This program is about 1 hour long
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(Studio: Anderson Cooper) The first day of the new Congress introduced.
(Capitol Hill: Dana Bash) The opening of the new Congress with Representative Nancy Pelosi as the first female Speaker of the House reported; scenes shown of Pelosi taking the gavel, senators being sworn in by Vice President Dick Cheney & the first Muslim Congressman. [PELOSI - says we have broken the marble ceiling; speaks of the spirit of partnership; states the need for a new direction in the war in Iraq.] [Senator Harry REID - cites the opportunity.]
(Studio: Anderson Cooper) The agenda that the Democrats are promising in 100 hours outlined on screen.
(Washington: Tom Foreman) The first 100 hours to get Washington moving under a Democratic rule previewed; details given of the timetable for the 100 hours. [American Enterprise Inst. Norm ORNSTEIN†- says the Democrats have set out to process six bills.] [Former Senator Tom DASCHLE - talks about the schedule.] [REID - says majorities are fragile & must work with minorities.]
(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Live discussion held with CNN's Candy Crowley & John King, former presidential adviser David Gergen & "Time" magazine's Joe Klein about the Congress. [KLEIN - says bipartisanship will last until they start talking about Iraq; states this was Pelosi's most impressive public moment.] [GERGEN - says 100 hours is an old magic political formula.] [KING - says President Bush will give a speech on Wednesday or Thursday about a troop surge in Iraq & will threaten bipartisanship.] [CROWLEY - says what Bush says about Iraq will not come to a vote, but the Democrats will have a bigger microphone as a majority.]
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(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Report introduced.
(White House: Ed Henry) President Bush's plans to reveal his latest Iraq strategy next week featured; scenes shown of Bush with German President Angela Merkel; details given about his video conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. [BUSH - says he will be ready to outline a strategy for Iraq next week; states what he told Maliki & that the mission will be clear & specific.] Bush's reshuffling of key players: US ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad to be the ambassador to the U.N.; retired V/Adm. Mike McConnell to take the post of national intelligence director replacing John Negroponte, who will take a State Department post & to replace his top military commanders.
(Studio: Anderson Cooper) The pressure on Bush to bring troops home from Iraq introduced.
(Washington: John King) Bush, the war & the Democrats examined. [Representative Nancy PELOSI - says the American people oppose a war without end.] [Senator Harry REID - says we will assist the commander-in-chief.] [Representative Dennis KUCINICH - speaks out.] [Representative John SPRATT†- says we will support our troops.] [Democratic pollster Jeremy ROSNER†- says the Democrats will act in oversight; says Republican senators will be under pressure about Iraq.] [Senator John CORNYN - says the Democrats need constructive alternatives.]
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(Studio: Anderson Cooper) A statement from President Bush about the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein & the investigation into who leaked the cell phone videos of Saddam's last moment noted; video excerpts shown.
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(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Live discussion held with CNN's Candy Crowley & John King, former presidential adviser David Gergen & "Time" magazine's Joe Klein about the war in Iraq. [KLEIN - outlines the concerns about the war; calls the naming of Lt. Gen. David Petraeus as the commander on the ground in Iraq the key for a counterinsurgency strategy.] [KING - says the reshuffled administration is designed to help President Bush with Iraq policy; comments on how the Democrats will try to deal with a new Bush policy.] [CROWLEY - says the new diplomatic team is part of the rollout up to the announced strategy.] [GERGEN - comments on the long time in coming up with a change of course; calls the changes on the diplomatic side "smart" because Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is too shorthanded; calls Petraeus first-rate.]
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AP/Congressional Research Service statistics on women in Congress in 1997 vs. 2007 cited.
(Studio: Anderson Cooper) House Democrats' passage of ethics reform legislation noted. Keeping Them Honest segment introduced.
(Capitol Hill: Joe Johns) The Congressional hangover due to a series of ethical problems in a "culture of corruption" examined; details given about reform & the Democrats' own problems with Representative William Jefferson. [Speaker of the House Nancy PELOSI - says the first order of business is ethics reform.] [Republican consultant Stuart ROY†- cites the dangers of ethics reform.] [Representative Rahm EMANUEL - outlines what needs to be done.] [Representative Dennis KUCINICH - quotes the Lord's Prayer.]
(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Report introduced.
(Washington: Brian Todd) The likely Democratic campaign led by Representative Henry Waxman that will investigate Republican indiscretions & programs examined; details given about scheduled hearings. ["The Broken Branch" author Norman ORNSTEIN†- predicts a huge number of investigations & that they will pounce all over Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.] ["Rothenberg Political Report" Stuart ROTHENBERG†- describes Waxman as tenacious.] [National Public Radio Ken RUDIN†- warns against a payback.]
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Congressional Research Service statistics on age on Capitol Hill cited.
(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Viewer response to last night's Keeping Them Honest segment on pensions for convicted felons who were members of Congress noted.
(Atlanta: Drew Griffin) The issue of pensions for members of Congress who were convicted of serious crimes updated; details given of the cases of Randall "Duke" Cunningham, James Traficant, Dave Durenberger & Dan Rostenkowski. [National Taxpayers Union John BERTHOUD†- comments on these questionable pensions.] Three viewer blog responses quoted. [Illinois Representative Mark KIRK - says there should be no pensions for the convicted felons; suggests Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi help pass the legislation.]
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(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Upcoming item noted.
(Studio: Randi Kaye) The investigation into the disappearance of a plane out of Indonesia; the payout by a cruise line in the case of missing honeymooner George Smith; Stock Market Report & the disappointing holiday shopping season reported.
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(Studio: Anderson Cooper) The story of the "Subway Superman," the construction worker Wesley Autrey, who saved a young man who fell onto the subway tracks, updated; scenes shown from the New York City of Autrey hugging Mayor Michael Bloomberg today & CNN's Randi Kaye last night.
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