Michael Jackson with the Congresional Black Caucus

Michael Jackson meeting with Congressional Black Caucus Members of Congress 3/30/2004 The above photo was a briefing on AIDS in Africa. (photo by LaDeidra Drummond)

Michael Jackson viewing Friday at Neverland Ranch

According to CNN, Michael Jackson's body will return to his Neverland Ranch on Thursday morning for a public viewing this coming Friday. His body will return to his Neverland Ranch for a public viewing on Friday. Jackson's brothers Jackie, Jermaine and Tito visited the grounds over the weekend and a delivery truck was spotted there Tuesday dropping off boxes. A private memorial service is slated for Sunday.

Live Radio Broadcast of the Michael Jackson special from the Apollo Theater 1-4p eastern (click here)

Live Radio broadcast of the Michael Jackson special from the Apollo Theater in New York (1-4p eastern).
Link: http://sharptontalk.net/

Janet Jackson thanks Michael Jackson's fans - click here

Janet speaks at the 2009 BET Awards last night: http://www.urbaninsite.com/?p=2310

Michael Jackson's father Joseph speaks out (click here)

Joseph Jackson speaks....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7im37UtGHkA

Lawyer For Doctor: Jackson Had Pulse When Found

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson still had a faint pulse and his body was warm when his doctor found him in bed and not breathing, a lawyer for the doctor told The Associated Press on Sunday.

Lawyer Edward Chernoff also said Dr. Conrad Murray never prescribed or gave Jackson the drugs Demerol or OxyContin. He denied reports suggesting Murray gave Jackson drugs that contributed to his death.

Chernoff told the AP that Murray was at the pop icon’s rented mansion on Thursday afternoon when he discovered Jackson in bed and not breathing. The doctor immediately began administering CPR, Chernoff said.

“He just happened to find him in his bed, and he wasn’t breathing,” the lawyer said. “Mr. Jackson was still warm and had a pulse.”

Chernoff said any drugs the doctor gave Jackson were prescribed in response to a specific complaint from the entertainer.

“Dr. Murray has never prescribed nor administered Demerol to Michael Jackson,” Chernoff said. “Not ever. Not that day. … Not Oxycontin (either) for that matter.”

Paramedics were called to the mansion while the doctor was performing CPR, according to a recording of the 911 call. Medics spent three-quarters of an hour trying to revive Jackson. He was pronounced dead later at UCLA Medical Center.

Bernard Madoff sentenced

story by AP

NEW YORK - Convicted Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison Monday for a fraud so extensive that the judge said he needed to send a message to potential imitators and to victims who demanded harsh punishment.

Scattered applause and whoops broke out in the crowded Manhattan courtroom after U.S. District Judge Denny Chin issued the maximum sentence to the 71-year-old defendant, who said he lives “in a tormented state now, knowing all the pain and suffering I’ve created.”

Chin rejected a request by Madoff’s lawyer for leniency and said he disagreed that victims of the Ponzi scheme were seeking mob vengeance.

The Talent Show featuring the Jackson Five dancers (o:

The year was 1971.

I was in the 5th grade at Faith Lutheran "Morningside" Elementary School in Inglewood, California, which went up to the 8th grade. A small majority African-American school where two grades shared a classroom. The 1st and 2nd graders were in one class of roughly 30 kids, and the same with the 3rd and 4th graders, 5th and 6th graders, and the 7th and 8th graders.

The school year end talent show was coming up, and five of us in the 5th and 6th grade decided to win...I mean "enter". The participants were Kevin Jackson 6th grade, Andre Love 6th, David Walker 6th, Craig Cheltenham 5th, and me, Kirk Tanter 5th grade. The competition was against, for the most part, the dreaded 7th and 8th graders. The five of us would rehearse after school in the empty 1st grade classroom, which was more roomy, for several weeks. Andre Love led the group teaching us all of the Jackson Five steps. It turned out that without the video camera age of today back in 1971, that Andre Love had memorized all the Jackson Five steps "exactly" for the three J5 songs we danced to, which were:

1. The Love You Save
2. I Want You Back
3. I Bet You.

To this day Kevin Jackson and I, whom remain the best of friends since 1971, still talk about how did Andre Love remember all those Jackson Five steps for the three songs "exactly" as the Jackson Five did these songs on TV and on stage.

Showtime came and we were ready. We had a dress rehearsal, along with our two dreaded main competitors, the 7th and 8th grade boy group led by Zackery Parker danced to the Tempatations; and the 7th and 8th girls group led by Charmaine Jackson danced to the Supremes hits. In the dress reheasal, strobe lights were used for all the groups, including ours. The 7th and 8th grade boys however owned the strobe lights, that really gave all of us that concert feel in the dark auditorium. We danced to our three Jackson Five songs without missing a step, and finished to a roaring reception by the committee putting on the show. Our reception was noticably a much bigger reception than our higher grade competitors. The strobe lights in the dark auditorium made our Jackson Five steps shine even brighter. Needless to say, we knew then that we were the best and should win this talent show hands down.

Well, well, well...the next day was the talent show with the entire school in attendance for the special year-end assembly. We were first up, and bewilderedly began our dance steps to "I Want You Back", "The Love you Save", and "I Bet You". Why bewildered? Well, well, well...guess what? Yes, you may have guessed it, the stinken 7th and 8th grade boys removed the strobe lights from our performance. We had no strobe lights, as we did the day before during rehearsal -- where we clearly kicked butt. Nonetheless, we aced the Jackson Five steps and the entire school of kids still went wild, despite the 7th and 8th grade crooks.

The 7th and 8th grade girls group dancing to the Supremes 'were' allowed to use the strobe lights. Then the boys group from the 7th and 8th grade class closed the show out using the strobe lights, plus added a few more color lights than even the girls had. Despite the fantastic glittered look from the strobe lights for both our upper class groups, the kids did not roar as load for them as they did for us. The reason, I believe, was authenticity. Us 5th and 6th grade dancers, were more the Jackson Five than our competitors were the Temptations or the Supremes. I am not BS'ing you, Andre Love chereographed our steps to be "exactly" like the Jackson Five. We would later see the Jackson Five on television doing exactly what we did. And remember, in 1971 the Jackson Five were the hottest thing on the planet in the midst of record-breaking four number one songs in a role. Girlfriends came quickly for all of us after that talent show, including some of the admiring 7th and 8th grade girls (o:

Well readers, here were the results. Mind you that the judges were all from the 7th and 8th grade class that put on the talent show with a few teachers. "Their vote" went as follows:
1st place - 7th/8th grade boys dancing to the Temptations.
2nd place - 7th/8th grade girls dancing to the Supremes.
3rd place - 5th/6th grade boys dancing to the Jackson Five.

The audience literally screamed resoundedly in dis-belief. The vote was obviously rigged. We were robbed. And we were devastated for days to come, and we let those upper class fools know. We held our heads high though, knowing that we won and had arrived.

