4VF News – Daily News Channel – Page 2219

Obama administration keeps Bush view on Afghanistan detainees

Former detainees pray near Kaubul in 2005 following their release from U.S. custody at Bagram Air Base.
The Obama administration told a federal court late Friday it will maintain the Bush administration’s position that battlefield detainees held without charges by the United States in Afghanistan are not entitled to constitutional rights to challenge their detention.

“Having considered the matter, the government adheres to its previously articulated position,” said a Justice Department document filed in federal court in Washington. In a controversial 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court last year ruled that detainees held at the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo Bay had a right under the constitution to challenge their continued detention. However, the court did not say whether it applied to prisoners in other locations abroad, including Afghanistan. Five prisoners held at Bagram Air Base, backed by human rights groups, have gone to court to claim the same rights as the men detained in Guantanamo Bay. The new administration, which was given a month by a federal judge to declare whether the government wants to change its position, has now indicated it will continue to argue that it is against its security interests to release enemy combatants in a war zone. Barbara Olshansky, lead counsel for three of the detainee petitioners, said that the administration’s decision was “deeply disappointing.”

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“We are trying to remain hopeful that the message being conveyed is that the new administration is still working on its position regarding the applicability of the laws of war — the Geneva Conventions — and international human rights treaties that apply to everyone in detention there,” she said. The air base at Bagram, located north of the city of Kabul, houses between 600 and 650 detainees. Most were picked up for suspected ties to terrorism.

Author jailed for insulting Thai king freed

Harry Nicolaides behind the bars of a Thai holding cell.
An Australian author imprisoned last month for insulting the king and crown prince of Thailand was on his way home Saturday after receiving a pardon from the king.

Harry Nicolaides, 41, was arrested last August over his 2005 book titled “Verisimilitude.” The book includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince that authorities deemed a violation of a law that makes it illegal to defame, insult or threaten the crown. CNN has chosen not to repeat the language because it could result in CNN staff being prosecuted in Thailand. Mark Dean, a lawyer for Nicolaides, said he was released Friday and taken to the Australian embassy in Bangkok, where he stayed until leaving for Australia at about midnight. “He is obviously very relieved and grateful that the pardon was granted,” Dean said. Nicolaides was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty last month. He faced a term of up to six years before the plea. Watch shackled Nicolaides at court » His lawyers then requested the pardon. King Bhumibol Adulydej had pardoned foreigners in similar cases in the past. Dean said Nicolaides was deported from Thailand, but that he did not know of any other stipulations related to the pardon. In an interview with CNN International, Dean avoided repeating what Nicolaides wrote, but said the passage was presented as a rumor, not a fact. “This is probably not the best time to repeat the passage that was found to be offensive,” Dean said. “But it concerned the crown prince of Thailand and a rumor that was being circulated in Thailand about the crown prince.” Nicolaides had been living in Thailand since 2003, lecturing at two universities about tourism. He was about to leave Thailand when he was arrested on August 31. It is not clear why the authorities waited three years after the publication of his book to bring charges against him. Fifty copies of the book were published, and only seven were sold.

Thailand’s king is highly revered in the Buddhist nation. But even he has said in the past that he can be criticized. Thailand’s prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, also has told CNN he is concerned about what he called misuse of the law. Still, other cases of violating the law are pending before the Thai Criminal Court, involving both Thais and foreigners.

Ten American Companies That Won’t Cut Jobs

Ten American Companies That Wont Cut Jobs

Layoffs at big companies are so common now that it is novel when a day goes by without Microsoft , Caterpillar , or Macy’s letting thousands of people go. There are a relatively small number of America’s largest companies which will almost certainly not have significant layoffs. One of them might close an office in Turkey, another could replace telephone operators with an automated system, but each is in a unique position that makes it highly unlikely for them to want or need to fire employees.

