text:
(CNN) -- Madagascar's military handed over the reins of the island nation to opposition leader Andry Rajoelina on Wednesday, ending a two-month long political crisis -- but apparently creating a constitutional one.

Andry Rajoelina is six years too young to be Madagascar's president under its constitution.

Rajoelina, a former disc jockey turned mayor of Madagascar's capital, declared himself president of a transitional government and his supporters pledged to hold elections in two years.

But Rajoelina, at 34, is six years too young to be president, according to the country's constitution.

Also, the constitution says the head of parliament's upper house must call elections within two months if something happens to the president.

Madagascar's former president, Marc Ravalomanana, ceded power to his military Tuesday after insisting over the weekend that he would remain in control.

Analysts think Ravalomanana had little choice but to step down once he had lost much of the army's support.

The African Union had warned that any power transfer aided by the military would amount to a coup d' etat.

The Union has since removed any mention of a coup in its official communique and called on the transitional government to "comply scrupulously with the provisions of the constitution of Madagascar on interim arrangements."

Monja Roindefo, the opposition-appointed prime minister, vigorously defended the week's developments on the island, located off the southeastern coast of Africa.

"Well, we would like to define what is a coup," he told CNN on Wednesday. "A coup is a group of people or persons who takes the power on behalf of sovereignty, on behalf of the people ... when the representative democracy doesn't work anymore."

"As you know, as stated, in the African Union charter, the people have the right to defend itself from an oppression or a dictatorship in Africa," he added.

Roindefo said the new government will hold elections but has given itself two years to clean up the process.  Watch more from iReporters and Twitterers on the crisis Â»

"How could you make an election immediately?" he said. "We need to reform the electoral commission. ... So the 24 months that we have given ourselves is to prepare all these types of elections in order to build a genuine democratic country."

The African Union also asked that all steps be taken to ensure the safety of the former president. The opposition leader had called for Ravalomanana's arrest, accusing him of corruption, financial mismanagement and dictatorship.

Ravalomanana was first elected in 2001 and won a second term in 2006. To many Malagasy, he represented a new breed of politician -- a self-made millionaire, a no-nonsense business leader.

But Ravalomanana maintained his business empire while in office and it was unclear to many where his business interests ended and his political leadership began. His recent purchase of a $60 million airplane further stoked public discontent.

Opposition leader Rajoelina was quick to seize on the sentiments and made fiery appeals to the country's impoverished masses.

The country was plunged into political instability in January after thousands of people took to the streets to protest rising food prices and what they perceived as autocratic behavior by Ravalomanana.

The protests soon degenerated into rioting and looting, and left about 100 people dead.  Watch more on president's resignation Â»

Soon after, Rajoelina declared that he was in charge of the country. He gave Ravalomanana until early February to step down.

The president responded by firing Rajoelina as mayor of the capital, inciting the latter's supporters to once again descend on the streets. More deadly violence followed.

Clashes spread to most provincial capitals and other cities across the country, with homes and businesses looted and burned, the U.S. State Department reported.

CNN's David McKenzie contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Madagascar

text: 's

text: military

text: handed

text: over

text: the

text: reins

text: of

text: the

text: island

text: nation

text: to

text: opposition

text: leader

text: Andry

text: Rajoelina

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: ending

text: a

text: two

text: month

text: long

text: political

text: crisis

text: but

text: apparently

text: creating

text: a

text: constitutional

text: one

text: Andry

text: Rajoelina

text: is

text: six

text: years

text: too

text: young

text: to

text: be

text: Madagascar

text: 's

text: president

text: under

text: its

text: constitution

text: Rajoelina

text: a

text: former

text: disc

text: jockey

text: turned

text: mayor

text: of

text: Madagascar

text: 's

text: capital

text: declared

text: himself

text: president

text: of

text: a

text: transitional

text: government

text: and

text: his

text: supporters

text: pledged

text: to

text: hold

text: elections

text: in

text: two

text: years

text: But

text: Rajoelina

text: at

text: is

text: six

text: years

text: too

text: young

text: to

text: be

text: president

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: constitution

text: Also

text: the

text: constitution

text: says

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: parliament

text: 's

text: upper

text: house

text: must

text: call

text: elections

text: within

text: two

text: months

text: if

text: something

text: happens

text: to

text: the

text: president

text: Madagascar

text: 's

text: former

text: president

text: Marc

text: Ravalomanana

text: ceded

text: power

text: to

text: his

text: military

text: Tuesday

text: after

text: insisting

text: over

text: the

text: weekend

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: remain

text: in

text: control

text: Analysts

text: think

text: Ravalomanana

text: had

text: little

text: choice

text: but

text: to

text: step

text: down

text: once

text: he

text: had

text: lost

text: much

text: of

text: the

text: army

text: 's

text: support

text: The

text: African

text: Union

text: had

text: warned

text: that

text: any

text: power

text: transfer

text: aided

text: by

text: the

text: military

text: would

text: amount

text: to

text: a

text: coup

text: d

text: etat

text: The

text: Union

text: has

text: since

text: removed

text: any

text: mention

text: of

text: a

text: coup

text: in

text: its

text: official

text: communique

text: and

text: called

text: on

text: the

text: transitional

text: government

text: to

text: comply

text: scrupulously

text: with

text: the

text: provisions

text: of

text: the

text: constitution

text: of

text: Madagascar

text: on

text: interim

text: arrangements

text: Monja

text: Roindefo

text: the

text: opposition

text: appointed

text: prime

text: minister

text: vigorously

text: defended

text: the

text: week

text: 's

text: developments

text: on

text: the

text: island

text: located

text: off

text: the

text: southeastern

text: coast

text: of

text: Africa

text: Well

text: we

text: would

text: like

text: to

text: define

text: what

text: is

text: a

text: coup

text: he

text: told

text: CNN

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: A

text: coup

text: is

text: a

text: group

text: of

text: people

text: or

text: persons

text: who

text: takes

text: the

text: power

text: on

text: behalf

text: of

text: sovereignty

text: on

text: behalf

text: of

text: the

text: people

text: when

text: the

text: representative

text: democracy

text: does

text: n't

text: work

text: anymore

text: As

text: you

text: know

text: as

text: stated

text: in

text: the

text: African

text: Union

text: charter

text: the

text: people

text: have

text: the

text: right

text: to

text: defend

text: itself

text: from

text: an

text: oppression

text: or

text: a

text: dictatorship

text: in

text: Africa

text: he

text: added

text: Roindefo

text: said

text: the

text: new

text: government

text: will

text: hold

text: elections

text: but

text: has

text: given

text: itself

text: two

text: years

text: to

text: clean

text: up

text: the

text: process

text: Watch

text: more

text: from

text: iReporters

text: and

text: Twitterers

text: on

text: the

text: crisis

text: Â

text: How

text: could

text: you

text: make

text: an

text: election

text: immediately

text: he

text: said

text: We

text: need

text: to

text: reform

text: the

text: electoral

text: commission

text: So

text: the

text: months

text: that

text: we

text: have

text: given

text: ourselves

text: is

text: to

text: prepare

text: all

text: these

text: types

text: of

text: elections

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: build

text: a

text: genuine

text: democratic

text: country

text: The

text: African

text: Union

text: also

text: asked

text: that

text: all

text: steps

text: be

text: taken

text: to

text: ensure

text: the

text: safety

text: of

text: the

text: former

text: president

text: The

text: opposition

text: leader

text: had

text: called

text: for

text: Ravalomanana

text: 's

text: arrest

text: accusing

text: him

text: of

text: corruption

text: financial

text: mismanagement

text: and

text: dictatorship

text: Ravalomanana

text: was

text: first

text: elected

text: in

text: and

text: won

text: a

text: second

text: term

text: in

text: To

text: many

text: Malagasy

text: he

text: represented

text: a

text: new

text: breed

text: of

text: politician

text: a

text: self

text: made

text: millionaire

text: a

text: no

text: nonsense

text: business

text: leader

text: But

text: Ravalomanana

text: maintained

text: his

text: business

text: empire

text: while

text: in

text: office

text: and

text: it

text: was

text: unclear

text: to

text: many

text: where

text: his

text: business

text: interests

text: ended

text: and

text: his

text: political

text: leadership

text: began

text: His

text: recent

text: purchase

text: of

text: a

text: million

text: airplane

text: further

text: stoked

text: public

text: discontent

text: Opposition

text: leader

text: Rajoelina

text: was

text: quick

text: to

text: seize

text: on

text: the

text: sentiments

text: and

text: made

text: fiery

text: appeals

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: impoverished

text: masses

text: The

text: country

text: was

text: plunged

text: into

text: political

text: instability

text: in

text: January

text: after

text: thousands

text: of

text: people

text: took

text: to

text: the

text: streets

text: to

text: protest

text: rising

text: food

text: prices

text: and

text: what

text: they

text: perceived

text: as

text: autocratic

text: behavior

text: by

text: Ravalomanana

text: The

text: protests

text: soon

text: degenerated

text: into

text: rioting

text: and

text: looting

text: and

text: left

text: about

text: people

text: dead

text: Watch

text: more

text: on

text: president

text: 's

text: resignation

text: Â

text: Soon

text: after

text: Rajoelina

text: declared

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: in

text: charge

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: He

text: gave

text: Ravalomanana

text: until

text: early

text: February

text: to

text: step

text: down

text: The

text: president

text: responded

text: by

text: firing

text: Rajoelina

text: as

text: mayor

text: of

text: the

text: capital

text: inciting

text: the

text: latter

text: 's

text: supporters

text: to

text: once

text: again

text: descend

text: on

text: the

text: streets

text: More

text: deadly

text: violence

text: followed

text: Clashes

text: spread

text: to

text: most

text: provincial

text: capitals

text: and

text: other

text: cities

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: with

text: homes

text: and

text: businesses

text: looted

text: and

text: burned

text: the

text: U.S.

