“Chuck and Huck” …

Sometimes it’s just too easy, folks ... more on the latest dynamic duo later ...

Today’s Buzz ...
I’ve got news terrific news to share, but first to Monday night’s program (with John King filling in) ...



“Castle” doctrine: Apparently in Texas, some people believe that there is some form of ‘extended proximity’ clause to this newly enacted statute. Yes, the law does have provisions to account for individuals protecting their own property against burglary, robbery and other forms of invasion and/or theft. What happened when Joe Horn shot and killed Miguel Antonio Jesus and Diego Ortiz may not end up fitting into that category, as they were in the midst of robbing the home of one of Horn’s neighbors. It will be interesting to see what the grand jury determines in this case, in so far as any charges to be brought against Mr. Horn. And as an aside, the 911 operator’s handling of this situation should be benchmarked for use as standard training throughout the country!




Travel Weather: From the sight of all those planes still in the air (on the map below) as of about 10:15 EST last night, it doesn’t bode well for “easy going” this holiday weekend. If you’re spending any amount of time in an airport, bring your iPod, a good book and an extra ounce of patience – you’ll need it!!




Iowa & NH Poll momentum: New political polls were out yesterday, with some surprises. John King interviewed David Gergen to get his perspective during this segment. Mitt Romney is gaining ground in New Hampshire – possibly proving that money can buy support – and Barack Obama is ahead in a statistical ‘dead heat’ in Iowa. Both camps are surely pleased with this news – but I was left wondering about the ‘white hot’ spotlight that is being put on these two states. How much can their results be counted on to give a needed ‘surge’ (no, not the military kind) to any specific campaign? Wasn’t John McCain derailed in South Carolina in 2000? What will be the media’s role on January 4th – and whenever the day after the NH primary ends up being? (NH hasn’t decided on its primary date yet – seriously!) I think the difference this time may be that “Super Tuesday” is SO much more vital in this process – flawed as it is, and some of it has to do with that very item. The graphics at the top of this section show that this is (so far) going to be one interesting race!



The language of autism: I learned more about autism in 25 minutes from this segment than I’ve ever known before. I now see this affliction from a completely different perspective. I had begun to read more about it, as it’s now diagnosed in one out of every 150 children. That’s much too high a statistic to have it continue to be brushed aside as simply another form of mental retardation, when many times it’s anything but that. And Amanda Baggs is a living example of breaking through stereotypes that many (many) people have about autism. Communicating solely through movements and gestures isn’t as understood as it should be. We have sign language for those who are deaf, and Braille for those who are blind. Technological advances with computers and voice synthesizers have opened up a whole new world for many autistics, who are now able to communicate with others in a manner that’s more easily understood. Although I must admit that from a logical perspective, I was still concerned about basic safety when it comes to Amanda living independently. What would happen if she were robbed? It seems that she has a dog, which I’m sure provides some level of protection, but how would she dial 9-1-1 and be able to communicate her need for help? The segment didn’t address that form of communication – and I hope that the longer version of Sanjay’s report (which I assume will be aired on Friday from the promo given by John King) might address situations like that.




But I was so inspired by her courage and her insight and her vision of what she wants her life to be like – “defining herself”. We all struggle with that – can you imagine having the capacity to be able to plan what your life goals are, and then not being able to communicate your needs and desires in any way that makes sense to others? Here’s my “take-away” quote so far from this extraordinary story – Sanjay asks: “What is freedom?” Amanda’s answer: “To live things better than we dream”. Amazing.



Chuck and Huck: There was a time (OK – a few moments here and there) when I thought that Mike Huckabee might have more than a bit of common sense. That time has now passed – and unless the campaign ad we saw last night on “Raw Politics” is a hoax – here’s why. Chuck Norris – martial arts legend (?) and TV/Film star (?) – recently ‘endorsed’ Governor Huckabee. Huck has taken this endorsement and turned it into a TV ad, appearing with Chuck, and stating: “My plan to secure the border. Two Words: Chuck Norris. Chuck Norris doesn’t endorse. He tells America how it’s going to be.” Insert laugh track :: here :: Oh, wait – there’s no laugh track on “Raw Politics”. Maybe Tom Foreman should consider one? Nah – he’s amusing enough on his own – willing to put down a whole dollar that John King could take Chuck in an arm wrestling match. Well, Chuck isn’t a young ‘whipper-snapper’ anymore ... maybe Tom shouldn’t have wasted the bill in the candy machine (according to JK) ...




NOW – if you’ve been patient enough to actually read through my musings, here’s the terrific news: I was fortunate enough yesterday to be able to have a telephone interview with Soledad O’Brien!! As a working mother with four young children, her time is very limited, so I’m especially appreciative of the almost 45 minutes she spent yesterday afternoon to answer questions. It ended up being a rather ‘last-minute’ arrangement, as I had originally contacted her a few weeks ago, but she had some spare moments yesterday after running an errand, after checking into her hotel, after her flight ... you get the picture! I had originally planned to post the Q&A this coming weekend, but since people (including myself) will be busy with the holiday, and shopping, and trytophan recovery – I’ve decided to wait until next Monday and Tuesday – that will also allow a little extra time for me to write up some background info (beyond the current bio), as we only had time to discuss her work with CNN, and I wasn’t able to ask about her NBC experiences. The one comment I’d like to make right now is that Soledad was so congenial, and open, and truly caring about so many important issues – it was a total pleasure to have a chance to be able to hear her express her thoughts – it was like talking to an old friend! I hope that you’ll enjoy reading what she has to say – stay tuned!!

tonight on Anderson Cooper 360°:


Thanks for visiting – updates posted as needed – have a terrific day!