Some of the companies on the list are simply doing so well that they cannot afford to do without all the people that they have. Not only will these companies be unlikely to fire people but some may actually be hiring. The other firms included have large amounts of cash on their balance sheets and have elected to use the slow economy to develop new products and services to take share away from financially weaker competitors. A few of the companies on this list had modest job cuts last year. None of them were significant and are highly unlikely to happen again.

Employees at these firms are as close to being “safe” from being thrown into the job market as almost anyone in the country.

Cisco cut 3,000 of its 66,000 people last year. CEO John Chambers has said that the company plans to avoid job cuts. Cisco probably has as much or more cash on hand as any tech company in the U.S., holding $27 billion in available funds. The company is in the midst of a very rapid expansion into the server and data center business. That will require extra personnel and may involve acquisitions. Cisco is in several businesses which are nearly recession-proof and should continue to do well. Its core router operation is critical to building out broadband and systems for popular products like VoIP. The new stimulus package should give that business a bump up. Cisco is also in several sectors like video conferencing which may actually grow as business people cut back on travel.

Visa is lucky. It does not offer consumers credit. It acts as an agent to transfer funds between buyers and merchants. Visa also handles transaction clearing and settlement services. Unlike large banks, when a customer defaults, Visa’s balance sheet is not at risk. The company’s role as an intermediary makes it an attractive investment. Over the last month the DJIA average was down slightly while Visa shares were up 32%. In the last quarter, Visa’s profits rose 35%. Loaning money is a bad business. Handling the transaction between borrower and lender for a fee is a good one.

Apple will not lay people off because Steve Jobs would have to admit he had made a bad decision and that the company would not be appear to be perfect. This is, of course, only part of reason jobs at Apple are safe. The company has $24 billion in cash and securities and adds to that every quarter. Apple refuses to make acquisitions, preferring to create and market its own products. M&A deals often mean personnel cuts. Because Apple’s success is based on creating new products, improving old ones and aggressive marketing, it will need all the people who work at the company and perhaps more. Apple is one of the few companies in the U.S. prepared to drive product introductions and spend to pick up market share as the recession deepens. Apple believes that it makes the best consumer electronics and PCs in the world and it is not going to let anything get in the way of expanding those franchises.

Apollo is a large education company almost no one has heard of. The firm has a stock market value of $12 billion and had sales of $970 million last quarter. Its operating profit on that was $307 million, so the company has obscene margins. In the last year, Apollo’s shares were up almost 30%. While Apollo may not be well-known, it largest division, the University of Phoenix, is well known because it is the largest private university in the country. As people find that they need new skills to find work, Apollo is in a position to take advantage of a drop in the economy and rise in unemployment.

Altria is doing well because people addicted to cigarettes smoke even during a recession. The company said it expects EPS growth of as much as 6% this year. Altria recently bought another tobacco company,UST and the company has set layoffs because of the acquisition. However, Wall St believes that “sin stocks” tend to dodge downturns well. In the last quarter, the company made $1.1 billion on $4.7 billion in sales. Altria has almost $8 billion in cash and a business which is, compared to most, smokin’.

See examples of businesses bucking the recession.

U.S. resumes diplomatic talks with Syria

The State Department's top Middle East official will meet with Syria's U.S. ambassador, Imad Moustapha.
The State Department’s top Middle East official will meet next week with the Syrian ambassador to the United States as part of what senior administration officials call a resumption of diplomatic dialogue with Damascus after nearly four years.

Jeffrey Feltman, the acting assistant secretary for the Near East, requested a meeting with Ambassador Imad Moustapha, according to State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid. Talks will take place next week after Moustapha returns from Damascus, where he is meeting with several visiting U.S. congressional delegations, Duguid said. “The meeting is an opportunity for dialogue to discuss our concerns with the Syrians,” Duguid said. “There remain key differences between our governments.” Duguid cited Syrian support for terrorist groups, its pursuit of nuclear weapons, its interference in Lebanon and worsening human rights situation as issues Feltman will address at next week’s meetings. On Thursday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report that the U.N. nuclear watchdog found traces of uranium from samples retrieved at a Syrian site suspected to be the location of a nuclear site. The site was bombed by Israeli aircraft in September 2007, and Syria says the missiles that destroyed the building at the site were the source of the uranium particles, according to the report. Damascus has denied it was being used for a nuclear reactor.