It was not too different than the real Jackson Five arriving on the Motown scene in 1969. A Motown that was dominated by the Tempatations, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Marvelettes, Vandellas, and the Miracles for many a year before the arrival of the Jackson Five. Many say that the Jackson Five had saved Motown, as the aforementioned groups had already had their heyday of hits and collectively over the hill. It was during those first three years (1969, 70, and 71) that the Jackson Five had four consecutive number one hits in a roll. No one had ever matched that feat of a new act having four straight singles top the charts.

Needless to say, the death of Michael Jackson saddened me greatly to the point of crying four seperate times the night of Michael Jackson's death. As a 4th, 5th, and 6th grader, I was actively a fan; a collector of unique J5 pictures from 'Right On' magazine; regular fanatic viewer of the eventual Jackson Five Saturday morning cartoons; and, of course, a dancing participant (in that 1971 school talent show) from the very beginning...and so was every kid in my class and throughout America.

Michael Jackson's growth since those early Jackson Five days was even more phenomenal. Seeing Michael Jackson dominate from the late 70's through the early 90's cemented my early notion that the Jackson Five -- with Michael Jackson as lead singer -- was the best entertainment that hit the planet. Though I was a huge fan of the Temptations, Supremes, Vandellas, Little Anthony an the Imperials, Miracles, Delfonics, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Joe Tex, Elvis, and Beatles fan...once the Jackson Five hit the scene, I knew that the J5 were the "IT" that no one could top.

And when Michael Jackson went solo -- especially from the "Off the Wall", "Thriller", "Bad", and "Dangerous" album projects -- I knew that Michael Jackson's complete body of work topped everyone before him. Yes better than the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., James Brown, Bing Crosby, and Aretha Franklin. The combination of Michael Jackson as the best balladeer, smooth, and upbeat singer; the best performer; best dancer; best visionary; and best choreographer cannot be topped. Michael Jackson is the greatest entertainer, recording artist, and humanitarian of all time....PERIOD.

I think Andre Love, Kevin Jackson, David Walker, and Craig Cheltenham from that 'famous' 5th and 6th grade dance group performing to the Jackson Five hits, would most certainly agree with me here:

Michael Jackson is the greatest entertainer, and best recording artist that ever lived!!!

Michael Jackson's You Tube site (click here)

Michael Jackson's You Tube site....link below:
http://www.youtube.com/user/michaeljackson?blend=5&ob=4

Link to CNN's comprehensive Michael Jackson stories (click here)

Link below to dozens of CNN's Michael Jackson stories:
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/michael.jackson/

Best-Selling Albums/CD's Worldwide - Michael Jackson #1

Over 100 million copies
1. Michael Jackson - Thriller 1982

40–49 million copies
1. AC/DC - Back in Black 1980
2. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon 1973
3. Meat Loaf - Bat out of Hell 1977
4. Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) 1976
5. Various artists - Dirty Dancing 1987
6. Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard 1992
7. Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Phantom of the Opera 1986
8. Backstreet Boys - Millennium 1999
9. Bee Gees / Various artists - Saturday Night Fever 1977
10. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours 1977

31–39 million copies
1. Shania Twain - Come on Over 1997
2. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV 1971
3. Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill 1995
4. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1967
5. Céline Dion - Falling into You 1996
6. Mariah Carey - Music Box 1993
7. Michael Jackson - Dangerous 1991
8. The Beatles - 1 2000
9. Celine Dion - Let's Talk About Love 1997

26–30 million copies
1. Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys 1997
2. The Beatles - Abbey Road 1969
3. Bee Gees - Spirits Having Flown 1979
4. Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. 1984
5. James Horner - Titanic 1997
6. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms 1985
7. Michael Jackson - Bad 1987
8. Various artists - Grease 1978
9. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet 1986
10, Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction 1987
11. ABBA - ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits 1992
12. Hootie & the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View 1994
13. Nirvana - Nevermind 1991

20–25 million copies
1. Britney Spears - Baby One More Time 1999
2. Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 1968
3. Mariah Carey - Daydream 1995
4. Queen - Greatest Hits 1981
5. Santana - Supernatural 1999
6. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water 1970
7. U2 - The Joshua Tree 1987
8. Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston 1985
9. Backstreet Boys - Black & Blue 2000
10. Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory 2000
11. Madonna - True Blue 1986
12. Ace of Base - Happy Nation/The Sign 1994
13. Spice Girls - Spice 1996
14. Carole King - Tapestry 1971
15. Madonna - The Immaculate Collection 1990
16. Metallica - Metallica 1991
17. Dido - No Angel 1999
18. Madonna - Like A Virgin 1984
19. Billy Ray Cyrus - Some Gave All 1992
20. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers 1984
21. Britney Spears - Oops!... I Did It Again 2000
22. Blondie - Parallel Lines 1978
23. Céline Dion - The Colour of My Love 1993
24. Cher - Believe 1999
25. Def Leppard - Hysteria 1987
26. George Michael - Faith 1987
27. Janet Jackson - janet. 1993
28. Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down 1983
29. Michael Jackson - HIStory: Past, Present and Future - Book I 1995
30. Michael Jackson - Off the Wall 1979
31. Norah Jones - Come Away With Me 2002
32. Prince & the Revolution - Purple Rain 1984
33. Shakira - Laundry Service 2001
34. Spice Girls - Spiceworld 1997
35. Tina Turner - Private Dancer 1984
36. Usher - Confessions 2004

Janet Jackson arrives at Michael Jackson's Bel-Air estate

story by AP

AP writer NEKESA MUMBI MOODY,

LOS ANGELES – Janet Jackson arrived at her brother Michael Jackson's Holmby Hills estate Saturday, where moving vans arrived earlier in the day.

Janet Jackson, wearing dark glasses, drove up in a Bentley and went directly to the estate. About eight movers had taken dollies and packing equipment through the gates. It wasn't immediately known what was being taken out.

Most of Michael Jackson's family members had gathered in their Encino compound, where they are contemplating funeral arrangements and caring for his three children. They are feeling confused, upset and angry by the lack of information about those who were around the pop superstar in his final days, a person close to the family told The Associated Press.

Jackson's family wants to know more specifics about what role AEG, the concert promoter that was staging his 50-date concert series at London's 02 Arena, was playing in his life, said the person, who requested anonymity because of the delicate nature of the situation. They also want to know more about the role of his advisers and representatives, who they believe were put in place by the promoter.

AEG spokeswoman Natalie Whorms in London had no comment Saturday.

Jackson never communicated to his family who he had in place to handle his business affairs, the person said, adding that they were told by the singer's phalanx of advisers that he likely had a will, but it may be many years old. The family is distrustful of what they are being told — but they are determined to find out more, the person said.

"There are decisions going down without the family being in the loop; it's becoming an issue," the person said.

Randy Phillips, AEG Live president and chief executive, said earlier Friday that it was Jackson who insisted that Dr. Conrad Murray, a financially troubled cardiologist who was with the entertainer when he collapsed Thursday, be put on the tour payroll.