text: State

text: Department

text: reported

text: CNN

text: 's

text: David

text: McKenzie

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What did thousands protest?

answer: rising food prices

text: rising food prices

question: Who wasn't old enough to become president?

answer: Andry Rajoelina

text: Andry Rajoelina

question: Who is too young to be president?

answer: Andry Rajoelina

text: Andry Rajoelina

question: What plunged in turmoil?

answer: The country

text: The country

question: Who is too young to become president?

answer: Andry Rajoelina

text: Andry Rajoelina

question: What did the people protest?

answer: rising food prices

text: rising food prices

question: Who handed power to opposition leader?

answer: Madagascar's

text: Madagascar's


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN)  --   More than 33,000 items of old denim -- jeans, hats and jackets -- were sent to Washington in a recycling effort that will benefit disaster-struck homes, officials said.

Erek Hansen donated five pairs of his own outgrown jeans to the cause and collected almost 1,700 pairs.

National Geographic Kids magazine encouraged readers to donate their old denim instead of throwing it away.

The resulting 33,088 pieces of denim clothing set a world record, verified Wednesday by a representative from Guinness World Records, according to the magazine's blog.

The thousands of pairs of jeans, which are on display at Union Station for two weeks, will be turned into housing insulation for homes affected by natural disasters. According to the magazine, there will be enough material to provide insulation for 60 houses.

The jeans will be turned over to Cotton Inc., which collects used denim for natural fiber insulation made without carcinogens or chemical irritants. Paula Rosario, vice president of consumer marketing for the company, said that the new record "certainly attests to the civic-mindedness of today's children."

The ceremony unveiling the denim display also honored 9-year-old Erek Hansen, who collected nearly 1,700 jeans. The elementary school student from Curtice, Ohio, said that his friends and classmates "were happy to help the environment."

Hansen donated five pairs of his own outgrown jeans. The display also includes a pair from actor Ben Stiller.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: More

text: than

text: items

text: of

text: old

text: denim

text: jeans

text: hats

text: and

text: jackets

text: were

text: sent

text: to

text: Washington

text: in

text: a

text: recycling

text: effort

text: that

text: will

text: benefit

text: disaster

text: struck

text: homes

text: officials

text: said

text: Erek

text: Hansen

text: donated

text: five

text: pairs

text: of

text: his

text: own

text: outgrown

text: jeans

text: to

text: the

text: cause

text: and

text: collected

text: almost

text: pairs

text: National

text: Geographic

text: Kids

text: magazine

text: encouraged

text: readers

text: to

text: donate

text: their

text: old

text: denim

text: instead

text: of

text: throwing

text: it

text: away

text: The

text: resulting

text: pieces

text: of

text: denim

text: clothing

text: set

text: a

text: world

text: record

text: verified

text: Wednesday

text: by

text: a

text: representative

text: from

text: Guinness

text: World

text: Records

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: magazine

text: 's

text: blog

text: The

text: thousands

text: of

text: pairs

text: of

text: jeans

text: which

text: are

text: on

text: display

text: at

text: Union

text: Station

text: for

text: two

text: weeks

text: will

text: be

text: turned

text: into

text: housing

text: insulation

text: for

text: homes

text: affected

text: by

text: natural

text: disasters

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: magazine

text: there

text: will

text: be

text: enough

text: material

text: to

text: provide

text: insulation

text: for

text: houses

text: The

text: jeans

text: will

text: be

text: turned

text: over

text: to

text: Cotton

text: Inc.

text: which

text: collects

text: used

text: denim

text: for

text: natural

text: fiber

text: insulation

text: made

text: without

text: carcinogens

text: or

text: chemical

text: irritants

text: Paula

text: Rosario

text: vice

text: president

text: of

text: consumer

text: marketing

text: for

text: the

text: company

text: said

text: that

text: the

text: new

text: record

text: certainly

text: attests

text: to

text: the

text: civic

text: mindedness

text: of

text: today

text: 's

text: children

text: The

text: ceremony

text: unveiling

text: the

text: denim

text: display

text: also

text: honored

text: old

text: Erek

text: Hansen

text: who

text: collected

text: nearly

text: jeans

text: The

text: elementary

text: school

text: student

text: from

text: Curtice

text: Ohio

text: said

text: that

text: his

text: friends

text: and

text: classmates

text: were

text: happy

text: to

text: help

text: the

text: environment

text: Hansen

text: donated

text: five

text: pairs

text: of

text: his

text: own

text: outgrown

text: jeans

text: The

text: display

text: also

text: includes

text: a

text: pair

text: from

text: actor

text: Ben

text: Stiller

question: How many items of old denim were sent?

answer: More than 33,000

text: More than 33,000

question: To what location was the old denim sent to?

answer: Washington

text: Washington

question: What did the National Geographic Kids magazine encourage readers to do?

answer: donate their old denim

text: donate their old denim

question: what does the magazine encourage

answer: readers to donate their old denim instead of throwing it away.

text: readers to donate their old denim instead of throwing it away.

question: How many items were donated?

answer: More than 33,000

text: More than 33,000

question: how many items were sent to washington

answer: 33,000

question: Who collected almost 1,700 pairs of jeans?

answer: Erek Hansen

text: Erek Hansen

question: What age is Erek Hansen of Curtice, Ohio?

answer: 9-year-old

question: how many jeans were collected

answer: 1,700 pairs.

text: 1,700 pairs.


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Air Force is returning F-15E Strike Eagle jets to service over Iraq and Afghanistan after grounding other F-15s, the Air Force said Wednesday.

The Air Force grounded models of its F-15 fleet after the crash of an older model F-15C this month.

The F-15s were grounded after a crash earlier this month in Missouri of an older model that disintegrated in flight.

Each F-15E must pass an inspection of critical parts on the airframe before returning to flying missions, Air Force officials said.

All U.S. Air Force 224 E-model aircraft will undergo a one-time inspection of hydraulic system lines, the Air Force statement said.

The longerons -- molded, metal strips of the aircraft fuselage that run from front to rear -- will also be inspected, according to the Air Force.

The straps and skin panels in and around the environmental control system bay will also be examined, officials said.

The Air Force would not say whether the parts being inspected were part of the problem on the aircraft that crashed.

The investigation into why that plane fell apart in flight is still ongoing and Air Force officials will not say what happened until the investigation is complete, an Air Force spokesperson said.

Air Force officials said the rest of the almost 500 F-15s -- older airframes than the F-15Es -- will remain grounded until the investigation offers a solution to what happened.

The E-model aircraft, the youngest and most sophisticated in the F-15 inventory, is heavily used by Central Command for ground support in the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is also used for the homeland security mission over the United States known as Operation Noble Eagle.

On November 3, the Air Force grounded all of its F-15s in response to a November 1 crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C in Boss, Missouri.

The grounding forced Central Command to use other Air Force, Navy and French fighters to fill the gaps, though Strike Eagles did fly to support troops in battle in Afghanistan as an emergency measure while they were still under grounding orders, according to Central Command reports.

The plane that crashed, built in 1980, was one of the older F-15s in the fleet.

The F-15E Strike Eagle is an air-to-ground and air-to-air fighter, making it more versatile than other F-15 models, which are used for only air-to-air missions.