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Next week’s talks come as the Obama administration weighs greater engagement with Damascus as well as with Iran. During her confirmation hearing last month Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said more dialogue with Syria may help Damascus become “a constructive regional actor” and benefit U.S. interests. The first meeting with Moustapha since last September is being viewed as the start of more regular contacts between Washington and Damascus through normal diplomatic channels, senior administration officials told CNN. The Bush administration withdrew the U.S. ambassador from Syria in 2005 following the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Washington suspects Syrian involvement in the murder, which Damascus has denied. In lieu of an ambassador, a U.S. charge d’affaires working in the U.S. embassy holds sporadic talks with Syrian officials. A series of congressional delegations have visited Syria in recent weeks. Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrats who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Maryland, visited Damascus this week. Rep. Howard Berman, D-California, chairman of the House International Relations Committee, is traveling there in the coming days. A seven-member delegation led by Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington, met with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus earlier this month and discussed improving ties.

Death threats force Juarez police chief to resign, mayor says

Netanyahu (left) shakes hands with Peres, who has asked him to form the next Israeli government.
The mayor of Juarez announced Friday that the city’s police chief is stepping down after receiving death threats from local drug cartels.

At a joint news conference with Peres, Netanyahu said he accepted the task and he is willing to work with the moderate parties of Labor, led by Ehud Barak, and Kadima, headed by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. “We have different approaches in different areas, but we are all together in our desire to act for the good of the state,” Netanyahu said. “We will be able to find the common ground to lead the state toward security, prosperity and peace.” He said Israeli leaders need to unite as the country faces “great challenges,” particularly from Iran, which he said “is developing nuclear weapons and poses the biggest threat to Israel since the war of independence.” A U.N. report released this week found that Iran has enough uranium for a single nuclear weapon, but the uranium has not been enriched to make it weapons-grade. Iran consistently has denied the weapons allegations, calling them “baseless,” and said that data that indicated otherwise was “fabricated.” To become Israel’s next prime minister, Netanyahu must form a coalition within six weeks, or the process will start all over. The decision comes after Avigdor Lieberman, head of the right-wing Yisrael Beytenu party, said he would recommend Netanyahu for the post, but only if he promises to form a “broad-based” coalition government.

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In Depth: Israel votes

In last week’s parliamentary elections, no single party won the minimum 61 seats needed to form a government. That means a government of two or more parties — or coalition government — is inevitable. Watch election analysis from CNN’s Bill Schneider » The ruling Kadima Party won the most seats in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament. But Kadima received just one more seat than Netanyahu’s Likud Party. The strong showing of other right-wing parties — including Yisrael Beytenu and the Orthodox Shas movement — could give Netanyahu a better chance of forming a coalition government. Speaking to fellow Likud members Monday, Netanyahu expressed confidence that he has enough support to emerge as Israel’s next prime minister. “I plan to form a government as soon as possible with our natural partners,” the former Israeli prime minister said. “We have a government in our hands, but we want a broader one.” He added that he will negotiate with other parties, including Kadima, “to form a broad national unity government.” Livni took over as Kadima leader after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stepped down from the post amid corruption investigations. Livni’s failure to assemble a ruling coalition at that time triggered last week’s elections. Netanyahu, 59, is a former Israeli soldier who served in the elite commando unit Sayeret Matkal. He was one of a dozen Israeli commandos who stormed a Belgian aircraft hijacked by Palestinian terrorists in 1972 and helped rescue 140 hostages. After his stint as prime minister from 1996 to 1999, he served in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, then Likud Party leader, but resigned in 2005, saying he disagreed with Sharon’s plan to remove Israeli troops and settlements from Gaza. Sharon left Likud and formed Kadima as a more centrist party. Netanyahu has supported the expansion of Israeli settlements on the West Bank and has opposed making further territorial concessions in hope of ending the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has been reminding the public that he warned that Palestinian militants in Gaza could launch rockets at Israeli cities such as Ashkelon and Ashdod — which has happened and led to Israel’s recent military operation in Gaza.