"As a company, we would have preferred not having a physician on staff full-time because it would have been cheaper without the hotels and travel, but Michael was insistent that he be hired," Phillips said. "Michael said he had a rapport with him."

Jackson collapsed Thursday at his rented home in Los Angeles. Police seized Murray's car in search of evidence, but have insisted that the doctor has been cooperative and do not consider him a criminal suspect.

Records reveal years of financial troubles for Murray, who practices medicine in California, Nevada and Texas; his Nevada medical practice, Global Cardiovascular Associates, was slapped with more than $400,000 in court judgments, and he faces at least two other pending cases and several tax liens.

The person close to the family said that while there were reports that the singer was distant from his family, Jackson spoke with his mother, Katherine, quite regularly and his father, Joe, had seen his son shortly before his death. His other eight siblings, including fellow superstar Janet, may not have talked to him recently but were not estranged.

Much of the family was holed up Friday inside the Jackson family's Encino compound, including his three children, according to the person, who described them as doing "pretty good."

"I don't think it's fully set in yet," the person said.

The pop star left behind three children: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7. The elder children were born to ex-wife Deborah Rowe, while the youngest is his biological son, born to a surrogate mother.

Rowe and Jackson married in 1996 and divorced in 1999.

No family members were present in the mansion when Jackson died Thursday, the person close to the family said. In the 911 call released by fire officials Friday, an unidentified caller tells a dispatcher that Jackson's doctor is performing CPR.

Asked by the dispatcher whether anyone saw what happened, the caller answers: "No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor has been the only one there."

Coroner's officials said they released Jackson's body to his family late Friday night. The family is still trying to determine what kind of memorial to have for Jackson and when, and are debating between the idea of having a private ceremony or a grand celebration open to the public, the person close to the family said.

Jackson appeared to have suffered a heart attack, another person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity told the AP on Friday. A heart attack is a blocking of the arteries that deprives the heart of adequate blood and can cause cardiac arrest.

Jackson's brother Jermaine said Thursday that it was believed the pop singer went into cardiac arrest, an interruption of the normal heartbeat that can be caused by factors other than heart attack.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office, which completed its autopsy Friday, said there were no signs of foul play or trauma, but determining the cause of death will require further tests that will take six to eight weeks.

Phillips said AEG Live held multiple insurance policies covering cancellation of the shows, and that some time in February Jackson submitted to several hours of physicals that the insurance underwriter insisted upon, and that Jackson passed them all.

"We had pretty good coverage, but a lot of it is going to depend on the toxicology results," he said. "We need to know what the cause of death was."

___

AP Writers Beth Harris and Mike Blood in Los Angeles and Shawn Pogatchnik in London contributed to this report.

Michael Jackson was energetic and upbeat about his London concerts

story by AP

The King of Pop seemed driven and upbeat in the weeks, even hours, before his death as he rehearsed rigorously for a series of 50 concerts in London that were to begin a late-career comeback.

Friends and colleagues said Friday that Jackson appeared in recent months to be rejuvenated by the prospect of performing again.

After years of seclusion following a child sex scandal, the pop icon was heavily involved in all aspects of the concert rehearsals. He had hired a personal trainer and was practicing with backup dancers and choreographers several hours a day, they said.

"He was working hard, setting the example, overseeing the choreography, kicking butt and taking names," said Johnny Caswell, president of CenterStaging Musical Productions Inc., a Burbank sound stage where Jackson rehearsed until late May. "He was ready to blow everybody out of the water. This was going to be the biggest extravaganza, entertainment spectacle ever."

Jackson was involved in all areas of planning, including watching auditions and choosing the backup dancers who would appear with him, said Maryss Courchinoux, a 29-year-old dancer from Paris who sought a place on stage with Jackson.

Courchinoux said she had been selected as a backup dancer for the London concerts and had been fitted for a costume. She had been invited to Thursday's rehearsal in Los Angeles to meet Jackson and watch the practice to help prepare for her role, she said.

On the same day, Jackson was pronounced dead after collapsing at his home in Holmby Hills, a swanky neighborhood near Bel Air.

Courchinoux recounted how Jackson was in the audience as she auditioned in April, when she performed a set routine and then was asked to do freestyle dances — a hip-hop style called "pop-ins."

From the stage, she could make out Jackson's profile and his glasses where he sat in the empty auditorium. Friends later told her that Jackson jumped up and applauded after her group performed.

"I knew it was him, and I knew I was in his presence," she said. "In a way, I feel blessed that we got to dance in his presence, and I was looking forward to meeting him yesterday," she said, choking back tears.

"It was my dream since I was six years old. I guess there was a different plan."

Rehearsals for the tour began in late March, Caswell said.

Jackson and his choreographers, band and dancers took over about four of the 11 studios at Centerstaging. Jackson would wander in and out of the studios, keeping tabs on the work and would often sit on a large black leather couch and listen to the band practice.

He frequently offered band members suggestions and took an interest in the mixing levels for the concert's soundtrack, according to those who worked with him at the sound stage. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they had signed confidentiality agreements.

Caswell and other workers at the studio said Jackson would arrive in an SUV, with another vehicle following, about four or five times a week. One of the SUVs ferried Jackson, but the second was to fake out the paparazzi and European fans who flocked outside the studio's doors. Jackson, an infamous recluse, would always crack a window and allow fans to pass CDs in for him to autograph.

"There would be tons of fans — European fans — they weren't sharing the information with anyone else that he was coming here with anyone else. They didn't want to spoil the exclusivity," Caswell said.

Max Miller, a dispatch manager at the studios, said he saw the singer work on a transition routine between two songs.

Miller's team aimed a spotlight at the stage area as Jackson, wearing a black suit, practiced the moves with no music and just a metronome clicking.

"He was totally dancing like top-notch. He seemed totally good," Miller said. "He seemed totally cool and really focused."

As focused as energized as he was in Burbank, Jackson seemed even more excited about his comeback as the concert date approached.

He recently moved his rehearsals to The Forum, the Los Angeles Lakers' former arena in Inglewood, and ultimately to the Staples Center, where he was rehearsing daily, sometimes for hours.

Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of Grammy Awards, said he met Jackson there on Wednesday for a business meeting and spoke to him for about 20 minutes before Jackson invited him to watch him rehearse.

Ehrlich, who has known Jackson for years, said he was amazed by the singer's vitality and focus as he practiced moves with backup dancers and a handful of choreographers.

The choreographers walked him through moves and gave him stage directions. They also introduced him to some new props and appeared to be working with Jackson to incorporate them into the show.

"Michael was digesting it all. He was learning, but even with that, there were times during the songs where his singing was full out," Ehrlich said. "I would watch him move across the floor like the Michael of old. I was convinced (the comeback) was going to be the Michael of old."

Ehrlich said he left after watching Jackson work through five or six numbers, but got chills from watching him — a memory that seems especially precious now. The star showed no signs that he would die less than 24 hours later, he said.

