Condi Gets Bashed, Selling The Surge, A Violence Spike In New Orleans, Drew Griffin Updates On Pensions, And A Stem Cell Vote (Thursday's First Hour)

Hello everyone. We're live from the Ninth Ward in New Orleans tonight and I am so excited that they're back. It's been way too long. Anderson starts the show by giving us a mini tour around his live shot area and pointing out the devastation. Usually I'd be giggling over how he always has to touch everything, but all I can think is that it's been over a year and it looks the same. WTF? WTF? WTF? Sorry. But...WTF? There's not even a word for this. Oh wait, yes there is: unacceptable. And we call ourselves the greatest country on the planet? I...I honestly don't have anything to say. What can you say?

On to a Dana Bash piece that recaps Condi Rice's no good very bad day. She addressed Congress today and in the process got verbally bitchslapped up and down over Iraq by members from both parties. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee that she spoke with has 21 members and not one supports the surge. Tough room. However, things were a little better for her in the House, but just a little. We then move to a John King piece on Bush's lonely road to sell the war and surge. It is noted that he ignores everyone and this could eventually result in a constitutional crisis. Following his piece John joins us live and Anderson wants to know if there is a plan B. John gives some theories, but notes that most think if this doesn't work he'll just try again. That sounds about right. He totals the car, but still continues to try to drive through that brick wall. Then Anderson asks if we know exactly when they discovered things weren't working. John tells us that they say it was a cumulative process, but they were keeping it to themselves. Then once they lost Congress it didn't matter anymore to keep it secret. Okay, WTF? If that's true then they just let people die on purpose. That's criminal. That's evil. God I wish someday these people would be held accountable. But they won't be. Not on this earth anyway.

Transitioning now to an Anderson piece about the march on City Hall in New Orleans. Murders in the city are out of control with eight occurring in the past 10 days. The people have had enough. The protestors carry pictures of those lost and they say that the mayor is not doing enough. Nagin had actually hoped to address the crowd, but was denied. Oh diss! They said that the march was an opportunity for them to talk to him and he'd get his chance at his own press conference. That's right! This brings us to a Randi Kaye piece on one of the recent murders. Filmmaker Helen Hill was shot to death in her home during a burglary while her husband protected their infant son with his body. He himself was shot three times and was found holding the baby who was uninjured. He is now moving to Canada and won't ever go back to New Orleans. This story is just horrific. You're suppose to be safe in your own home. Now the national guard has been called back into the city to back up the police, but the murder rate still climbs. Actually the murder rate is climbing everywhere. My own city was not long ago awarded the dubious honor of being the most dangerous city in the country, though we St. Louisans dispute that. Obviously something needs to be done, specifically in New Orleans, but also the country as a whole.

Next up Anderson has a taped interview with mayor Ray Nagin. He notes that people hear the mayor saying the words, but not doing any action. Nagin then spins and notes that resources are an issue and the criminal system was broken prior to Katrina. I sort of feel for Nagin because he's in an impossible situation, but then again, what has he done? It's been 500 days and if he was competent I think we'd be seeing better results. After this, Bart Everson, friend of Helen Hill, and Newsweek contributer Julia Reed join Anderson live. Bart notes that he is angry at officials, but also at himself because they allowed this to happen. That's pretty much how I feel about the state of the country. I'm furious at where Bush and company have taken us, but in the end, we let him do it. Julia says they can hold public officials accountable and notes that the deaths of two popular citizens (the other being musician Dinerral Shavers) has ignited the populous, especially since one was white and one was black. Bart then recounts a story of a friend being stopped by the police and tells us that he's scared they're descending into a police state.

Transitioning now to another Drew Griffin update on the pension story. He's just a busy little investigative bee, isn't he? I kind of love it. Anyway, he got nowhere in finding out who killed the committee bill that would have stopped congressional criminals from getting pensions. However, an emailer pointed out that if the committee just let the bill die than they were all responsible and CNN should name all of them. Drew then does just that. This is all very good, but please tell me they didn't need an emailer to tell them to do this. Drew then talks with a couple of the committee members to ask why they didn't vote on it and guess what? They can't seem to remember. Shocker. They also give the unbelievable answer that last year ethics weren't a big issue. And apparently it wasn't just last year. Get this; there's actually a picture of a convicted congressman on the wall of the house ways and means room. Good Lord. Anyway my hats off to CNN for going at this so hard. It looks like there's a real chance this might go somewhere and it's because of them. See what power you guys have? This is why I get so mad at you sometimes. After the piece Anderson asks us if we wished that congresspeople kept diaries since they can't seem to remember anything. Um, no. They'd end up on the internet and then we'd never hear the end of whatever sordid affairs they contained. Also Anderson, they didn't "forget". But I think you know that already.

On now to a Joe Johns "Keeping Them Honest" piece. Man, he's been a busy little bee lately too. I'm sorry, I just can't get enough of this accountability stuff. The 100 hour clock is still ticking and today the topic was stem cell research, which has basically become a proxy fight over abortion. Unfortunately supporters were unable to get enough votes for a veto proof bill, so this issue is still at an impass. At least they tried. After this we're shown some clips of Anderson interviewing Michael J. Fox before the November election about stem cell research. That's it for the hour. They're on a roll. A-

Screencaps by liberation337 and stillife.

What's your theory on Bush and the war? Does he really still believe in it or is he just buying time until he's out of office? Has anyone been to New Orleans recently? Stories?