His Likud Party had a strong showing in last week’s election, more than doubling the number of seats it holds in the Knesset. Netanhayu said that showing proves that voters have rejected Kadima’s leadership, and he predicted right-leaning parties will be able to form a majority. “With God’s help, I shall head the coming government,” he said. “I am sure that I can manage to put together a good, broad-based and stable government that will be able to deal with the security crisis and the economic crisis.”

U.S. officials: Hamas slipped note to Obama via senator

Sen. John Kerry tours Gaza's ruins with U.N. officials Thursday, the day he reportedly got a letter from Hamas.
Islamic fundamentalist group Hamas passed Sen. John Kerry a letter for President Obama while Kerry visited Gaza on Thursday, senior State Department officials said.

The letter for the president is in the hands of the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem, the officials said Friday. Kerry, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, toured the devastation in Gaza and met with officials from the U.N. Works Relief Agency, the main provider of humanitarian aid in Gaza. Frederick Jones, the committee’s communications director, told CNN at the end of Kerry’s meeting with UNRWA chief Karen Abu Zayed that “she handed [Kerry] a letter addressed to the president of the United States along with other materials.” The U.S. considers Hamas a terrorist organization and has no contact with the organization. Kerry, D-Massachusetts, first learned that the letter was included in the materials, Jones said, after he left Gaza for meetings in Israel, when reports began to emerge that he had a letter from Hamas. Watch Kerry tour the Gaza devastation » Without elaborating, Abu Zayed told BBC radio that Hamas had handed over a letter. Kerry’s visit was part of a delegation including Reps. Brian Baird, D-Washington, and Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, the first Muslim to serve in the U.S. Congress.

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Although Kerry also visited Gaza separately from the two congressmen, according to an official who was traveling with the senator, none of the U.S. lawmakers visited representatives of Gaza’s Hamas leadership. The Gaza visit was the first by U.S. officials since Hamas seized control of the territory in 2007, effectively splitting the Palestinian government. Jones said that because the letter was not addressed to Kerry but to Obama, the senator did not open it. “Kerry turned the letter over to the consul general in Jerusalem this morning to handle through appropriate channels,” Jones said Friday. Fawzi Barhoum, a Gaza-based spokesman for Hamas, denied that the organization had sent a letter to Obama via the United Nations and Kerry, saying that if Hamas chose to speak with the American administration, this is not the method it would employ. But senior State Department officials told CNN that after reviewing the letter, the consulate determined that it was indeed from Hamas. Consulate officials are discussing the matter with the State Department and White House.

Consulate spokeswoman Mica Schweitzer-Bloom would say only that Kerry handed consulate officials a letter for the president and “it will be handled by the appropriate channels.” Obama has not ruled out talks with Hamas but said the group must first renounce violence, recognize Israel and abide by previous agreements successive Palestinian governments have reached with the Israelis.

Mayhem of meeting ‘Mr. India’

Word gets out that Anil Kapoor is filming in Mumbai.
It’s been said that India is full of beggars. I became one of them, before I even arrived