"There was this one moment, he was moving across the stage and he was doing these trademark Michael moves, and I know I got this big grin on my face, and I started thinking to myself, 'You know, it's been years since I've seen that,'" he said.

"There was that Michael that was just like no one else and no one else could touch," he said. "The shame is that new generation won't see that — but we all came close to being able to see it again."

___

Associated Press writers Lynn Elber, Raquel Maria Dillon, Beth Harris, Solvej Schou and Thomas Watkins contributed to this report.

Memorable Pictures of Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson's Doctor is missing

story by TMZ

We've learned law enforcement is looking for a doctor who lived at Michael Jackson's home -- and the doctor is nowhere to be found.

Law enforcement sources tell us a BMW belonging to the doctor was towed from Jackson's home last night.

Cops are looking to interview the doc.

A law enforcement source says the doctor gave Jackson an injection before he died.

Jackson reportedly may have OD'd on Demerol. As we first reported, family members were concerned that Jackson was taking too much morphine.

Michael Jackson Memories

photo by Getty Images' Frank Barratt of Michael Jackson with his brothers

photo above by AP of Michael Jackson as a kid

photo above by AP of Michael Jackson as a young teenager

photo by AP of Michael Jackson and his first wife Lisa Marie Presley



photo above by AP of Michael Jackson the performer



photo above by Reuters of Michael Jackson and late Ed Bradley

photo above by LA Times' Ken Hively of Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones

photo above by Getty Images's Dave Hogan of Michael Jackson's London 2009 "This is It" tour announcement

Michael Jackson dies at UCLA Hospital

photo left by AP

story below by AP

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY and DERRIK J. LANG,

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson, the sensationally gifted child star who rose to become the "King of Pop" and the biggest celebrity in the world only to fall from his throne in a freakish series of scandals, died Thursday, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press. He was 50.

The person said Jackson died in a Los Angeles hospital. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity.

The circumstances of his death were not immediately clear. Jackson was not breathing when Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics responded to a call at his Los Angeles home about 12:30 p.m., Capt. Steve Ruda told the Los Angeles Times. The paramedics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda told the newspaper.

Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

His 1982 album "Thriller" — which included the blockbuster hits "Beat It," "Billie Jean" and "Thriller" — remains the biggest-selling album of all time, with more than 26 million copies.

He was perhaps the most exciting performer of his generation, known for his feverish, crotch-grabbing dance moves and his high-pitched voice punctuated with squeals and titters. His single sequined glove, tight, military-style jacket and aviator sunglasses were trademarks second only to his ever-changing, surgically altered appearance.

By some measures, he ranked alongside Elvis Presley and the Beatles as the biggest pop sensations of all time. In fact, he united two of music's biggest names when he was briefly married to Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie.

As years went by, he became an increasingly freakish figure — a middle-aged man-child weirdly out of touch with grownup life. His skin became lighter, his nose narrower, and he spoke in a breathy, girlish voice. He surrounded himself with children at his Neverland ranch, often wore a germ mask while traveling and kept a pet chimpanzee named Bubbles as one of his closest companions.

In 2005, he was cleared of charges he molested a 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland in 2003. He had been accused of plying the boy with alcohol and groping him. The case took a fearsome toll on his career and image, and he fell into serious financial trouble.

Jackson was preparing for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13. He was in rehearsals in Los Angeles for the concert, an extravaganza that was to capture the classic Jackson magic: showstopping dance moves, elaborate staging and throbbing dance beats.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital as word of his death spread. The emergency entrance at the UCLA Medical Center, which is near Jackson's rented home, was roped off with police tape.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Jackson has just died," a woman boarding a Manhattan bus called out, shortly after the news was annunced. Immediately many riders reached for their cell phones.

In New York's Times Square, a low groan went up in the crowd when a screen flashed that Jackson had died, and people began relaying the news to friends by cell phone.

"No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow," Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend sent to his telephone. "It's like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died."

Michael Jackson rushed to the hospital \\\ NOW LA TIMES reports Michael Jackson is dead \\\ CNN reports LA Coroner confirms Michael Jackson's death

photo above by X17online.com of Michael Jackson at UCLA Medical Center

4:20 pacific time - CNN reports that the LA Coroner confirms Micheal Jackson death

according to the LA Times below
Michael Jackson is dead
June 25, 2009
[Updated at 3:15 p.m pacific.: Pop star Michael Jackson was pronounced dead by doctors this afternoon after arriving at a hospital in a deep coma, city and law enforcement sources told The Times.]


according to TMZ / Jun 25th 2009 2:20PM pacific by TMZ Staff reports below...
Michael Jackson Dies
We've just learned Michael Jackson has died. He was 50.

Michael suffered a cardiac arrest earlier this afternoon at his Holmby Hills home and paramedics were unable to revive him (picture right by TMZ). We're told when paramedics arrived Jackson had no pulse and they never got a pulse back.

A source tells us Jackson was dead when paramedics arrived. A cardiologist at UCLA tells TMZ Jackson died of cardiac arrest.

Once at the hospital, the staff tried to resuscitate him but he was completely unresponsive.

We're told one of the staff members at Jackson's home called 911.

La Toya ran in the hospital sobbing after Jackson was pronounced dead.

Michael is survived by three children: Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr., Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.


Updated by LA Times at 2:46 p.m. pacific: Jackson is in a coma and family have are arriving at his bedside, a law enforcement source told The Times.

Jackson was rushed to a hospital this afternoon by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

Capt. Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home around 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The parademics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda told The Times.


1:00pm pacific time
According to the LA Times Michael Jackson was "not breathing".

12:21pm pacific below story by TMZ

We've just learned Michael Jackson was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Los Angeles ... and we're told it was cardiac arrest and that paramedics administered CPR in the ambulance.

He was picked up at his home around 20 minutes ago -- we're told his mother is on the way to visit him.

UPDATE: The 911 call came in at 12:21PM at his Holmby Hills home in L.A.

UPDATE: A Jackson family member tells TMZ Michael is in "really bad shape" and the brothers are headed to UCLA.

UPDATE: We just got off the phone with Joe Jackson, Michael's dad, who says "he is not doing well."



12:21pm pacific below story by LA Times
written by Andrew Blankstein

Michael Jackson rushed to hospital

Pop star Michael Jackson was rushed to a hospital this afternoon by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics.

Capt. Steve Ruda said paramedics responded to a call at Jackson's home around 12:26 p.m. He was not breathing when they arrived. The parademics performed CPR and took him to UCLA Medical Center, Ruda told The Times.

[Updated at 2:12 p.m. pacific: Paramedics were called to a home on the 100 block of Carolwood Drive off Sunset Boulevard. Jackson rented the Bel Air home for $100,000 a month. It was described as a French chateau estate built in 2002 with seven bedrooms, 13 bathrooms, 12 fireplaces and a theater.

The home is about 2.5 miles or about 6 minutes, with no traffic, from UCLA Medical Center. An earlier version of this post incorrectly described the time to travel between the home and hospital as 2 minutes.]

