoda acknowledged the company could have done better in picking up on the complaints, managing the crisis and sending a message to car owners on a fix.

In the U.S., Toyota will add five more centers in addition to the current three that investigate customer complaints, Sasaki said.

"When compared to the size of Japan, America is so much bigger and so our network for gathering information was not enough," he said.

Toyota was one of the first companies to mass-market a hybrid that combines an electric motor with a gas engine, introducing the Prius in Japan in 1997. Its high gas mileage made it popular among environmentally conscious drivers, especially when gas prices spiked two years ago.

But the complexity of the Prius, a highly computerized car, has led to problems in the past. In 2005, the company repaired 75,000 of them to fix software glitches that caused the engine to stall. It has also had trouble with headlights going out.

Shares in Toyota rose 2.9 percent Tuesday to 3,375 yen, but are still down about 20 percent since Jan. 21, when it announced the gas pedal recall.


Sources: MSNBC

Joe Jackson: Dr. Murray Is "Fall Guy", Michael's Death A Conspiracy

Joe Jackson: Dr. Murray is "Just a Fall Guy," My Son was Murdered


Joe Jackson, father of the King of Pop, told CNN's Larry King Monday night he believes Dr. Conrad Murray is "just a fall guy," and that there are other people involved in Michael Jackson's death.

"He got off too easy in court today," Joe Jackson told Larry King. "I'm looking for justice and justice to me would be the murder charge."

Joe Jackson told CNN, if Murray was interrogated enough, "he would come clean and tell everything he knows."

Joe Jackson also alluded to a vague conspiracy to kill his son. Speaking of his planned concert tour before his death, Joe Jackson told King, "He couldn't do all those shows back-to-back. Even his kids say that he had told them that he would be murdered."

Latoya Jackson stated she will not rest until all individuals involved are "brought forth and justice is served," CNN reported. The King of Pop's sister also believed that "Michael was murdered and although he died at the hands of Dr. Conrad Murray, I believe Dr. Murray was a part of a much larger plan,"

Michael Jackson's death was ruled a homicide by the L.A. County Coroner. CNN reported he died from a combination of drugs, mainly propofol and lorazepam. The doctor was reportedly with Michael Jackson when he died. He remains out on bail and could face up to four years in jail if convicted.









Jackson's Doctor Charged With Manslaughter


Dr. Conrad Murray, personal physician to Michael Jackson, was charged Monday with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the pop star's death last summer.

A criminal complaint filed earlier in the day alleged that Murray "did unlawfully, and without malice, kill Michael Joseph Jackson."

Murray turned himself in shortly before 4 p.m. at a branch courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport. He pleaded not guilty during a brief hearing before Judge Keith L. Schwartz.

The judge set bail at $75,000, despite arguments from prosecutor David Walgren that Murray is a flight risk.

The judge refused to suspend Murray's medical license as a term of his bond, but he did order him not to use any anesthesia on patients.

"I don't want you sedating people," Schwartz told Murray.

The involuntary manslaughter charge means that Murray caused Jackson's death by acting "without due caution and circumspection."

If convicted, Murray would face a maximum four-year prison sentence, according to prosecutors.

Members of Michael Jackson's family -- including his parents Joe and Katherine Jackson, sister La Toya Jackson, and brothers Jackie, Jermaine, Randy and Tito Jackson -- attended the hearing.

"Not enough," Jermaine Jackson said when asked what he thought of the charge.

"I don't like what happened," Joe Jackson said as he left the courthouse.

La Toya Jackson later issued a statement through a publicist.

"Michael was murdered and although he died at the hands of Dr. Conrad Murray, I believe Dr. Murray was a part of a much larger plan," her statement said. "There are other individuals involved and I will not rest and I will continue to fight until all of the proper individuals are brought forth and justice is served."

Her statement did not elaborate on what she meant in her reference to "a much larger plan."

Murray traveled to Los Angeles at the end of January from his home in Houston, Texas, in expectation of possible charges, his lawyer said.

He used part of his time last week to visit the pop star's resting place in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.