The Strike Eagle is used in Afghanistan and Iraq in its air-to-ground role, using its advanced sensors to drop bombs on targets. E-mail to a friend

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: The

text: Air

text: Force

text: is

text: returning

text: Strike

text: Eagle

text: jets

text: to

text: service

text: over

text: Iraq

text: and

text: Afghanistan

text: after

text: grounding

text: other

text: the

text: Air

text: Force

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: The

text: Air

text: Force

text: grounded

text: models

text: of

text: its

text: fleet

text: after

text: the

text: crash

text: of

text: an

text: older

text: model

text: this

text: month

text: The

text: were

text: grounded

text: after

text: a

text: crash

text: earlier

text: this

text: month

text: in

text: Missouri

text: of

text: an

text: older

text: model

text: that

text: disintegrated

text: in

text: flight

text: Each

text: must

text: pass

text: an

text: inspection

text: of

text: critical

text: parts

text: on

text: the

text: airframe

text: before

text: returning

text: to

text: flying

text: missions

text: Air

text: Force

text: officials

text: said

text: All

text: U.S.

text: Air

text: Force

text: E

text: model

text: aircraft

text: will

text: undergo

text: a

text: one

text: time

text: inspection

text: of

text: hydraulic

text: system

text: lines

text: the

text: Air

text: Force

text: statement

text: said

text: The

text: longerons

text: molded

text: metal

text: strips

text: of

text: the

text: aircraft

text: fuselage

text: that

text: run

text: from

text: front

text: to

text: rear

text: will

text: also

text: be

text: inspected

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Air

text: Force

text: The

text: straps

text: and

text: skin

text: panels

text: in

text: and

text: around

text: the

text: environmental

text: control

text: system

text: bay

text: will

text: also

text: be

text: examined

text: officials

text: said

text: The

text: Air

text: Force

text: would

text: not

text: say

text: whether

text: the

text: parts

text: being

text: inspected

text: were

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: problem

text: on

text: the

text: aircraft

text: that

text: crashed

text: The

text: investigation

text: into

text: why

text: that

text: plane

text: fell

text: apart

text: in

text: flight

text: is

text: still

text: ongoing

text: and

text: Air

text: Force

text: officials

text: will

text: not

text: say

text: what

text: happened

text: until

text: the

text: investigation

text: is

text: complete

text: an

text: Air

text: Force

text: spokesperson

text: said

text: Air

text: Force

text: officials

text: said

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: almost

text: older

text: airframes

text: than

text: the

text: will

text: remain

text: grounded

text: until

text: the

text: investigation

text: offers

text: a

text: solution

text: to

text: what

text: happened

text: The

text: E

text: model

text: aircraft

text: the

text: youngest

text: and

text: most

text: sophisticated

text: in

text: the

text: inventory

text: is

text: heavily

text: used

text: by

text: Central

text: Command

text: for

text: ground

text: support

text: in

text: the

text: U.S

text: led

text: wars

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: Afghanistan

text: It

text: is

text: also

text: used

text: for

text: the

text: homeland

text: security

text: mission

text: over

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: known

text: as

text: Operation

text: Noble

text: Eagle

text: On

text: November

text: the

text: Air

text: Force

text: grounded

text: all

text: of

text: its

text: in

text: response

text: to

text: a

text: November

text: crash

text: of

text: a

text: Missouri

text: Air

text: National

text: Guard

text: in

text: Boss

text: Missouri

text: The

text: grounding

text: forced

text: Central

text: Command

text: to

text: use

text: other

text: Air

text: Force

text: Navy

text: and

text: French

text: fighters

text: to

text: fill

text: the

text: gaps

text: though

text: Strike

text: Eagles

text: did

text: fly

text: to

text: support

text: troops

text: in

text: battle

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: as

text: an

text: emergency

text: measure

text: while

text: they

text: were

text: still

text: under

text: grounding

text: orders

text: according

text: to

text: Central

text: Command

text: reports

text: The

text: plane

text: that

text: crashed

text: built

text: in

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: older

text: in

text: the

text: fleet

text: The

text: Strike

text: Eagle

text: is

text: an

text: air

text: to

text: ground

text: and

text: air

text: to

text: air

text: fighter

text: making

text: it

text: more

text: versatile

text: than

text: other

text: models

text: which

text: are

text: used

text: for

text: only

text: air

text: to

text: air

text: missions

text: The

text: Strike

text: Eagle

text: is

text: used

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: and

text: Iraq

text: in

text: its

text: air

text: to

text: ground

text: role

text: using

text: its

text: advanced

text: sensors

text: to

text: drop

text: bombs

text: on

text: targets

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: Which planes will undergo inspection?

answer: F-15E

question: What is the f-15 used for?

answer: ground support in the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

text: ground support in the U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

question: Where did crash take place?

answer: Missouri

text: Missouri

question: What will undergo inspection?

answer: Each F-15E

text: Each F-15E

question: What will undergo a one-time inspection?

answer: All U.S. Air Force 224 E-model aircraft

text: All U.S. Air Force 224 E-model aircraft

question: what is used for ground support in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?

answer: F-15E Strike Eagle

text: F-15E Strike Eagle

question: What was the date of the crash?

answer: November 1

text: November 1

question: What wars are supported?

answer: in Iraq and Afghanistan.

text: in Iraq and Afghanistan.

question: Where are F-15s used for ground support?

answer: U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

text: U.S.-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

question: Which aircraft will undergo a one-time inspection?

answer: All U.S. Air Force 224 E-model

text: All U.S. Air Force 224 E-model

question: All U.S. Air Force 224 E-model aircraft will undergo a one-time inspection

answer: of hydraulic system lines,

text: of hydraulic system lines,

question: What state did the f-15 crash in?

answer: Missouri

text: Missouri

question: Where did the F-15 crash?

answer: Missouri

text: Missouri

question: What kind of vehicle is the F15?

answer: F-15E Strike Eagle jets

text: F-15E Strike Eagle jets

question: Where is the F-15 being used for ground support?

answer: Afghanistan

text: Afghanistan

question: which is the model aircraft undego a one-time inspection?

answer: U.S. Air Force 224 E-model

text: U.S. Air Force 224 E-model

question: What wars did the F-15 provide ground support in?

answer: Iraq and Afghanistan.

text: Iraq and Afghanistan.

question: what grounded after a November 1 crash in Missouri?

answer: models of its F-15

text: models of its F-15

question: Where was the crash?

answer: Boss, Missouri.

text: Boss, Missouri.

question: What plane was grounded?

answer: models of its F-15 fleet

text: models of its F-15 fleet

question: When was the F-15s grounded?

answer: November 3,

text: November 3,


text:
(CNN)  -- Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele might be reminding conservative activists of a past Republican leadership turned arrogant with power.

Under Michael Steele's leadership, the RNC has been accused of spending campaign funds on private jets, booze, limousines, five-star hotels, overseas resorts and a party donor's trip to a Hollywood bondage club.

Most conservatives will agree that these expenditures are a horrible waste of funds at a time when Republicans are hoping to enjoy sizable gains in the 2010 midterm elections.

After the devastating results of the 2006 and 2008 elections, conservatives were unexpectedly able to energize their followers as the Tea Party movement emerged and President Obama experienced first-year difficulties. Local Republican victories in gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey boosted the spirits of conservatives who feared Democrats might be on the verge of another New Deal.

But along comes the RNC scandals, which have had the exact opposite effect. Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, told his followers that they should not write checks to the national party.

Perkins said: "This latest incident is another indication to me the RNC is completely tone-deaf to the values and concerns of a large number of people they are seeking financial support from."

The RNC scandals smack of the type of arrogance that was at the heart of the scandals that brought down key Republicans in 2005 and 2006. During these critical years, it became clear that party leaders had been abusing their influence by focusing on expanding their own power rather than advancing the agenda of the right.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay was forced to resign in early 2006 after being accused of violating campaign finance laws in Texas. He was also tied to the lobbying scandals that centered on Jack Abramoff.

California Rep. Duke Cunningham ended his career for accepting bribes from defense contractors who benefited from his decisions on appropriations.

There was also the case of Florida Rep. Mark Foley, to whom Republican leaders turned a blind eye despite his highly inappropriate text messages to underage male pages.

Even Ralph Reed, the darling of the Christian Coalition, had been in cahoots with Abramoff in schemes to mobilize activists to protest gaming with the intention of drumming up business for his long-time friend. It seemed that the attitude of Republicans in Washington had become "anything goes."

The results were devastating. Many Republicans were forced to resign, and Democrats regained control of Congress in 2006. Polls showed that corruption was a major issue on Election Day.

The chickens had come home to roost. Not only did the scandals offer campaign fodder for Democrats who wanted to challenge the Republicans' self-promotion as the righteous party, but even more importantly, they deflated the enthusiasm of conservative activists who believed their energy and money had been wasted and that their party was just as corrupt as the opposition.

Rather than the party of Ronald Reagan, the GOP looked more like the party of Tammany Hall.

The Steele scandals point to that same kind of arrogance. This time around, Republicans are in an even weaker position, given that they are in the minority and out of the White House, struggling to rebuild their battered party. In addition, Democrats have just achieved a major victory with health care, and it seems that the jobs market is finally starting to improve.