The news comes as Jackson, 50, was attempting a comeback after years of tabloid headlines, most notably his trial and acquittal on child molestation charges.

In May, The Times reported that Jackson was living in a Bel-Air mansion and rehearsing for a series of 50 sold-out shows in London's O2 Arena. Jackson had won the backing of two billionaires to get the so-called "King of Pop" back on stage.

His backers envision the shows at AEG's O2 as an audition for a career rebirth that could ultimately encompass a three-year world tour, a new album, movies, a Graceland-like museum, musical revues in Las Vegas and Macau, and even a "Thriller" casino. Such a rebound could wipe out Jackson's massive debt.

Sanford and Sons

by Raynard Jackson

Once again we have been hit with “the BIG ONE.” The big one being another politician caught up in a sex scandal. In the immortal words of comedian Redd Foxx, “You Big Dummy!”

South Carolina governor, Mark Sanford revealed yesterday that he has been having an affair with a female in Argentina. This explains his mysterious disappearance from the state of South Carolina. Last week he disappeared for five days with no one knowing his whereabouts or how to reach him. To me, his disappearance is more concerning than the sexual affair.

His cheating on his wife should be left for him and his wife to sort out. But, for him to wantonly abandon his responsibility as governor of the state is extremely disturbing. Just last month, he left the state to travel out of the country without notifying neither the lieutenant governor nor any members of the state assembly. These acts were a total dereliction of his obligation as governor.

His behavior goes to his ability to lead and to make executive level decisions. Did he really think he could have an affair with a women in another country and it not be discovered? This is the most disturbing part of this drama.

As usual, the most hurt in situations like this is always the children. Did Governor Sanford not think about the impact this would have on his kids (if the affair was discovered)?

I knew Sanford from his days in Congress. He was part of the Republican revolution of 1994. He was always a decent person, though somewhat eccentric. He was a hard right, “family values” conservative. Again, how could he continue to talk about family values, knowing that he was living a lie?

If a person is willing to cause serious injury to his own kids, how can he be trusted to lead a state? How kids see their father treat women has an incredible impact on how they will eventually treat women. He has damaged his kids for sure. The extent of this damage will not be known for years to come. This is more problematic than his original act of betrayal.

I find Republican’s criticism of President Obama taking his wife out on a date even more ridiculous in light of this latest sex scandal. Republican’s feigned concern over the cost of taking his wife to New York for dinner and a Broadway play (they claimed to be concerned about the cost of using government jets and Secret Service details). But, these same people have not once opened their mouths about the cost of these scandals to the well being of the children of these politicians caught up in the middle of these scandals. Now, tell me who really has family values?

President Obama has shown, by his example, more family values than most of these Republicans who only talk about it. Obama’s daughters will grow up with the knowledge of how they should be treated by a man because they saw how their father treated their mother. This is true family values.

To be quite honest, I am not very concerned for Sanford nor his wife. They are adults. They can handle themselves. But, my thoughts and prayers are definitely with his four sons. For once, I hope the media will show restraint and stay away from the children. They didn’t ask to be put in the spotlight and should be left alone.

Again, what does the governor’s behavior say about his decision making abilities? I think his time would be better spent trying to heal his family, without the distractions of trying to be chief executive of a state. It would be much better for the governor to resign and focus solely on his family.

For him to continue in office is to invite further pain on his family, especially his children. There are no winners in this situation, so please put the kid’s well being first.




Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.-based political consulting/government affairs firm.

North Korea threatens US

story by AP

By HYUNG-JIN KIM, Associated Press Writer Hyung-jin Kim

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea accused Washington of seeking to "provoke a second Korean War" as the regime prepared to hold maritime military exercises off the eastern coast.

U.S. and regional authorities were watching closely for signs that North Korea might fire short- or mid-range missiles during the June 25 to July 10 timeframe cited in a no-sail ban for military drills sent to Japan's Coast Guard.

North Korea had warned previously it would fire a long-range missile as a response to U.N. Security Council condemnation of an April rocket launch seen as a cover for its ballistic missile technology.

An underground nuclear test last month drew more Security Council action: a resolution seeking to clamp down on North Korea's trading of banned arms and weapons-related material by requiring U.N. member states to request inspections of ships carrying suspected cargo.

In a first test of the new resolution, a North Korean ship suspected of transporting illicit weapons was sailing off China's coast with a U.S. destroyer close behind.

The Kang Nam, which left the North Korean port of Nampo a week ago, is believed bound for Myanmar, South Korean and U.S. officials said.

Myanmar state television downplayed the reports of a possible weapons shipment Wednesday evening, saying another North Korean vessel was expected to pick up a load of rice but that the government had no information about the Kang Nam.

A senior U.S. defense official said Wednesday that the ship had already cleared the Taiwan Strait.

He said he didn't know how much range the Kang Nam has — that is, whether or when it may need to stop in some port to refuel — but that the Kang Nam has in the past stopped in Hong Kong's port.

Another U.S. defense official said he tended to doubt reports that the Kang Nam was carrying nuclear-related equipment, saying the information officials have received seems to indicate the cargo is conventional munitions.

The U.S. officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing intelligence.

Officials said last week that they believed the ship was carrying smaller arms, though they didn't elaborate.

North Korea has said it would consider interception of its ships a declaration of war, and on Wednesday accused the U.S. of seeking to start another Korean War.

"If the U.S. imperialists start another war, the army and people of Korea will ... wipe out the aggressors on the globe once and for all," a dispatch from the official Korean Central News Agency said.

The warning came on the eve of the 59th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. The brutal fighting ended after three years in a truce in 1953, not a peace treaty, leaving the peninsula divided and in a state of war. The U.S. has 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect against an outbreak of hostilities.

On Wednesday, the top U.S. commander in South Korea, Gen. Walter Sharp, praised soldiers from U.S.-led U.N. forces who died fighting the "tyranny" of communist North Korea decades ago.

"A North Korean victory in the Korean War would have brought the nightmare of tyranny to this great land, thrusting the citizens of the Republic of Korea into a darkness that their northern counterparts have yet to emerge from," he said a commemoration ceremony Wednesday, referring to South Korea by its official name, the Republic of Korea.

Reports about possible missile launches from the North highlighted the state of tension on the Korean peninsula.

A senior South Korean government official said the no-sail ban is believed connected to North Korean plans to fire short- or mid-range missiles. He spoke on condition of anonymity, citing department policy.

Yonhap reported that the North may fire a Scud missile with a range of up to 310 miles (500 kilometers) or a short-range ground-to-ship missile with a range of 100 miles (160 kilometers) during the no-sail period.

U.S. defense and counterproliferation officials in Washington said they also expected the North to launch short- to medium-range missiles. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive intelligence.

South Korea will expedite the introduction of high-tech unmanned aerial surveillance systems and "bunker-buster" bombs in response to North Korea's provocations, the Chosun Ilbo newspaper said, citing lawmakers.

