The War On Terror, Eight Years After 9/11.
It is the eleventh of September - 9/11. We can't help but think of those thousands of people who were killed right here in our own country eight years ago today - how missed they are - and how profoundly our country and our world has changed because of what happened.
It was something that was done to us - homicide on a terrible scale committed by Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida. And where is he today, eight years later?
"I think he's in command. So far, from our Presidents, we get mostly the Hollywood version of running from rock to rock - and cave to cave - and he can't communicate with anyone. And that of course is all nonsense," said Michael Scheuer.
Michael Scheuer, formerly of the CIA and in charge of the Agency's Osama bin Laden unit at the time of the attacks.
"If you're anyplace on Earth where a satellite passes over, you can communicate. So, I think he's very much in command of what he's always been in command of - and that is the central group of al-Qaida,' said Michael Scheuer.
President Obama wasn't in charge eight years ago, of course. But he's in charge now, and former CIA analyst Michael Scheuer says...
"Mr. Obama has dismantled all of our covert action programs that we have had directed against al-Qaida. He's threatening to prosecute some agency officials. So, I think on this anniversary of September 11th, the Agency probably doesn't believe it's very much valued or its work very highly regarded by this Administration," said Michael Scheuer.
But isn't anti-terrorism what the war in Afghanistan is all about?
"We're sending more and more troops to Afghanistan - none of them are fighting al-Qaida. We've become mired down in fighting the Taliban and trying to protect Mr. Karzai's government..." said Michael Scheuer
President Obama doesn't want to make things worse to create even more enemies for this country.
"That's the nature of war, isn't it? Yes, we'd be creating more enemies - but at the end of the day, someone has to protect America, somehow," said Michael Scheuer.
America's Mood on the 9/11 Anniversary.
Eight years ago, at this time of the morning, the 9/11 terrorists were already about their long-planned deadly business - unbeknownst to those who boarded the planes with them, unbeknownst to the people going about their business who took their tickets and ushered them onto the planes and into their seats.
Had anybody known, it could have been prevented. What was unbeknownst would end thousands of lives and shatter millions of others.
"Unbeknownst" is a terrible word, yet most things happen unbeknownst to most of us.
John Keehn of Consumer Reports.
"We surveyed a nationally representative sample of a thousand and seven adults all over the country in late August, and Americans were more worried about a swine flu outbreak than any other disaster," said John Keehn.
CBS News is out with a survey this morning.
"Only a third of Americans say that it is very or somewhat likely that there will be a terror attack on the U.S. sometime soon, and 62 percent think that that's not very or not all likely. These figures have changed drastically since October 2001 - when 88 percent of Americans felt that it was very or somewhat likely that another terrorist attack would occur," said Sarah Dutton, CBS News Director of Surveys.
The actual threat hasn't gone away, says our National Security consultant Juan Zarate.
"Bin Laden is still out there, I believe - still important to kill or capture. And the fact that we haven't done so is a problem," said Juan Zarate, CBS News National Security Consultant.
What we think doesn't change what terrorists or germs will do. Some think of us everything in political terms.
"44 percent of Democrats say the Obama Administration has made the U.S. safer, while 44 percent of Republicans - the exact same number - say the Obama Administration has made the country less safe. 44 percent of Independents say the Administration has had no effect on the U.S. safety from terrorism," said Sarah Dutton.
We have no choice but to go about our business on this 9-11. What will really happen remains unbeknownst to us.
Insurance Companies and Health Care Reform
If a business doesn't make a profit, it does not stay in business for very long. Only the government can assume that two plus two equals eleven and still stay in business.
When politicians talk about business, it's the successful companies that always wear the black hats - they're the bad guys. In the current health care debate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is not talking about accounting when she says...
"We will make the insurance industries accountable," said Nancy Pelosi, House Speaker.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is not patting the insurance companies on the back when he says...
"There is no business in America that makes more money than the insurance industry," said Harry Reid, Senate Majority Leader.
That's not true, by the way. The health insurance companies made 11 billion dollars in profit last year. The top five drug companies made 35 billion. Health insurance is only the 86th most profitable business, making 3 cents profit on every dollar.
Dr. Peter Kongstevedt of George Mason University, an expert on health insurance, says it's not fair to make the insurance companies the bad guys.
"The insurance companies are not the major drivers of cost inflation," said Dr. Peter Kongstevedt.
Although, there are instances of their cost-cutting efforts going too far. The industry itself has a plan under which everybody would be covered - and everybody rich and poor would have coverage.
"No one would be discriminated against for a pre-existing condition.. Everyone would get health care," said Karen Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans.
Karen Ignagni is with the insurance industry's trade group.
"If you provide incentives for people not to participate - or wait until the house is on fire before they purchase insurance - then what you're doing is increasing the cost substantially for people who are in the system," said Karen Ignagni.
Dr. Kongstevedt says spreading the cost like that could save a thousand dollars a year per family.
"...because the premiums paid for by the healthier people are used to pay for the care incurred by the sicker people," said Dr. Peter Kongstevedt.
Poets in Waiting Strut Their Verses
Listen, my children and you shall hear
of a poetry contest I went to this year.
200,000 high schoolers took part,
using some poems that they'd learned by heart.
This wasn't a contest of poetry writing,
but a national contest for poem reciting
Out loud so that people could hear what they mean.
And how did they feel?
"I was miserable, of course - for I was 17..." said a student reciting poetry.
It was the finals in Washington, DC - the 53 regional winners competing.
"I knew what the caged bird feels. // I was weightless. // Come up from the fields, father..." said students reciting poetry.
Kareem Sayagh was there representing Illinois.
"It turns into this kind of weird feeling - like, yes, we're here to celebrate something that's been enjoyed for many, many years - but at the same time, you're here to go against other kids your age. And it makes me somewhat uncomfortable. Poetry's not something that's generally been a... (Charles Osgood: A competitive sport) a competitive sport," said Kareem Sayagh with a laugh.
I chatted a while with one of the judges - none other than Garrison Keillor.
"I was made to memorize a poem by Helen Fleishman, my 10th Grade English teacher: 'When in disgrace with fortune in men's eyes, I all alone be weep my outcast state," said Garrison Keillor.
"So you still remember it?" asked Charles Osgood.
"Of course I do. Everything else I learned in high school is gone. Algebra, phew! Disappeared, eroded. Biology, I can't identify trees. You know, physics, plain geometry. But 14 lines of Shakespeare..." said Garrison Keillor.
"Right there," said Charles Osgood.
"Yeah, right there. Do you want to hear the whole thing or..." said Garrison Keillor.
"Uh, thanks just the same," said Charles Osgood with a laugh.
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