Republicans will need to clean their house quickly and find leaders who do not look more interested in the lavish ways of Washington than in the more modest ways of Main Street.

On Monday, the Republican National Committee chief of staff resigned, with many assuming he was fired by Steele in an effort to clean house.

The resignation is a start. But much more needs to be done. If the Republican leadership does not respond more aggressively, recent efforts to revive the party won't amount to very much.

Conservative voters will not be enthusiastic about supporting a party whose leaders partake in lavish and questionable activities, and Democrats will have more evidence that their opponents cannot be trusted with power.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer.

text: CNN

text: Republican

text: National

text: Committee

text: Chairman

text: Michael

text: Steele

text: might

text: be

text: reminding

text: conservative

text: activists

text: of

text: a

text: past

text: Republican

text: leadership

text: turned

text: arrogant

text: with

text: power

text: Under

text: Michael

text: Steele

text: 's

text: leadership

text: the

text: RNC

text: has

text: been

text: accused

text: of

text: spending

text: campaign

text: funds

text: on

text: private

text: jets

text: booze

text: limousines

text: five

text: star

text: hotels

text: overseas

text: resorts

text: and

text: a

text: party

text: donor

text: 's

text: trip

text: to

text: a

text: Hollywood

text: bondage

text: club

text: Most

text: conservatives

text: will

text: agree

text: that

text: these

text: expenditures

text: are

text: a

text: horrible

text: waste

text: of

text: funds

text: at

text: a

text: time

text: when

text: Republicans

text: are

text: hoping

text: to

text: enjoy

text: sizable

text: gains

text: in

text: the

text: midterm

text: elections

text: After

text: the

text: devastating

text: results

text: of

text: the

text: and

text: elections

text: conservatives

text: were

text: unexpectedly

text: able

text: to

text: energize

text: their

text: followers

text: as

text: the

text: Tea

text: Party

text: movement

text: emerged

text: and

text: President

text: Obama

text: experienced

text: first

text: year

text: difficulties

text: Local

text: Republican

text: victories

text: in

text: gubernatorial

text: elections

text: in

text: Virginia

text: and

text: New

text: Jersey

text: boosted

text: the

text: spirits

text: of

text: conservatives

text: who

text: feared

text: Democrats

text: might

text: be

text: on

text: the

text: verge

text: of

text: another

text: New

text: Deal

text: But

text: along

text: comes

text: the

text: RNC

text: scandals

text: which

text: have

text: had

text: the

text: exact

text: opposite

text: effect

text: Tony

text: Perkins

text: the

text: president

text: of

text: the

text: Family

text: Research

text: Council

text: told

text: his

text: followers

text: that

text: they

text: should

text: not

text: write

text: checks

text: to

text: the

text: national

text: party

text: Perkins

text: said

text: This

text: latest

text: incident

text: is

text: another

text: indication

text: to

text: me

text: the

text: RNC

text: is

text: completely

text: tone

text: deaf

text: to

text: the

text: values

text: and

text: concerns

text: of

text: a

text: large

text: number

text: of

text: people

text: they

text: are

text: seeking

text: financial

text: support

text: from

text: The

text: RNC

text: scandals

text: smack

text: of

text: the

text: type

text: of

text: arrogance

text: that

text: was

text: at

text: the

text: heart

text: of

text: the

text: scandals

text: that

text: brought

text: down

text: key

text: Republicans

text: in

text: and

text: During

text: these

text: critical

text: years

text: it

text: became

text: clear

text: that

text: party

text: leaders

text: had

text: been

text: abusing

text: their

text: influence

text: by

text: focusing

text: on

text: expanding

text: their

text: own

text: power

text: rather

text: than

text: advancing

text: the

text: agenda

text: of

text: the

text: right

text: House

text: Majority

text: Leader

text: Tom

text: DeLay

text: was

text: forced

text: to

text: resign

text: in

text: early

text: after

text: being

text: accused

text: of

text: violating

text: campaign

text: finance

text: laws

text: in

text: Texas

text: He

text: was

text: also

text: tied

text: to

text: the

text: lobbying

text: scandals

text: that

text: centered

text: on

text: Jack

text: Abramoff

text: California

text: Rep.

text: Duke

text: Cunningham

text: ended

text: his

text: career

text: for

text: accepting

text: bribes

text: from

text: defense

text: contractors

text: who

text: benefited

text: from

text: his

text: decisions

text: on

text: appropriations

text: There

text: was

text: also

text: the

text: case

text: of

text: Florida

text: Rep.

text: Mark

text: Foley

text: to

text: whom

text: Republican

text: leaders

text: turned

text: a

text: blind

text: eye

text: despite

text: his

text: highly

text: inappropriate

text: text

text: messages

text: to

text: underage

text: male

text: pages

text: Even

text: Ralph

text: Reed

text: the

text: darling

text: of

text: the

text: Christian

text: Coalition

text: had

text: been

text: in

text: cahoots

text: with

text: Abramoff

text: in

text: schemes

text: to

text: mobilize

text: activists

text: to

text: protest

text: gaming

text: with

text: the

text: intention

text: of

text: drumming

text: up

text: business

text: for

text: his

text: long

text: time

text: friend

text: It

text: seemed

text: that

text: the

text: attitude

text: of

text: Republicans

text: in

text: Washington

text: had

text: become

text: anything

text: goes

text: The

text: results

text: were

text: devastating

text: Many

text: Republicans

text: were

text: forced

text: to

text: resign

text: and

text: Democrats

text: regained

text: control

text: of

text: Congress

text: in

text: Polls

text: showed

text: that

text: corruption

text: was

text: a

text: major

text: issue

text: on

text: Election

text: Day

text: The

text: chickens

text: had

text: come

text: home

text: to

text: roost

text: Not

text: only

text: did

text: the

text: scandals

text: offer

text: campaign

text: fodder

text: for

text: Democrats

text: who

text: wanted

text: to

text: challenge

text: the

text: Republicans

text: self

text: promotion

text: as

text: the

text: righteous

text: party

text: but

text: even

text: more

text: importantly

text: they

text: deflated

text: the

text: enthusiasm

text: of

text: conservative

text: activists

text: who

text: believed

text: their

text: energy

text: and

text: money

text: had

text: been

text: wasted

text: and

text: that

text: their

text: party

text: was

text: just

text: as

text: corrupt

text: as

text: the

text: opposition

text: Rather

text: than

text: the

text: party

text: of

text: Ronald

text: Reagan

text: the

text: GOP

text: looked

text: more

text: like

text: the

text: party

text: of

text: Tammany

text: Hall

text: The

text: Steele

text: scandals

text: point

text: to

text: that

text: same

text: kind

text: of

text: arrogance

text: This

text: time

text: around

text: Republicans

text: are

text: in

text: an

text: even

text: weaker

text: position

text: given

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: in

text: the

text: minority

text: and

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: struggling

text: to

text: rebuild

text: their

text: battered

text: party

text: In

text: addition

text: Democrats

text: have

text: just

text: achieved

text: a

text: major

text: victory

text: with

text: health

text: care

text: and

text: it

text: seems

text: that

text: the

text: jobs

text: market

text: is

text: finally

text: starting

text: to

text: improve

text: Republicans

text: will

text: need

text: to

text: clean

text: their

text: house

text: quickly

text: and

text: find

text: leaders

text: who

text: do

text: not

text: look

text: more

text: interested

text: in

text: the

text: lavish

text: ways

text: of

text: Washington

text: than

text: in

text: the

text: more

text: modest

text: ways

text: of

text: Main

text: Street

text: On

text: Monday

text: the

text: Republican

text: National

text: Committee

text: chief

text: of

text: staff

text: resigned

text: with

text: many

text: assuming

text: he

text: was

text: fired

text: by

text: Steele

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: clean

text: house

text: The

text: resignation

text: is

text: a

text: start

text: But

text: much

text: more

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: done

text: If

text: the

text: Republican

text: leadership

text: does

text: not

text: respond

text: more

text: aggressively

text: recent

text: efforts

text: to

text: revive

text: the

text: party

text: wo

text: n't

text: amount

text: to

text: very

text: much

text: Conservative

text: voters

text: will

text: not

text: be

text: enthusiastic

text: about

text: supporting

text: a

text: party

text: whose

text: leaders

text: partake

text: in

text: lavish

text: and

text: questionable

text: activities

text: and

text: Democrats

text: will

text: have

text: more

text: evidence

text: that

text: their

text: opponents

text: can

text: not

text: be

text: trusted

text: with

text: power

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Julian

text: Zelizer

question: What is alienating the conservative wing?

answer: private jets, booze, limousines, five-star hotels, overseas resorts

text: private jets, booze, limousines, five-star hotels, overseas resorts


text:
(CNN) -- The Los Angeles Galaxy beat the Houston Dynamo 1-0 in the Major League Soccer final Sunday, in what could be David Beckham's last significant game on U.S. soil.