Meanwhile, a flurry of diplomatic efforts were under way to try getting North Korea to return to disarmament talks.

Russia's top nuclear envoy, Alexei Borodavkin, said after meeting with his South Korean counterpart that Moscow is open to other formats for discussion since Pyongyang has pulled out of formal six-nation negotiations.

In Beijing, top U.S. and Chinese defense officials also discussed North Korea. U.S. Defense Undersecretary Michele Flournoy was heading next to Tokyo and Seoul for talks.

South Korea has proposed high-level "consultations" to discuss North Korea with the U.S., Russia, China and Japan.

___

Associated Press writers Jae-soon Chang in Seoul, and Pauline Jelinek, Pamela Hess and Lolita Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.

Khamenei vows no retreat on Iran election result

story by Reuters

written by Zahra Hosseinian and Hossein Jaseb

TEHRAN – Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared on Wednesday that a disputed election result would stand, despite street protests that Iranian officials say Britain and the United States have incited.

(EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on their ability to report, film or take pictures in Tehran.)

The opposition refused to be bowed, with reformist cleric Mehdi Karoubi, who came last in the June 12 presidential election, calling the new government "illegitimate" and around 200 protesters braving the security crackdown near parliament.

"About 200 people have gathered near the parliament building to protest against the election result but I do not see any clashes," a witness told Reuters.

Anti-riot police and militia have largely succeeded in taking back control of the streets this week after the biggest anti-government protests since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The hardline leadership is refusing to give ground.

"I had insisted and will insist on implementing the law on the election issue," said Khamenei, the most powerful figure in Iran. "Neither the establishment nor the nation will yield to pressure at any cost."

Iran is blaming the discontent on foreign powers.

"Britain, America and the Zionist regime (Israel) were behind the recent unrest in Tehran," Interior Minister Sadeq Mahsouli said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran was weighing whether to downgrade ties with Britain after each country expelled two diplomats this week. He also announced he had "no plans" to attend a G8 meeting in Italy this week on Afghanistan.

His remarks, a day after U.S. President Barack Obama said he was "appalled and outraged" by the clampdown in Iran, provided more evidence of rising tension with the West.

Obama called Iran's accusations that Washington was stoking unrest "patently false and absurd." Britain also denies the charge.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, asked if Paris planned to cut ties with Tehran, said it had no such plans but could do so if Iran continued to expel diplomats.

Western diplomats had seen the June 25-27 Group of Eight talks as a rare chance for the G8 to discuss with regional powers such as Iran shared goals for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The unexpected upheaval in Iran has also thrown a spanner into Obama's plans to engage the Islamic Republic in a substantive dialogue over its nuclear program, which Tehran says is peaceful but which the West suspects is for bomb-making.

Security forces have clamped a tight grip on Tehran to prevent more rallies against the June 12 poll, which reformists say was rigged to return President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to power and keep out moderate former Prime Minister Mirhossein Mousavi.

DEEP DIVISIONS

The furor over the election has exposed deep rifts within Iran's political elite, with Khamenei solidly backing Ahmadinejad against Mousavi, who has the support of former presidents Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami.

Many of Iran's senior Shi'ite clerics in the holy city of Qom have stayed out of the political fray, although Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri has called for three days of national mourning from Wednesday for those killed in protests.

Montazeri was once named successor to Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, but fell out with the father of the revolution before he died in 1989. He has spent years under house arrest in Qom.

Up to 20 people have been killed in the protests, according to Iran's state English-language Press TV. Amateur footage of clashes with security men, and of some of the deaths, has been posted on the Internet and viewed around the world.

Karoubi postponed planned nationwide mourning ceremonies for the dead on Thursday because he could not find venues for the ceremonies, his website said.

Mousavi's wife, Zahra Rahnavard, demanded the immediate release of people detained since the election -- who include 25 employees of her husband's newspaper -- and criticized the presence of armed forces in the streets, his website reported.

"It is my duty to continue legal protests to preserve Iranian rights," Rahnavard, who actively campaigned with her husband before the election, was quoted as saying.

Intelligence Minister Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said some British passport-holders had been involved in "riots," Fars news agency reported. One detainee was "disguised as a journalist" and had been "collecting information needed by the enemies."

Fars said on Tuesday a Greek journalist covering the election for the Washington Times had been arrested.

Iranian allegations of foreign meddling were seen in Britain as an attempt to deflect blame for the unrest.

"I think it's a lot to do with trying to create national unity by creating a common external enemy which is traditionally the British," Claire Spencer, head of the Middle East and North Africa program at the Chatham House thinktank, told Reuters.

(Additional reporting by Parisa Hafezi, Fredrik Dahl and Hashem Kalantari; editing by Jon Hemming)

President Obama takes on insurers over government health plan

Story by AP

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and ERICA WERNER

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Tuesday squared off with the insurance lobby over industry charges that a government health plan he backs would dismantle the employer coverage Americans have relied on for a half-century and overtake the system.

The harsh exchange came after months of polite White House photo-ops at which the administration and insurers emphasized their search for common ground. It happened just when Congress seems to be floundering in its attempt to move sweeping legislation embodying Obama's top domestic priority, although leading lawmakers say they remain confident.

"If private insurers say that the marketplace provides the best quality health care ... then why is it that the government, which they say can't run anything, suddenly is going to drive them out of business?" Obama said in response to a question at a White House news conference.

"That's not logical," he scoffed, responding to an industry warning that government competition would destabilize the employer system that now covers more than 160 million people.

At issue is whether to set up a government-sponsored health insurance plan that would compete with private companies. Individuals and small businesses would get to pick either the public plan or a private one through a new kind of insurance purchasing pool called an exchange. Eventually, the exchanges could be opened to large companies as well.

"The public plan, I think, is an important tool to discipline insurance companies," Obama said.

That's not what the industry thinks.

In a letter to senators released Tuesday, the two largest industry groups warned in stark terms that a government plan would take over the system.

America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association also said they don't believe it's possible to design a government plan that can compete fairly with private companies in a revamped health care market. That particular statement seemed to be aimed at lawmakers of both parties who continue to seek a compromise on the contentious issue.

"We do not believe that it is possible to create a government plan that could operate on a level playing field," said the insurers' letter, signed by AHIP head Karen Ignagni and Scott Serota, the Blue Cross CEO. " Regardless of how it is initially structured, a government plan would use its built-in advantages to take over the health insurance market."

The industry suggested a government plan would run counter to Obama's promise that Americans can keep the coverage they have.

"A government-run plan no matter how it is initially structured would dismantle employer-based coverage, significantly increase costs for those who remain in private coverage, and add additional liabilities to the federal budget," said the letter.

Nonetheless, recent media polls have found strong public support for the idea. That has emboldened liberals, who are arguing that Democrats shouldn't compromise on a government plan. But moderate Democrats in the Senate are trying to get Republican support for nonprofit co-ops as an alternative.