My assignment – for CNN’s ‘My City_ My Life’ travel program – was to fly to Mumbai to film with the Bollywood legend Anil Kapoor. He’s currently starring in the hit film ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, that’s sweeping the boards with award success. The shoot very nearly didn’t happen. My flight from London Heathrow was cancelled – hence the begging. After much coercion, I managed to rebook onto a different airline and was finally en route to India’s commercial capital. Arriving at the airport in Mumbai is quite an experience. I may have landed in the middle of the night but the city’s inhabitants weren’t sleeping. Judging by the sea of faces outside, they’d all turned up to welcome me. Not so, apparently it’s always like this. After dodging a giant bull and scores of ‘roadie gangs’, my driver delivered me to my hotel. I briefed myself on all things Bollywood but was quite unprepared for what would happen during the actual shoot. I discovered very quickly that Indian people love their film stars. They particularly adore and idolize Anil Kapoor. He’s known as “Mr India”, after his role in a famous film of the same name. To say he drew a crowd is an understatement. See photos of Anil Kapoor in Mumbai » Quite literally, everywhere we went we were mobbed. Thousands of people “enveloped” the CNN film crew, just to catch a glimpse of Anil. People were clamoring over each other, climbing onto rooftops and shoving scraps of paper under his nose for an autograph. He’s quite clearly a national hero — which made filming a logistical nightmare. Mumbai is not the easiest of places to film anyway. It’s red tape central. As soon as you get a broadcast camera out, the “officials” pounce on you — demanding permits and often some sort of “filming fee”. Trying to work out who and what is legitimate is virtually impossible. Negotiations can be fractious, confusing and time consuming. On the phone, there is a lot of message passing. In person, it’s more about shouting, hand waving and chai drinking.

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Getting by in Mumbai

Mumbai: A local’s view

We knew security would be intense around the city, following the terror attacks last November. Everywhere you look you see armed police and guards — and tributes to the 176 people who were killed. Mumbai is a city in recovery but still fragile. People have come together and you sense there’s new-found determination to fight terror. We visited some of the locations where the attacks took place – including the stunning, colonial Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and the beautiful Taj Mahal hotel. It was here that we jumped on a double-decker bus to escape the hordes of fans. It turned out to be a private birthday celebration — and the party-goers were delighted. We then embarked on a spontaneous ‘joyride’ around Mumbai, taking in some of the city’s spectacular sights — the waterfront, stylish café scene and the Dharavi slums, considered the biggest slum in Asia.

Our next mode of transport was a Victorian horse-drawn carriage, which came to abrupt end when the driver took an illegal U-turn (not an easy task in sardine-like traffic) right in front of the police. I’m not sure exactly what was said to get us out of this sticky spot but we all scattered quickly. By this point my nerves were frazzled. Exhausted, I needed to escape the chaos. Anil and his team found this amusing. They get a kick out of the craziness. I enjoy buzzing, cosmopolitan cities and Mumbai certainly fits that criteria — but it really is mad.

Hugh Jackman ready to be ‘drunk and nude’ at the Oscars

This year, the Oscars are on Hugh Jackman’s shoulders.

The Australian actor, who earned rave reviews for his hosting of the Tonys, now has the Academy Awards to contend with. It’s a job that’s put Jon Stewart, Chris Rock, Whoopi Goldberg and David Letterman on the firing line, with only Billy Crystal and Johnny Carson emerging more or less unscathed in the last couple of decades. But with typical verve — after all, this is the guy who won a Tony for playing song-and-dance man Peter Allen in “The Boy from Oz” — Jackman cracks jokes about the task, telling ABC that one of his distinctions is that he’s the “tallest” Oscar host in recent years. To CNN’s Brooke Anderson, he was equally at ease. “Ultimately, the way I see it is if I’m not going to have a good time, then how can anyone else have a good time,” he said. Even if he’s not having a good time, you may not want to get in his way. After all, this is the guy who’s played the fearsome, sharp-clawed Wolverine in the “X-Men” movies and gets a solo turn as the superhero in the forthcoming “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” Jackman talked with Anderson about musical numbers, Heath Ledger and performing “drunk and nude.” The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: Are you feeling any nerves, or is it just pure excitement at this point