Murray, a cardiologist, was hired as Jackson's personal physician last spring as the singer prepared for comeback concerts in London, England.

The doctor told Los Angeles police that he was with Jackson at his $100,000-a-month rented Holmby Hills mansion through the early morning hours of June 25, 2009, in an effort to help the pop star fall asleep, according to a police affidavit.

He administered sleep aids, and after Jackson finally began sleeping in the late morning hours, Murray said, he left the bedroom for "about two minutes maximum," the affidavit says.

"Upon his return, Murray noticed that Jackson was no longer breathing," it says.

The doctor stayed with Jackson as an ambulance rushed him to UCLA Medical Center.

Efforts at CPR proved fruitless, and Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m.

The Los Angeles County coroner ruled Jackson's death a homicide, resulting from a combination of drugs, primarily propofol and lorazepam.

The coroner's statement said Jackson died from "acute propofol intoxication," but there were "other conditions contributing to death: benzodiazepine effect." Lorazepam and two other drugs Murray said he used are benzodiazepines.

The doctor told investigators he had given Jackson three anti-anxiety drugs to help him sleep in the hours before he stopped breathing, a police affidavit said.

Murray had been treating Jackson for insomnia for six weeks at the time of the singer's death. The doctor told investigators he gave Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol, the generic name for Diprivan, diluted with the anesthetic lidocaine every night via an intravenous drip.

The doctor told police he was worried that Jackson was becoming addicted to the drug and tried to wean him off it.

During the two nights before Jackson's death, Murray said, he put together combinations of other drugs that succeeded in helping Jackson sleep.

The full autopsy report, which was released Monday afternoon, included an analysis by an anesthesiology consultant of the use of propofol.

The consultant, Dr. Selma Calmes, concluded that the "standard of care for administering propofol was not met."

"There was no evidence of an infusion pump for control of an IV infusion. No monitors were found at the scene; a blood pressure cuff and portable pulse oximeter were recovered from a closet in the next room," Calmes wrote.

An oxygen tank was found near where Jackson slept, but it was empty when the coroner investigator checked it two weeks after Jackson died, Calmes said.

"Multiple opened bottles of propofol were found with small amounts of remaining drugs," Calmes said. "A used bottle should be discarded six hours after opening, to avoid possible bacterial growth."

"The level of propofol found on toxicology exam are similar to those found during general anesthesia for major surgery," Calmes said.

During such surgery, any patient would be "intubated and ventilated by an anesthesiologist," she said.

The consultant's report said that the level of lorazepam found in Jackson "would have accentuated the respiratory and cardiovascular depression from propofol."


Sources: CNN, CBS News

Evan Muncie Found Alive 4 Weeks Later In Haitian Rubble; Miracles!

Haitian Man May Have Survived 4 weeks In Rubble


A man pulled alive from the rubble of a building in Haiti's capital Monday may have been trapped since the January 12 quake that leveled much of the city, doctors reported.

The 28-year-old man, identified as Evan Muncie, was found in the wreckage of a market where he sold rice, his family told staff at a University of Miami field hospital. He suffered from extreme dehydration and malnutrition, but did not appear to have significant crushing injuries, the doctors said.

"He was emaciated. He hadn't had anything in quite some time. He had open wounds that were festering on both of his feet," said Dr. Mike Connelly, of the university's Project Medishare.

The people who brought him to the hospital said they found the man while digging out the marketplace, Connelly said.

iReporter Michael Andrew brought Muncie's story to light while working with the 82nd Canadian Naval unit.

The man told doctors that someone was bringing him water while he was trapped, but doctors told CNN that he sounded confused and at times appeared to believe he was still under the rubble. Connelly said the man must have had some water during the past month to have survived, but Connelly wasn't sure how he would have had access to it.

"Initially, I'm sure he had his senses with him, so maybe he was able to find some kind of resources," Connelly told CNN.

The discovery came nearly a month after the magnitude-7.0 earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince on January 12. More than 200,000 deaths have been blamed on the quake.

Haiti's government declared search-and-rescue efforts over on January 23, but survivors still were being unearthed as late as January 27.


Sources: CNN