Without a compromise, there's probably no chance of significant Republican backing for Obama's plan to slow increases in health care costs and expand coverage to the nearly 50 million uninsured.

Obama said he understood the legitimate concerns of insurers that private plans wouldn't be able to compete with "the government just printing money." The proposals lawmakers are debating would provide government money for start-up costs, but then require the government plan to be financed through premiums.

Insurers say the government can protect consumers through stiffer regulation.

"If we have comprehensive reform of market rules, then it would not be necessary to have any form of public plan, including co-ops," said Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for the industry.

On Capitol Hill, House Democrats pushed forward with a partisan health care bill. Meanwhile, key Senate Democrats were still laboring to achieve an elusive bipartisan compromise.

Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said senators are getting closer to their goal of holding the cost of the legislation to $1 trillion over 10 years. Although that's a huge sum, it would represent about 3 percent of the $35 trillion the United States is already expected to spend on health care over the same period.

"We're a lot closer," said Baucus after a meeting with a small group of senators from both parties that has been dubbed "the coalition of the willing." "We'll make it."

Of the five House and Senate committees working on health care, Finance is the only one that appears to have a chance at a bipartisan agreement.

The President signs into law the Kids Tobacco Legislation

The President signs the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, calling it change that's been decades in the making.

Voting Rights Act

Kirk --

In a decision announced this morning, the Supreme Court upheld the 1965 Voting Rights Act -- a law that has done more to expand and strengthen our democracy than any other.

It's good news -- but the fight to protect voting rights doesn't end there. Attacks on this critical law will not stop. And voter suppression tactics will continue to plague our elections.

I recorded a short video about the fight to protect voting rights -- watch and share it today.

In the wake of an historic election, it's easy to reflect on how far we've come. But our democracy is still a work in progress.

I learned that first-hand as Al Gore's campaign manager in 2000.

Despite today's good news, it's clear that this isn't the end of the legal attacks on the Voting Rights Act -- and that the next case could result in the Supreme Court striking down a key protection.

It's time to recommit ourselves to the fight to protect voter rights and reform our electoral system so that no American is ever denied or deterred from the right to vote.

Watch my video, learn more -- and spread the word to your friends and family:

http://www.democrats.org/VotingRights

Thank you,

Donna Brazile

Ed McMahon dead at 86

Story by AP
By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer


Ed McMahon, the loyal "Tonight Show" sidekick who bolstered boss Johnny Carson with guffaws and a resounding "H-e-e-e-e-e-ere's Johnny!" for 30 years, died early Tuesday. He was 86.

McMahon died shortly after midnight at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center surrounded by his wife, Pam, and other family members, said his publicist, Howard Bragman.

Bragman didn't give a cause of death, saying only that McMahon had a "multitude of health problems the last few months."

McMahon had bone cancer, among other illnesses, according to a person close to the entertainer, and had been hospitalized for several weeks. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information.

McMahon broke his neck in a fall in March 2007, and battled a series of financial problems as his injuries preventing him from working.

McMahon (AP photo left) and Carson had worked together for nearly five years on the game show "Who Do You Trust?" when Carson took over NBC's late-night show from Jack Paar in October 1962. McMahon played second banana on "Tonight" until Carson retired in 1992.

"You can't imagine hooking up with a guy like Carson," McMahon said an interview with The Associated Press in 1993. "There's the old phrase, hook your wagon to a star. I hitched my wagon to a great star."

McMahon, who never failed to laugh at his Carson's quips, kept his supporting role in perspective.

"It's like a pitcher who has a favorite catcher," he said. "The pitcher gets a little help from the catcher, but the pitcher's got to throw the ball. Well, Johnny Carson had to throw the ball, but I could give him a little help."

President Obama tells jokes

Veteran CBS Newsman Walter Cronkite Reported Ill

Story by AP

CBS is not commenting on reports that veteran newsman Walter Cronkite is gravely ill.

The 92-year-old former anchor of "The CBS Evening News," who has been ailing for some time, has reportedly taken a turn for the worse, according to TVNewser and other online sites (AP photo left).

CBS News spokesman Kevin Tedesco had no comment on Friday.

Bob Schieffer said, "All of us are praying for the best, and our thoughts are with Walter's family." The host of CBS' "Face the Nation" and a longtime Cronkite colleague, Schieffer noted that he had no current news on Cronkite's condition.

The face of CBS News for more than two decades, Cronkite was named "the most trusted man in America" in a 1972 "trust index" survey, and he ended each broadcast with the reassuring signoff, "And that's the way it is."

He left the "Evening News" anchor desk in 1981, but after that kept a busy schedule both in journalistic and other activities.

For 24 years, he served as onsite host for New Year's Day telecasts by the Vienna Philharmonic until ill health forced him to bow out earlier this year.

Andy Rooney, Others Update Walter Cronkite's Health

by Gail Shister
TVNewser Columnist

Ailing legendary newsman Walter Cronkite "is not in good shape," says 60 Minutes Reporter Andy Rooney, who visited his longtime friend at home yesterday.

"60 Minutes" commentator Rooney, 90, and Cronkite, 92, "CBS Evening News" anchor from 1962 to 1981, were fellow World War II correspondents. They see each other often, Rooney says.

"Walter's going to live," says Rooney, quickly adding: "for a while. He's dressed. He looks good. He's thinking pretty well. I know he's not active. He can't get around much. He's old, for goodness sake.

"He's gone downhill, but not in the last few days... I don't know whether he's going to die tomorrow, or not. I'm not a doctor."

Cronkite's chief of staff Marlene Adler, who did not return calls yesterday, says her boss is "suffering from the challenges of age. He's ill, but the angel of death is not standing over his bed."

Adler won't disclose any details of Cronkite's illness. "The family has asked that we keep everything private," she says. "I'm not going to go into his medical condition."

Cronkite goes out three or four times a week, always in a wheelchair, according to a close family friend. His memory is failing and his systems are slowly shutting down, but death is not imminent, the friend adds.

CBS's Mike Wallace, 91, says he hasn't seen Cronkite recently, "but I know he's had a tough time because of age. From this old man about another old man, I think that's what it amounts to. I love the man."

The fact that CBS updated Cronkite's obituary more than a week ago doesn't mean anything, Adler adds.

"It's normal at CBS to prepare things in advance." From time to time, Cronkite has given CBS updated information, "just to get prepared for the ultimate," Adler says.

Still, producers at CBS News weekend shows were advised today to be prepared for a possible Cronkite obituary at the last minute, says a network insider.

President Barack Obama's Weekly Address 6 -20-09

The President Highlights Tough New Consumer Protections

WASHINGTON – In his weekly address, President Barack Obama explained the necessity of his proposed Consumer Financial Protection Agency. It is clear that one of the major causes of the current economic crisis was a breakdown of oversight leading to widespread abuses in the financial world. The Consumer Financial Protection Agency will have the sole job of looking out for the financial interests of ordinary Americans by banning unfair practices and enforcing the rules. This is the type of reform that will attack the causes of the current crisis and prevent further crises from taking place.