The Galaxy entered the final match, which was on their home turf in Carson, California, as the clear favorite. The squad hasn't lost this year at The Home Depot Center, and overall have won 19 games, tied 10 and lost five.

The Dynamo, meanwhile, finished second in the Eastern Conference having won 12 games, tied 13 and lost nine.

Yet while the Houston squad had strong players like Brian Ching and Brad Davis on its roster, they couldn't match the star-power of the Galaxy. That included U.S. national team stalwart Landon Donovan, Irish forward Robbie Keane and Beckham.

The sole goal of the game came in the 72nd minute. Beckham flicked a header to Keane who passed the ball to Donovan -- who, in turn, sent it past Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall.

It was the Galaxy's third MLS title, and Beckham's first.

Beckham has been a global soccer icon for years, inspiring the movie, "Bend It Like Beckham" and starring for years with Manchester United, Real Madrid and the English national team. He's also been a hot item off the field, as the husband of former "Spice Girl" singer and fashionista Victoria Beckham.

In 2007, he signed on with Major League Soccer -- a surprising move to some, given that he then was still considered one of the world's best players and the U.S. league's quality was considered inferior to many others worldwide.

Beckham said then that he hoped to help build the sport's standing in the United States and the league's profile internationally.

His $32.5 million contract is set to expire at year's end, and Beckham recently told CNN that he is still weighing where, if anywhere, he will go next.

Clubs rumored to have shown interest in him include European teams Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Queens Park Rangers.

"People say I'm coming to the end of my career, which at 36 years old you usually are," he said last week. "But it's always nice to be wanted, and to be wanted by some of the biggest clubs in Europe still."

Beckham added that, at season's end, he plans to talk through his next steps with his family -- considering, among other factors, his health and "what I think I can still achieve."

Beckham hoped to have an answer possibly before Christmas.

He also expressed his desire to somehow be part of the 2012 Summer Olympics, either as a player, "an ambassador for the Olympics" or simply a fan.

"To be a proud Englishman, to get the Olympics in a part of London where I grew up, it was something that I loved being part of," Beckham said.

CNN's Paul Vercammen contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: The

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Galaxy

text: beat

text: the

text: Houston

text: Dynamo

text: in

text: the

text: Major

text: League

text: Soccer

text: final

text: Sunday

text: in

text: what

text: could

text: be

text: David

text: Beckham

text: 's

text: last

text: significant

text: game

text: on

text: U.S.

text: soil

text: The

text: Galaxy

text: entered

text: the

text: final

text: match

text: which

text: was

text: on

text: their

text: home

text: turf

text: in

text: Carson

text: California

text: as

text: the

text: clear

text: favorite

text: The

text: squad

text: has

text: n't

text: lost

text: this

text: year

text: at

text: The

text: Home

text: Depot

text: Center

text: and

text: overall

text: have

text: won

text: games

text: tied

text: and

text: lost

text: five

text: The

text: Dynamo

text: meanwhile

text: finished

text: second

text: in

text: the

text: Eastern

text: Conference

text: having

text: won

text: games

text: tied

text: and

text: lost

text: nine

text: Yet

text: while

text: the

text: Houston

text: squad

text: had

text: strong

text: players

text: like

text: Brian

text: Ching

text: and

text: Brad

text: Davis

text: on

text: its

text: roster

text: they

text: could

text: n't

text: match

text: the

text: star

text: power

text: of

text: the

text: Galaxy

text: That

text: included

text: U.S.

text: national

text: team

text: stalwart

text: Landon

text: Donovan

text: Irish

text: forward

text: Robbie

text: Keane

text: and

text: Beckham

text: The

text: sole

text: goal

text: of

text: the

text: game

text: came

text: in

text: the

text: minute

text: Beckham

text: flicked

text: a

text: header

text: to

text: Keane

text: who

text: passed

text: the

text: ball

text: to

text: Donovan

text: who

text: in

text: turn

text: sent

text: it

text: past

text: Dynamo

text: goalkeeper

text: Tally

text: Hall

text: It

text: was

text: the

text: Galaxy

text: 's

text: third

text: MLS

text: title

text: and

text: Beckham

text: 's

text: first

text: Beckham

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: global

text: soccer

text: icon

text: for

text: years

text: inspiring

text: the

text: movie

text: Bend

text: It

text: Like

text: Beckham

text: and

text: starring

text: for

text: years

text: with

text: Manchester

text: United

text: Real

text: Madrid

text: and

text: the

text: English

text: national

text: team

text: He

text: 's

text: also

text: been

text: a

text: hot

text: item

text: off

text: the

text: field

text: as

text: the

text: husband

text: of

text: former

text: Spice

text: Girl

text: singer

text: and

text: fashionista

text: Victoria

text: Beckham

text: In

text: he

text: signed

text: on

text: with

text: Major

text: League

text: Soccer

text: a

text: surprising

text: move

text: to

text: some

text: given

text: that

text: he

text: then

text: was

text: still

text: considered

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: best

text: players

text: and

text: the

text: U.S.

text: league

text: 's

text: quality

text: was

text: considered

text: inferior

text: to

text: many

text: others

text: worldwide

text: Beckham

text: said

text: then

text: that

text: he

text: hoped

text: to

text: help

text: build

text: the

text: sport

text: 's

text: standing

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: the

text: league

text: 's

text: profile

text: internationally

text: His

text: million

text: contract

text: is

text: set

text: to

text: expire

text: at

text: year

text: 's

text: end

text: and

text: Beckham

text: recently

text: told

text: CNN

text: that

text: he

text: is

text: still

text: weighing

text: where

text: if

text: anywhere

text: he

text: will

text: go

text: next

text: Clubs

text: rumored

text: to

text: have

text: shown

text: interest

text: in

text: him

text: include

text: European

text: teams

text: Tottenham

text: Hotspur

text: Paris

text: Saint

text: Germain

text: and

text: Queens

text: Park

text: Rangers

text: People

text: say

text: I

text: 'm

text: coming

text: to

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: my

text: career

text: which

text: at

text: years

text: old

text: you

text: usually

text: are

text: he

text: said

text: last

text: week

text: But

text: it

text: 's

text: always

text: nice

text: to

text: be

text: wanted

text: and

text: to

text: be

text: wanted

text: by

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: biggest

text: clubs

text: in

text: Europe

text: still

text: Beckham

text: added

text: that

text: at

text: season

text: 's

text: end

text: he

text: plans

text: to

text: talk

text: through

text: his

text: next

text: steps

text: with

text: his

text: family

text: considering

text: among

text: other

text: factors

text: his

text: health

text: and

text: what

text: I

text: think

text: I

text: can

text: still

text: achieve

text: Beckham

text: hoped

text: to

text: have

text: an

text: answer

text: possibly

text: before

text: Christmas

text: He

text: also

text: expressed

text: his

text: desire

text: to

text: somehow

text: be

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: Summer

text: Olympics

text: either

text: as

text: a

text: player

text: an

text: ambassador

text: for

text: the

text: Olympics

text: or

text: simply

text: a

text: fan

text: To

text: be

text: a

text: proud

text: Englishman

text: to

text: get

text: the

text: Olympics

text: in

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: London

text: where

text: I

text: grew

text: up

text: it

text: was

text: something

text: that

text: I

text: loved

text: being

text: part

text: of

text: Beckham

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Paul

text: Vercammen

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who entered the game as a favorite?

answer: Los Angeles Galaxy

text: Los Angeles Galaxy

question: What minute goal came?

answer: 72nd


text:
LONDON, England (CNN) -- The wife of an Iranian pro-reformist activist detained as he tried to leave the country last week says she is "deeply concerned" for his safety.

Fatemah Shams and Mohammadreza Jalaeipour are students together at the University of Oxford.

Fatemeh Shams told CNN she hadn't heard from her husband Mohammadreza Jalaeipour since she watched him being escorted away after he was prevented from boarding a flight to Dubai on June 17.

Both are students at the University of Oxford and had been returning to the UK from Iran after attending a family wedding, just as demonstrations escalated following presidential elections earlier this month which have plunged Iran into political chaos.

Shams said she and her 27-year-old husband -- both activists for the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign -- planned to leave Iran on June 17.

At first, everything appeared fine with Jalaeipour having his passport stamped as he passed through immigration. But he was then approached by a plain clothes official who told him to turn off his cellphone before ordering Jalaeipour to follow him.