Hugh Jackman: It’s more, it is more excitement. I’m not impervious … there has been moments in my life where I’ve been nervous going on stage, that’s for sure, and I know I’ll have a butterfly or two, cause yeah, you wanna have a couple. But ultimately, the way I see it is if I’m not going to have a good time, then how can anyone else have a good time. You know, you’re the host — it’s not really about you. Ultimately, it’s your job to set the tone. Watch Hollywood prepare for the Oscars » CNN: And the butterflies give you a little bit of adrenaline, I would expect. Jackman: Yeah, and I’ll be drinking from about 9 a.m., so that’s why I’m impervious. CNN: Now you’re a triple threat [a dancer, actor and singer]. I need confirmation on a couple of things. Are you doing a musical number with Beyonce Jackman: Oh, that’s a good question. Look, I’m old school, I don’t want to give too much away. But I didn’t fully deny it, did I There’s going to be some surprises, that’s for sure. CNN: Stars of “High School Musical” as well Jackman: OK, I’ll give you that. Yes, they’re going to be up on stage.

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CNN: This is really a reinvention of the Oscars this year. The ratings have been low. Traditionally a comedian hosts the show. How do you feel about being part of the reinvention this year Jackman: I’m thrilled and honored, and that’s honestly how I feel. I don’t worry about the ratings or anything like that. I’m really excited by what is planned for the night, and I can tell you it’s different. It really is different. I mean having someone as tall as me is a big change. … It’s really not going to be funny at all. No, but there’s so many things I love about what they’re doing with the show. Forget ratings, you should always reinvent — you should always be doing something different. What this night is going to be about is spontaneity. We’re going to set an atmosphere that will allow things to happen that you won’t expect. And the other thing that I and the creators wanted to keep at the top and forefront of the night is that it should only happen on that night — whatever happens, it could only happen on Oscar night, and only this year will it happen. So there’s going to be some things in there where you’re like, “Oh!” CNN: How daring is it going to be Will there be YouTube moments where people will be talking about the Oscars this year after it happens Jackman: One of my favorite moments at the Oscars was when the streaker came across David Niven. And we’re upping it a level and we’re just going to do most of the show naked. Um, well, there hopefully will be YouTube moments. CNN: “The sexiest man alive” [is] going to be up there nude Jackman: Drunk and nude, yes. So that’s our new fresh approach. It’s the Australian way. CNN: Are you going to work that “sexiest man alive” title into the show Jackman: There’s a few jokes floating around. Of course I will be about 8 feet away from two-time sexiest man alive Brad Pitt, so yes, there’s great temptation to use something there. CNN: And political jokes — will there be many of them that you will work into the act Jackman: Hmm … there may be some, but it won’t be top-heavy. CNN: OK, so lots of surprises. You’ve got experience with award shows, how is this different than hosting the Tonys Jackman: The Tony Awards is watched by more people in the theater than at home on television. So, the Oscars, it’s slightly different, there’s about a thousand here [in the theater] and a billion out there. But really, if I hadn’t done the Tony Awards, I’d be a hell of a lot more nervous. I mean I’m trained as an actor, that’s what I do, it’s not like I’m trained to be a host. But having done that, the thing that I think surprised me more than anything was how much fun I had because anything can happen. You’re always amongst people who are, they’re pros. There’s people out there, and if you played with them, they’ll generally play back, and that’s the thing I like about it. CNN: Heath Ledger was a fellow Australian. Do you think [it will] be a fitting tribute for him to posthumously win an Oscar Jackman: You know of course, I can’t help [but] feel sentimentally for him to be recognized. I think everyone recognizes his talent, his contributions. He was a friend of mine — I knew him — so I would love him to get that kind of public recognition. His family will be there; I can’t help but feel that will be great. So that’s the only category that I will give my preferences. I have a few others. I’ve had a few little sly bets going. I’ve got to talk to all those people backstage: Hey, I thought you should have won! CNN: How do you balance your home life with your busy schedule Jackman: You abandon your family at this point in time. Literally, they’re in New York. People have said, “Oh, is the family coming out” and I’ve said [to my family] don’t bother coming — I leave at about 7 in the morning and I get home at about 11 at night, so right now it’s Skype. God bless Skype.

