Representative Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) voices his concerns on the bailout bill (0:50).

 

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New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman describes how he asked former Vice President Al Gore to write a column apologizing for underestimating climate change as a way to express how bad things have become (0:49).

 

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Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) talks about the importance of preserving voting rights and how that can lead to a better America. (0:21)

 

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In contrast to US president George Bush’s failure to conduct a press encounter at this week’s United Nations General Assembly, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took questions from the media during an hour-long press conference yesterday at UN headquarters in New York.

During the conversation, which was at times confrontational, Ahmadinejad retained a sense of relaxed composure. Though he skirted issues such as detention of dissidents, media transparency, and nuclear threats to Israel, Ahmadinejad was willing to engage on multiple, controversial topics.

Ahmadinejad spoke of his country’s willingness to allow IAEA inspectors in to Iran, and denied the possibility that Iran would preemptively attack Israel, stating that “[the world] is entering a post-nuclear” era. The president also discussed his willingness to cooperate with the Iraqi government, cautioned the West about it’s excursion in Afghanistan, and warned of the hazards of continued violence in the Middle East.

Listen to Audio File (5:06), via translation

Listen to Entire Press Conference (59:10), via translation

 

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“I might shop around for the best priced car or television but if I don’t find the one I can afford, I’m not going to die. The same cannot be said for health care,” said Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif.), the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Health at the House Committee for Energy and Commerce. With more than $2.1 trillion spent on health care annually, the subcommittee examined new ways to reform health care and explore methods to achieve universal health care for all.

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), gave examples of different companies in the United States that either do not have health care programs or have programs that are costing them too much. “Last time this committee had met, the spending for health care was at 14 percent, currently it is at 18 percent. With this increase it is no wonder that Starbucks is spending more on their health care plans then they are on coffee.”

Senior Fellow of the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Elizabeth Edwards, gave her ideas for a new health plan. “Any health care reform has to be and will be two things. First is that it needs to be covered for all and second, it has to focus on cost control. Both need to happen together.” Edwards also spoke about the presidential candidates and their health care plans. Edwards said that the one thing she and Sen. John McCain have in common is, “neither one of us would be covered under his health care plan.”

“It’s sad that in America, a middle class family has trouble taking their child to the doctor for a simple case of acne because of the health insurance they either have or do not have. This is not the America I know and this is not the America I want,” research professor Karen Pollitz said.

Lieutenant General Thomas F. Metz tells Vic Snyder (R-Ark.) that there has been no formal discussion of expanding the scope of the Joint IED Defeat Organization to include other asymmetric weapons (0:22).

 

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The Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota has hosted panels throughout this week on topics important to the presidential election. Today’s midday panel, “Convention Politics and the Fall Elections,” featured opinions from several distinguished academics, including Ramesh Ponnuru of the National Review and Larry Sabato, Director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.

Most of the subjects the panelists broached involved the conditions leading up to this election and the issues that will be the most important to voters leading up to election day. They also noted contrasts between the two conventions so far, especially the amount of energy displayed by the delegates and attendees.

The panelists were divided in their opinion of direction either campaign will take before the election. Panelist Sabato stated in his opening remarks that McCain has missed an opportunity so far by “not running against Congress,” and that he should do so soon. Panelist Ponnuru stated that he thought that “the way that McCain governs will correlate to the way he campaigns.” All panelists expressed hope that each campaign would remain focused on issues and be able to fulfill their promises.

Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Oreg.) talks about the upcoming elections and the critical issues Americans currently face with Bureau Chief Ellen Ratner. DeFazio talks about the need for reform of energy laws and the improvement of America’s technological and educational infrastructure. He criticizes the Republican energy and fiscal policy as well.

 

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Anna Burger, International Secretary-Treasurer for the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) speaks at the unveiling of a new campaign ad from Health Care for America Now!. She states that something is wrong in America when: when war is a given and health care is a maybe, when getting a gun is easier than getting an appointment with your doctor, when we will do anything to the environment to get out more oil and we will do nothing to help people get health care and when members of congress get what they want and everybody else wishes that they had it. (:56)

 

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Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, recounts his visits to troops returning from the theater of war. He says that a primary concern is more time in the U.S. between deployments so service members can meet someone to date or spend more time with a spouse and children. (0:32)

 

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