"We didn't get a chance to talk to each other -- I was watching what was happening and that was the last time I saw him," said Shams, 26, who flew to the UK via Doha in Qatar.  Watch Shams speak about her husband's detention Â»

Shams said she hadn't heard directly from her husband since his arrest but believed he was being held in prison.

"It's a very difficult mental situation for me to understand what is going on and I am deeply concerned about his health and safety," she told CNN.

Both Jalaeipour and Shams were members of the organizing committee of the Third Wave campaign, a reformist youth movement formed last year to back former president Mohammad Khatami's candidacy in this year's election.

Following Khatami's withdrawal from contention, the Third Wave threw its support behind Mir Hossein Moussavi, who has disputed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, claiming that voting was rigged.

In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal Jalaeipour said he had advised Moussavi on using social-networking Web sites, such as Facebook, to reach young voters.

"Third Wave was a totally legal campaign with reformist tendencies that was trying to get young people involved in the elections," said Shams. "We believed we should take part to make our country better and to have a better future. We were encouraging young people to not be indifferent about their country."

Shams said she thinks he may have been detained because of his political activities.

"Most of the activists who have been supporting the reformist candidate, all of them are in prison now. Why should the young people who want to do something for the sake of their country and their people, why are they in prison now?"

Shams said she planned to return to Iran herself if there was no change in her husband's situation in the next week or so. But she but admitted her own safety could not be guaranteed if she went back.

Following more than a week of daily demonstrations in Tehran, Iranian security forces have been cracking down on protests and arresting activists including Ebrahim Yazdi, a former deputy prime minister who headed a group supporting increased freedom and democracy. Yazdi, who is 76 and has suffered prostate cancer, was later released.

Moussavi and former president Khatami have sent a letter to Iran's courts urging them to release arrested activists and protesters.

text: LONDON

text: England

text: CNN

text: The

text: wife

text: of

text: an

text: Iranian

text: pro

text: reformist

text: activist

text: detained

text: as

text: he

text: tried

text: to

text: leave

text: the

text: country

text: last

text: week

text: says

text: she

text: is

text: deeply

text: concerned

text: for

text: his

text: safety

text: Fatemah

text: Shams

text: and

text: Mohammadreza

text: Jalaeipour

text: are

text: students

text: together

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Oxford

text: Fatemeh

text: Shams

text: told

text: CNN

text: she

text: had

text: n't

text: heard

text: from

text: her

text: husband

text: Mohammadreza

text: Jalaeipour

text: since

text: she

text: watched

text: him

text: being

text: escorted

text: away

text: after

text: he

text: was

text: prevented

text: from

text: boarding

text: a

text: flight

text: to

text: Dubai

text: on

text: June

text: Both

text: are

text: students

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Oxford

text: and

text: had

text: been

text: returning

text: to

text: the

text: UK

text: from

text: Iran

text: after

text: attending

text: a

text: family

text: wedding

text: just

text: as

text: demonstrations

text: escalated

text: following

text: presidential

text: elections

text: earlier

text: this

text: month

text: which

text: have

text: plunged

text: Iran

text: into

text: political

text: chaos

text: Shams

text: said

text: she

text: and

text: her

text: old

text: husband

text: both

text: activists

text: for

text: the

text: pro

text: reformist

text: Third

text: Wave

text: campaign

text: planned

text: to

text: leave

text: Iran

text: on

text: June

text: At

text: first

text: everything

text: appeared

text: fine

text: with

text: Jalaeipour

text: having

text: his

text: passport

text: stamped

text: as

text: he

text: passed

text: through

text: immigration

text: But

text: he

text: was

text: then

text: approached

text: by

text: a

text: plain

text: clothes

text: official

text: who

text: told

text: him

text: to

text: turn

text: off

text: his

text: cellphone

text: before

text: ordering

text: Jalaeipour

text: to

text: follow

text: him

text: We

text: did

text: n't

text: get

text: a

text: chance

text: to

text: talk

text: to

text: each

text: other

text: I

text: was

text: watching

text: what

text: was

text: happening

text: and

text: that

text: was

text: the

text: last

text: time

text: I

text: saw

text: him

text: said

text: Shams

text: who

text: flew

text: to

text: the

text: UK

text: via

text: Doha

text: in

text: Qatar

text: Watch

text: Shams

text: speak

text: about

text: her

text: husband

text: 's

text: detention

text: Â

text: Shams

text: said

text: she

text: had

text: n't

text: heard

text: directly

text: from

text: her

text: husband

text: since

text: his

text: arrest

text: but

text: believed

text: he

text: was

text: being

text: held

text: in

text: prison

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: very

text: difficult

text: mental

text: situation

text: for

text: me

text: to

text: understand

text: what

text: is

text: going

text: on

text: and

text: I

text: am

text: deeply

text: concerned

text: about

text: his

text: health

text: and

text: safety

text: she

text: told

text: CNN

text: Both

text: Jalaeipour

text: and

text: Shams

text: were

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: organizing

text: committee

text: of

text: the

text: Third

text: Wave

text: campaign

text: a

text: reformist

text: youth

text: movement

text: formed

text: last

text: year

text: to

text: back

text: former

text: president

text: Mohammad

text: Khatami

text: 's

text: candidacy

text: in

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: election

text: Following

text: Khatami

text: 's

text: withdrawal

text: from

text: contention

text: the

text: Third

text: Wave

text: threw

text: its

text: support

text: behind

text: Mir

text: Hossein

text: Moussavi

text: who

text: has

text: disputed

text: President

text: Mahmoud

text: Ahmadinejad

text: 's

text: re

text: election

text: claiming

text: that

text: voting

text: was

text: rigged

text: In

text: a

text: recent

text: interview

text: with

text: the

text: Wall

text: Street

text: Journal

text: Jalaeipour

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: advised

text: Moussavi

text: on

text: using

text: social

text: networking

text: Web

text: sites

text: such

text: as

text: Facebook

text: to

text: reach

text: young

text: voters

text: Third

text: Wave

text: was

text: a

text: totally

text: legal

text: campaign

text: with

text: reformist

text: tendencies

text: that

text: was

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: young

text: people

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: elections

text: said

text: Shams

text: We

text: believed

text: we

text: should

text: take

text: part

text: to

text: make

text: our

text: country

text: better

text: and

text: to

text: have

text: a

text: better

text: future

text: We

text: were

text: encouraging

text: young

text: people

text: to

text: not

text: be

text: indifferent

text: about

text: their

text: country

text: Shams

text: said

text: she

text: thinks

text: he

text: may

text: have

text: been

text: detained

text: because

text: of

text: his

text: political

text: activities

text: Most

text: of

text: the

text: activists

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: supporting

text: the

text: reformist

text: candidate

text: all

text: of

text: them

text: are

text: in

text: prison

text: now

text: Why

text: should

text: the

text: young

text: people

text: who

text: want

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: for

text: the

text: sake

text: of

text: their

text: country

text: and

text: their

text: people

text: why

text: are

text: they

text: in

text: prison

text: now

text: Shams

text: said

text: she

text: planned

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: Iran

text: herself

text: if

text: there

text: was

text: no

text: change

text: in

text: her

text: husband

text: 's

text: situation

text: in

text: the

text: next

text: week

text: or

text: so

text: But

text: she

text: but

text: admitted

text: her

text: own

text: safety

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: guaranteed

text: if

text: she

text: went

text: back

text: Following

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: week

text: of

text: daily

text: demonstrations

text: in

text: Tehran

text: Iranian

text: security

text: forces

text: have

text: been

text: cracking

text: down

text: on

text: protests

text: and

text: arresting

text: activists

text: including

text: Ebrahim

text: Yazdi

text: a

text: former

text: deputy

text: prime

text: minister

text: who

text: headed

text: a

text: group

text: supporting

text: increased

text: freedom

text: and

text: democracy

text: Yazdi

text: who

text: is

text: and

text: has

text: suffered

text: prostate

text: cancer

text: was

text: later

text: released

text: Moussavi

text: and

text: former

text: president

text: Khatami

text: have

text: sent

text: a

text: letter

text: to

text: Iran

text: 's

text: courts

text: urging

text: them

text: to

text: release

text: arrested

text: activists

text: and

text: protesters

question: Is Jalaeipour's wife concerned for his safety?

answer: she is "deeply concerned"

text: she is "deeply concerned"

question: The couple are both activists for what?

answer: the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign

text: the pro-reformist Third Wave campaign

question: What is the name of the activist detained?

answer: Mohammadreza Jalaeipour

text: Mohammadreza Jalaeipour

question: When did Jalaeipour's wife last hear from him?

answer: June 17.

text: June 17.

question: Which organisation are the couple involved with?

answer: pro-reformist Third Wave campaign

text: pro-reformist Third Wave campaign

question: What nationality was the activist who was detained at the airport?

answer: Iranian

text: Iranian


text:
BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Soon after I first came to visit China in the autumn of 1971, I saw a contingent of militia soldiers doing marching drills in Tiananmen Square. I was told they were rehearsing for the annual National Day parade on October 1, which people eagerly awaited.