CNN: The kids are understanding Jackman: Yeah, they’re cool. My son, who’s named Oscar by the way, he goes, “You know what the headline should be ‘Oscar’s dad hosts the Oscars.’ ” And I was like, that’s pretty good. Yeah, he’ll stay up and watch it. iReport.com: Who do you think will win at the Oscars

Parents of 18 wonder how octuplet mom will cope

Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar say they are grateful for their 18 children, and may have more.
Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar of Springdale, Arkansas, are the parents of 18 children, and their family is the focus of a TLC network reality series.

Joy Behar, guest host Thursday night on “Larry King Live,” asked the Duggars how they are able to stay debt free with such a large family and what they thought of Nadya Suleman, the single mother who recently gave birth to octuplets after having fertility treatments. Following is a transcript of their conversation. Joy Behar: Let me ask you something. What is your reaction to this octomom Nadya Suleman, the story. What do you think about that Michelle Duggar: Well, I just know from my own heart, I can’t judge and look at her and judge her situation. I just know from my heart, and personally God changed our heart about children years ago. And so we’ve kind of gone about it the old-fashioned way. And so we are enjoying each one of the blessings that God has given us, and we’re thankful for each one of them. Behar: Right, at least you guys enjoyed having the babies, you went through the sex then the giving birth. This woman didn’t have any of that, except the giving birth, which must have been rough, don’t you think Michelle Duggar: Oh, my, I can’t imagine. I had twins, but I have — I just can’t imagine having eight at once and the responsibility that that brings.

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People.com: Octuplet mom’s home in default

Behar: Why do you suppose this woman has provoked such negativity They have a “USA Today” Gallup poll saying 70 percent of those surveyed are unsympathetic to this woman. What is going on Michelle Duggar: Well, you know, I feel like probably more than anything it’s just the fact of the responsibility issues from their perspective, and I, you know, I imagine that’s probably more of the animosity that’s out there. And so — but I do — I just can’t imagine, you know, her — how she’s going to handle that many little ones under the age of 8. That’s a lot of little ones all at once. Jim Bob Duggar: We just need to pray for her. Behar: But you guys haven’t experienced that kind of hostility for the children you have. Is that because you’re married Michelle Duggar: I don’t know. I think maybe, you know, being that God’s given ours one or two at a time and we’ve kind of done it the old-fashioned way, I don’t know. We love them, we’re enjoying them, and by God’s grace we’re taking care of them if he gives us one more. So I just think we’re grateful. Behar: I understand that you guys are debt free. I can’t even imagine how you pulled that off. … How did you do that Jim Bob Duggar: Well, back about 18 years ago, we saw Jim Sammons’ financial seminar on DVD, and it was life-changing. At that point, we purposed to try to get out of debt and try to stay out of debt. And our family motto is to buy used and save the difference. We shop a lot at garage sales, thrift stores. Michelle Duggar: Auctions. We bought our industrial kitchen equipment that way, our vehicles that way, and so we really cut corners and we live very frugally. Jim Bob Duggar: That’s right, we’ve never bought a new vehicle. So we do live — we try to — we know how to stretch a dollar. Behar: How many cars do you have Jim Bob Duggar: We actually have probably about, what Seven or eight right now Michelle Duggar: We have a lot of drivers, which is great. Behar: Seven or eight cars, well, that’s an expensive proposition, isn’t it Do you get public assistance of any kind Jim Bob Duggar: No, we don’t — we’ve never had any public assistance. Just like our 21-passenger bus, we bought at a sealed-bid auction for $2,100, we bought an ’04 Suburban at an auction for like $7,000. Instead of $40,000 on a vehicle we … Behar: Yeah, I got it. I see what you’re doing. But you have a book deal and a TV show. That’s got to help. Do you think the octomom could get a TV show like you have That might help her a lot. Michelle Duggar: I could not imagine having that many little ones and being busy with a show. I think for our situation, our children are a lot older and our heart is really to just share with other families, encourage them that children are a gift and enjoy them while you have them because they grow up really fast. And so … Behar: Well, you keep having more. But you have plenty to still enjoy. They keep coming. I don’t see that you’re ever going to have an empty nest syndrome. They’re going to be there. Michelle Duggar: I hope not. Behar: You guys will never be alone. Michelle Duggar: We look forward to grandbabies, then. That’ll be fun. Behar: You know, let me ask you one more question about her. If she did get involved in doing a reality show like you guys are doing, do you have any advice for her What kind of show should she have Maybe she needs a baseball team or something. What advice could you give her Michelle Duggar: I don’t — I really — I don’t know. Jim Bob Duggar: Yeah, I think it’s a full-time job just taking care of the children while they’re young. Maybe 10 years from now when the kids are 10 years old, that might be an option. But when they’re all small, I think there’s a lot of needs. And so, I think, she’ll have her hands full. As I know when we had seven that were 7 and under, it was a very busy time. Behar: Are you going to have some more, Michelle Jim Bob Duggar: I’ve always left it up to Michelle. Michelle Duggar: We’ll see. We’ll take it one at a time. I would love more, but we’ll see if the Lord sees fit and blesses us with another one. Behar: Do you ever say to Jim Bob, get away from me, I have a headache Jim Bob Duggar: Actually, I can’t keep her away from me. Behar: Oh, boy. You guys are funny. OK, thanks so much for sharing your time with us yet again. Good luck to you both.