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
June 20, 2009

As we continue to recover from an historic economic crisis, it is clear to everyone that one of its major causes was a breakdown in oversight that led to widespread abuses in the financial system. An epidemic of irresponsibility took hold from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street. And the consequences have been disastrous. Millions of Americans have seen their life savings erode; families have been devastated by job losses; businesses large and small have closed their doors.

In response, this week, my administration proposed a set of major reforms to the rules that govern our financial system; to attack the causes of this crisis and to prevent future crises from taking place; to ensure that our markets can work fairly and freely for businesses and consumers alike.

We are going to promote markets that work for those who play by the rules. We’re going to stand up for a system in which fair dealing and honest competition are the only way to win. We’re going to level the playing field for consumers. And we’re going to have the kinds of rules that encourage innovations that make our economy stronger – not those that allow insiders to exploit its weaknesses for their own gain.

And one of the most important proposals is a new oversight agency called the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. It’s charged with just one job: looking out for the interests of ordinary Americans in the financial system. This is essential, for this crisis may have started on Wall Street. But its impacts have been felt by ordinary Americans who rely on credit cards, home loans, and other financial instruments.

It is true that this crisis was caused in part by Americans who took on too much debt and took out loans they simply could not afford. But there are also millions of Americans who signed contracts they did not always understand offered by lenders who did not always tell the truth. Today, folks signing up for a mortgage, student loan, or credit card face a bewildering array of incomprehensible options. Companies compete not by offering better products, but more complicated ones – with more fine print and hidden terms. It’s no coincidence that the lack of strong consumer protections led to abuses against consumers; the lack of rules to stop deceptive lending practices led to abuses against borrowers.

This new agency will have the responsibility to change that. It will have the power to set tough new rules so that companies compete by offering innovative products that consumers actually want – and actually understand. Those ridiculous contracts – pages of fine print that no one can figure out – will be a thing of the past. You’ll be able to compare products – with descriptions in plain language – to see what is best for you. The most unfair practices will be banned. The rules will be enforced.

Some argue that these changes – and the many others we’ve called for – go too far. And I welcome a debate about how we can make sure our regulations work for businesses and consumers. But what I will not accept – what I will vigorously oppose – are those who do not argue in good faith. Those who would defend the status quo at any cost. Those who put their narrow interests ahead of the interests of ordinary Americans. We’ve already begun to see special interests mobilizing against change.

That’s not surprising. That’s Washington.

For these are interests that have benefited from a system which allowed ordinary Americans to be exploited. These interests argue against reform even as millions of people are facing the consequences of this crisis in their own lives. These interests defend business-as-usual even though we know that it was business-as-usual that allowed this crisis to take place.

Well, the American people did not send me to Washington to give in to the special interests; the American people sent me to Washington to stand up for their interests. And while I’m not spoiling for a fight, I’m ready for one. The most important thing we can do to put this era of irresponsibility in the past is to take responsibility now. That is why my administration will accept no less than real and lasting change to the way business is done – on Wall Street and in Washington. We will do what is necessary to end this crisis – and we will do what it takes to prevent this kind of crisis from ever happening again.

Thank you.

The President's Nickname: "The Fly-Catcher"

America Has Gone To The Dogs

by Raynard Jackson

What is this world coming to when a man that killed someone gets 30 days in jail, but a man that tortures a few dogs gets nearly two years in prison? American’s have lost their minds!

Let me explain. On March 14, 2009, Donte Stallworth, a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (N.F.L.), struck and killed a pedestrian attempting to cross the street. It was determined that he was driving under the influence of alcohol (he had a blood alcohol of 0.12, Florida’s legal limit is 0.08). So, he was legally drunk. He was charged with DUI and second degree manslaughter on April 1, 2009. On April 2, he turned himself in to the police and was released on $ 200,000 bail. Yesterday he pleaded guilty to all charges and received a sentence of 30 days in jail, 2 years of house arrest, 10 years of probation, permanent loss of his driver’s license, and 1,000 hours of community service. Stallworth is reported to have also reached a financial agreement with the decedent’s family (thereby avoiding a civil lawsuit). The terms of the settlement was not made public.

Now, flashback two years to Michael Vick. Vick was quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the N.F.L. In July 2007, Vick and three others were indicted on both federal and Virginia felony charges related to dog fighting. Vick was accused of financing the operation, directly participating in dog fights and executions, and personally handling thousands of dollars in gambling activities.

In early August, all of the defendants had agreed to individual plea deals with prosecutors. By August 24, according to media reports, Vick pled guilty to "Conspiracy to Travel in Interstate Commerce in Aid of Unlawful Activities and to Sponsor a Dog in an Animal Fighting Venture". In addition, he admitted to providing most of the financing for the operation itself, as well as participating directly in several dog fights in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. He also admitted to sharing in the proceeds from these dog fights. He further admitted that he knew his colleagues killed several dogs that didn't perform well enough. However, while he admitted to providing most of the money for gambling on the fights, he denied placing any side bets on the dogfights. He also denied actually killing any dogs himself.

U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted Vick’s guilty plea the same day it was proffered. Hudson sentenced Vick to 23 months in federal prison. Vick was also required to deposit $1 million dollars into an escrow account to defray the costs associated with the caring and rehabilitation of the dogs used in his fighting operation.

Legally, I understand why and how these two cases were settled as they were. But, it just doesn’t seem right that you can kill a person while drunk and get 30 days in jail. Someone else is involved in dog fighting and gets 23 months in jail.
Legality aside, what does this say about our country when a person is killed and no public outrage (not even from the victim’s family). Kill and abuse a few dogs and it’s a media circus! People were talking about dogs as though they were humans.

But, these same people won’t raise their voice at the death of a human.

Now, all the talk is whether N.F.L. Commissioner Roger Goodell will reinstate Vick to play football again. According to USA Today, Goodell stated that Vick must show “genuine remorse” before he will be allowed to play in the N.F.L. again. Goodell continued, “he’s going to have to demonstrate to the larger community—not just to the N.F.L. community and to me—that he has remorse for what he did and that he recognizes mistakes that he made.”

How do you prove remorse? Isn’t that kind of like “knowing pornography” when you see it? Vick has paid his debt to society and is entitled to move on and continue with his football career (if a team wants him).

But, there are other clouds on the horizon for Vick. Earlier this year in a local Virginia newspaper, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) President, Ingrid Newkirk stated, "Saying sorry and getting his ball back after being caught enjoying killing dogs in hideously cruel ways for many years doesn't cut it.

Commissioner Goodell knows that he has an obligation to the league and to millions of fans, including children who look up to ballplayers as idols.”

There is absolutely no evidence that Vick “killed or enjoyed” being cruel to dogs. Vick simply made poor choices. Again, he as paid his dues to society and PETA needs to back off and show the same type of concern for humans who are mistreated, tortured, or killed.

Raynard Jackson is president & CEO of Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC., a D.C.-based political consulting/government affairs firm.