Mao Zedong proclaims the founding of the People's Republic of China in Beijing on October 1, 1949.

Weeks later, however, I was informed that the civilian and military parade had been cancelled in the spirit of "simple-living and hard struggle," as Chairman Mao decreed. The real reason: Lin Biao, then defense minister and Mao's anointed successor, had reportedly died in a plane crash while attempting to flee the country after a failed coup attempt.

China's achievements in the last 60 years have come in zigs and zags. The best place to look back at what China went through in the past six decades is Tiananmen, or the Gate of Heavenly Peace. Behind it lies the Imperial Palace, or Forbidden City, where China's Emperors used to live. The emperor is now history, but Tiananmen remains Beijing's political center.

It was on the Tiananmen rostrum where Chairman Mao formally proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic. "The Chinese people have stood up!" he declared in a shrill Hunanese accent. For decades, the whole nation followed Mao loyally. He emphasized political mobilization of the common man, especially the peasantry. In Mao's ideology, the Chinese people found hope in a New China, wherein citizens would always have a bowl of rice to eat and clothes to wear.

Mao proved to be good at fighting but poor at governing. He pushed sweeping socio-economic initiatives and strident ideological campaigns, often with disastrous results. During two political campaigns in the late 1950s, over 550,000 "rightist" intellectuals were persecuted and imprisoned. The Great Leap Forward led to widespread famine and the deaths of an estimated 30 million Chinese.

In the late 1960s, Mao would again stand in the Tiananmen rostrum to launch the Cultural Revolution. There, he rallied hundreds of thousands of young Chinese -- the radical Red Guards -- who lionized him like a demi-god. "To rebel is justified!" they proclaimed. They rebelled against everything and wreaked havoc everywhere. For ten years, China was condemned to political turmoil and economic malaise. Perhaps the only factor that kept the country from total collapse was the people's incomparable resilience and their ability to "chi ku" (eat bitterness, or bear hardship).

Mao's reign is also credited for positive changes. He banned child brides and polygamy, built Beijing's first subway line and started a space program with China's first satellite launch. In 1972, the People's Republic of China replaced the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the United Nations.

Still, for three decades under Mao, China tried to break out of its backwardness and isolation but only met modest success.

Mao died in 1976 and his remains are kept in a mausoleum in Tiananmen Square.  Take an audiovisual tour of Mao's hometown Â»

Soon enough, Deng Xiaoping emerged as the new paramount leader. Deng overturned most of Mao's policies and embarked upon reforming the economy and opening up the country to the outside world.

His quest for stability and prosperity took off in the early 1990s, propelled by his pragmatic policies to entice foreign investments and build China's private sector.

Just south of Tiananmen, one landmark stands as a symbol of Deng's bold open-door policy. In the early 1980s, the first Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet opened in Beijing, just a stone's throw away from Mao's mausoleum. Today, the fast food chain still does brisk business, with a large portrait of founder Colonel Sanders hanging on the three-story building.

Not every Chinese embraced Deng's reform and open-door policy. Old Guards and conservatives in and outside the communist party accepted Deng's reform policies, but with a great deal of misgiving.

The backlash came to a boil in 1989, when Tiananmen witnessed an outpouring of support for the students who called for freedom and democracy, and more reform. After six weeks of heady demonstrations, the Tiananmen movement was brutally suppressed.  See landmark moments in China's 60 years Â»

China has returned to world prominence through a 20-year economic boom, the speed and breadth of which is unparalleled in the history of mankind. China went from global economic irrelevance to the third largest economy in the world. The People's Liberation Army, no longer a "junkyard army," has emerged as a formidable military power capable of launching a human being into space and shooting down satellites.  Take a look inside China's space program Â»

The People's Republic of China marks its 60th anniversary on Thursday with 300,000 participants and 60 floats to highlight the country's achievements in various sectors of the society and economy.  See anniversary preparations in photos Â»

A military parade will feature goose-stepping troops marching down the Avenue of Eternal Peace. Modern military hardware -- tanks, armed personnel carriers, missiles, helicopters and fighter jets, all made in China -- will be on display. Fireworks will cap the festivities.  See how China has changed over 60 years Â»

But pomp and pageantry aside, China's phenomenal economic growth over the decades has triggered unintended consequences: rising unemployment, growing income gaps, endemic corruption, rising criminality, environmental degradation and social malaise. Millions of Chinese live on less than $1 a day, and social tension sometimes boil over into violent clashes.

Chinese president Hu Jintao is pushing to promote democracy in the party, curb corruption and seek a harmonious society. "To build a well-off society for 1.3 billion people and a democratic, civilized, harmonious and modernized country," he recently told a communist party meeting, "China must firmly push reform and opening up and stick to its own path."  Meet some of China's young communists Â»

Like the cutting-edge CCTV tower intended to formally open this year but didn't after a celebratory fireworks display went awry and caused a fire, China's great achievements stand side by side with daunting challenges.