Michelle Duggar: Thank you. Jim Bob Duggar: Thank you, Joy.

Illinois governor demands Burris ‘do what’s right, resign’

Sen. Roland Burris of Illinois is facing pressure to step down, even from fellow Democrats.
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn called Friday for Sen. Roland Burris to resign.

“At this time we have a senator who has a cloud over his head,” Quinn said at a news conference. “It’s time (for Burris) to put the interest of the people of the land of Lincoln ahead of his own and step aside and resign from office. “I think very highly of his career. He’s done so many good things,” Quinn said. “But at this time… to step away and resign (would be) a heroic act.” It was a “gigantic mistake” for Burris to accept a Senate appointment from disgraced former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Quinn said. Quinn replaced Blagojevich when he was removed from office last month. Watch Quinn say why his “good friend” should resign » Burris has “no plans to resign” and intends to “let the process work itself out in Illinois and in the Senate Ethics Committee,” an aide to Burris told CNN. The senator is not planning to officially respond to Quinn, the aide said. The Ethics Committee has launched an investigation of Burris in the wake of disclosures that he spoke with Blagojevich’s brother about possibly raising money for the former governor. Watch troubles mount for Burris » The Sangamon County, Illinois, state’s attorney is also considering whether to file perjury charges against Burris. Burris insisted Wednesday that he was innocent of any wrongdoing in his appointment to the Senate seat formerly held by President Obama. Burris told reporters earlier in the week that he informed Blagojevich’s brother Robert in November that no one was willing to give money to the governor and that it would be inappropriate to raise money because he was interested in being appointed to the Senate. During his testimony under oath in Blagojevich’s impeachment trial, however, Burris failed to mention any such conversations when asked about contacts with the governor’s office. He later acknowledged that his testimony might be incomplete and filed an affidavit correcting it. Looking ahead to a possible Burris resignation, Quinn said he supported a bill introduced in the Illinois legislature that would set up a special election for all future U.S. Senate vacancies. “It is time to squarely address the issue and do what’s right for the public interest,” Quinn said. iReport.com: Should Burris resign Illinois needs a “clear process for dealing with the issue of vacancies when it comes to the United States Senate,” Quinn said. The bill would allow the governor to set the date of a special Senate primary within 72 days of the vacancy. A general election would follow within six weeks after the primary. The governor would be empowered to name a temporary replacement until the special election.

Quinn said that if given the power to name a replacement he would not name someone with an interest in running in the special election. Quinn was sworn in as Illinois’ governor on January 29. He had been serving as the state’s lieutenant governor until Blagojevich was removed from office.