text: BEIJING

text: China

text: CNN

text: Soon

text: after

text: I

text: first

text: came

text: to

text: visit

text: China

text: in

text: the

text: autumn

text: of

text: I

text: saw

text: a

text: contingent

text: of

text: militia

text: soldiers

text: doing

text: marching

text: drills

text: in

text: Tiananmen

text: Square

text: I

text: was

text: told

text: they

text: were

text: rehearsing

text: for

text: the

text: annual

text: National

text: Day

text: parade

text: on

text: October

text: which

text: people

text: eagerly

text: awaited

text: Mao

text: Zedong

text: proclaims

text: the

text: founding

text: of

text: the

text: People

text: 's

text: Republic

text: of

text: China

text: in

text: Beijing

text: on

text: October

text: Weeks

text: later

text: however

text: I

text: was

text: informed

text: that

text: the

text: civilian

text: and

text: military

text: parade

text: had

text: been

text: cancelled

text: in

text: the

text: spirit

text: of

text: simple

text: living

text: and

text: hard

text: struggle

text: as

text: Chairman

text: Mao

text: decreed

text: The

text: real

text: reason

text: Lin

text: Biao

text: then

text: defense

text: minister

text: and

text: Mao

text: 's

text: anointed

text: successor

text: had

text: reportedly

text: died

text: in

text: a

text: plane

text: crash

text: while

text: attempting

text: to

text: flee

text: the

text: country

text: after

text: a

text: failed

text: coup

text: attempt

text: China

text: 's

text: achievements

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: years

text: have

text: come

text: in

text: zigs

text: and

text: zags

text: The

text: best

text: place

text: to

text: look

text: back

text: at

text: what

text: China

text: went

text: through

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: six

text: decades

text: is

text: Tiananmen

text: or

text: the

text: Gate

text: of

text: Heavenly

text: Peace

text: Behind

text: it

text: lies

text: the

text: Imperial

text: Palace

text: or

text: Forbidden

text: City

text: where

text: China

text: 's

text: Emperors

text: used

text: to

text: live

text: The

text: emperor

text: is

text: now

text: history

text: but

text: Tiananmen

text: remains

text: Beijing

text: 's

text: political

text: center

text: It

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: Tiananmen

text: rostrum

text: where

text: Chairman

text: Mao

text: formally

text: proclaimed

text: the

text: founding

text: of

text: the

text: People

text: 's

text: Republic

text: The

text: Chinese

text: people

text: have

text: stood

text: up

text: he

text: declared

text: in

text: a

text: shrill

text: Hunanese

text: accent

text: For

text: decades

text: the

text: whole

text: nation

text: followed

text: Mao

text: loyally

text: He

text: emphasized

text: political

text: mobilization

text: of

text: the

text: common

text: man

text: especially

text: the

text: peasantry

text: In

text: Mao

text: 's

text: ideology

text: the

text: Chinese

text: people

text: found

text: hope

text: in

text: a

text: New

text: China

text: wherein

text: citizens

text: would

text: always

text: have

text: a

text: bowl

text: of

text: rice

text: to

text: eat

text: and

text: clothes

text: to

text: wear

text: Mao

text: proved

text: to

text: be

text: good

text: at

text: fighting

text: but

text: poor

text: at

text: governing

text: He

text: pushed

text: sweeping

text: socio

text: economic

text: initiatives

text: and

text: strident

text: ideological

text: campaigns

text: often

text: with

text: disastrous

text: results

text: During

text: two

text: political

text: campaigns

text: in

text: the

text: late

text: over

text: rightist

text: intellectuals

text: were

text: persecuted

text: and

text: imprisoned

text: The

text: Great

text: Leap

text: Forward

text: led

text: to

text: widespread

text: famine

text: and

text: the

text: deaths

text: of

text: an

text: estimated

text: million

text: Chinese

text: In

text: the

text: late

text: Mao

text: would

text: again

text: stand

text: in

text: the

text: Tiananmen

text: rostrum

text: to

text: launch

text: the

text: Cultural

text: Revolution

text: There

text: he

text: rallied

text: hundreds

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: young

text: Chinese

text: the

text: radical

text: Red

text: Guards

text: who

text: lionized

text: him

text: like

text: a

text: demi

text: god

text: To

text: rebel

text: is

text: justified

text: they

text: proclaimed

text: They

text: rebelled

text: against

text: everything

text: and

text: wreaked

text: havoc

text: everywhere

text: For

text: ten

text: years

text: China

text: was

text: condemned

text: to

text: political

text: turmoil

text: and

text: economic

text: malaise

text: Perhaps

text: the

text: only

text: factor

text: that

text: kept

text: the

text: country

text: from

text: total

text: collapse

text: was

text: the

text: people

text: 's

text: incomparable

text: resilience

text: and

text: their

text: ability

text: to

text: chi

text: ku

text: eat

text: bitterness

text: or

text: bear

text: hardship

text: Mao

text: 's

text: reign

text: is

text: also

text: credited

text: for

text: positive

text: changes

text: He

text: banned

text: child

text: brides

text: and

text: polygamy

text: built

text: Beijing

text: 's

text: first

text: subway

text: line

text: and

text: started

text: a

text: space

text: program

text: with

text: China

text: 's

text: first

text: satellite

text: launch

text: In

text: the

text: People

text: 's

text: Republic

text: of

text: China

text: replaced

text: the

text: Republic

text: of

text: China

text: Taiwan

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: Still

text: for

text: three

text: decades

text: under

text: Mao

text: China

text: tried

text: to

text: break

text: out

text: of

text: its

text: backwardness

text: and

text: isolation

text: but

text: only

text: met

text: modest

text: success

text: Mao

text: died

text: in

text: and

text: his

text: remains

text: are

text: kept

text: in

text: a

text: mausoleum

text: in

text: Tiananmen

text: Square

text: Take

text: an

text: audiovisual

text: tour

text: of

text: Mao

text: 's

text: hometown

text: Â

text: Soon

text: enough

text: Deng

text: Xiaoping

text: emerged

text: as

text: the

text: new

text: paramount

text: leader

text: Deng

text: overturned

text: most

text: of

text: Mao

text: 's

text: policies

text: and

text: embarked

text: upon

text: reforming

text: the

text: economy

text: and

text: opening

text: up

text: the

text: country

text: to

text: the

text: outside

text: world

text: His

text: quest

text: for

text: stability

text: and

text: prosperity

text: took

text: off

text: in

text: the

text: early

text: propelled

text: by

text: his

text: pragmatic

text: policies

text: to

text: entice

text: foreign

text: investments

text: and

text: build

text: China

text: 's

text: private

text: sector

text: Just

text: south

text: of

text: Tiananmen

text: one

text: landmark

text: stands

text: as

text: a

text: symbol

text: of

text: Deng

text: 's

text: bold

text: open

text: door

text: policy

text: In

text: the

text: early

text: the

text: first

text: Kentucky

text: Fried

text: Chicken

text: outlet

text: opened

text: in

text: Beijing

text: just

text: a

text: stone

text: 's

text: throw

text: away

text: from

text: Mao

text: 's

text: mausoleum

text: Today

text: the

text: fast

text: food

text: chain

text: still

text: does

text: brisk

text: business

text: with

text: a

text: large

text: portrait

text: of

text: founder

text: Colonel

text: Sanders

text: hanging

text: on

text: the

text: three

text: story

text: building

text: Not

text: every

text: Chinese

text: embraced

text: Deng

text: 's

text: reform

text: and

text: open

text: door

text: policy

text: Old

text: Guards

text: and

text: conservatives

text: in

text: and

text: outside

text: the

text: communist

text: party

text: accepted

text: Deng

text: 's

text: reform

text: policies

text: but

text: with

text: a

text: great

text: deal

text: of

text: misgiving

text: The

text: backlash

text: came

text: to

text: a

text: boil

text: in

text: when

text: Tiananmen

text: witnessed

text: an

text: outpouring

text: of

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: students

text: who

text: called

text: for

text: freedom

text: and

text: democracy

text: and

text: more

text: reform

text: After

text: six

text: weeks

text: of

text: heady

text: demonstrations

text: the

text: Tiananmen

text: movement

text: was

text: brutally

text: suppressed

text: See

text: landmark

text: moments

text: in

text: China

text: 's

text: years

text: Â

text: China

text: has

text: returned

text: to

text: world

text: prominence

text: through

text: a

text: economic

text: boom

text: the

text: speed

text: and

text: breadth

text: of

text: which

text: is

text: unparalleled

text: in

text: the

text: history

text: of

text: mankind

text: China

text: went

text: from

text: global

text: economic

text: irrelevance

text: to

text: the

text: third

text: largest

text: economy

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: The

text: People

text: 's

text: Liberation

text: Army

text: no

text: longer

text: a

text: junkyard

text: army

text: has

text: emerged

text: as

text: a

text: formidable

text: military

text: power

text: capable

text: of

text: launching

text: a

text: human

text: being

text: into

text: space

text: and

text: shooting

text: down

text: satellites

text: Take

text: a

text: look

text: inside

text: China

text: 's

text: space

text: program

text: Â

text: The

text: People

text: 's

text: Republic

text: of

text: China

text: marks

text: its

text: anniversary

text: on

text: Thursday

text: with

text: participants

text: and

text: floats

text: to

text: highlight

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: achievements

text: in

text: various

text: sectors

text: of

text: the

text: society

text: and

text: economy

text: See

text: anniversary

text: preparations

text: in

text: photos

text: Â

text: A

text: military

text: parade

text: will

text: feature

text: goose

text: stepping

text: troops

text: marching

text: down

text: the

text: Avenue

text: of

text: Eternal

text: Peace

text: Modern

text: military

text: hardware

text: tanks

text: armed

text: personnel

text: carriers

text: missiles

text: helicopters

text: and

text: fighter

text: jets

text: all

text: made

text: in

text: China

text: will

text: be

text: on

text: display

text: Fireworks

text: will

text: cap

text: the

text: festivities

text: See

text: how

text: China

text: has

text: changed

text: over

text: years

text: Â

text: But

text: pomp

text: and

text: pageantry

text: aside

text: China

text: 's

text: phenomenal

text: economic

text: growth

text: over

text: the

text: decades

text: has

text: triggered

text: unintended

text: consequences

text: rising

text: unemployment

text: growing

text: income

text: gaps

text: endemic

text: corruption

text: rising

text: criminality

text: environmental

text: degradation

text: and

text: social

text: malaise

text: Millions

text: of

text: Chinese

text: live

text: on

text: less

text: than

text: a

text: day

text: and

text: social

text: tension

text: sometimes

text: boil

text: over

text: into

text: violent

text: clashes

text: Chinese

text: president

text: Hu

text: Jintao

text: is

text: pushing

text: to

text: promote

text: democracy

text: in

text: the

text: party

text: curb

text: corruption

text: and

text: seek

text: a

text: harmonious

text: society

text: To

text: build

text: a

text: well

text: off

text: society

text: for

text: billion

text: people

text: and

text: a

text: democratic

text: civilized

text: harmonious

text: and

text: modernized

text: country

text: he

text: recently

text: told

text: a

text: communist

text: party

text: meeting

text: China

text: must

text: firmly

text: push

text: reform

text: and

text: opening

text: up

text: and

text: stick

text: to

text: its

text: own

text: path

text: Meet

text: some

text: of

text: China

text: 's

text: young

text: communists

text: Â

text: Like

text: the

text: cutting

text: edge

text: CCTV

text: tower

text: intended

text: to

text: formally

text: open

text: this

text: year

text: but

text: did

text: n't

text: after

text: a

text: celebratory

text: fireworks

text: display

text: went

text: awry

text: and

text: caused

text: a

text: fire

text: China

text: 's

text: great

text: achievements

text: stand

text: side

text: by

text: side

text: with

text: daunting

text: challenges

question: Who proved to be poor at governing?

answer: Mao

text: Mao

question: Who was Mao's successor?

answer: Lin Biao,

text: Lin Biao,

question: Who is Mao's successor?

answer: Lin Biao,

text: Lin Biao,

question: How long was China's economic boom?

answer: a 20-yea

text: a 20-yea

question: What did Mao prove to be good at?

answer: fighting

text: fighting

question: what kind of mess did his successor step into

answer: political turmoil and economic malaise.

text: political turmoil and economic malaise.