text:
Editor's note: In our Behind the Scenes series, CNN correspondents share their experiences in covering news and analyze the stories behind the events. Here, CNN's Arwa Damon describes the hardships faced by Iraqi women. Her documentary airs this weekend on CNN and CNN International.

Nahla's husband returned to Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein. He was killed in a bomb blast in 2007.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The pain here is choking -- it's a dark, suffocating sorrow.

"They took my husband away in front of me. I found his body in the morgue a few days later. He had multiple bullet wounds and his eyes had been gouged out," one woman tells me, forcefully twisting a tissue in her hands as if it somehow could ease her agony and erase the chilling memory.

She didn't want her story told, too afraid that she would meet the same fate as the man she loved.

Her husband's body bore the "signs of torture." How many times has that phrase been used? It's such a common phrase it's as if what really happened gets glossed over: skin scraped off their bodies, fingernails ripped out, horrifying screams of pain before death.

How many times have we reported death tolls from one horrific bombing or another and not been able to get across that these are lives that literally were blown apart? No matter how hard we in the media try, Iraq remains a nation filled with untold tragedies, the scope of which so often is overwhelming.

And no matter how hard Iraqis try to shield themselves and those they love from the horrors here, more often than not they fail. Yet they keep fighting.  See the sacrifices of Iraq's women Â»

Nahla works at a radio station and is one of those women. She's tall, slender, elegantly dressed and has a firm handshake. I look at her and it's nearly impossible to imagine what she's been through.

"This numbers game, you always think that you are exempt from the numbers," Nahla tells me, referring to the daily death toll. "You're pained by them, but you are outside of them."  Watch Nahla's struggle to live on Â»

On April 14, 2007, her world shattered. There was an explosion on a bridge in the capital and 10 people were killed. Her husband, Mohammed, was one of them.

"And with it, I am motionless," she says. "Truly, life was in color and now it is in black and white. I feel like it is a game of musical chairs we used to play with others. ... One time you are hit with the chair; another time, someone else is. Now, my son and I are out of the game completely, completely."

The image of the man she loved, tall and proud, is of a doctor who moved his family back to Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein because he believed his country needed him. He was a father who doted on their 6-year-old autistic son.

Also etched into her memory is the image of his charred body, melted together with nine others, a twisted pile of black, scorched flesh.

Yet Nahla's voice is calm as she speaks, only breaking at the very end of our conversation, when the pain, buried so deep, rises to the surface. She couldn't suppress her gut-wrenching dry sobs.

I don't know how many times I have heard stories like hers after nearly five years of war here, and yet I still get chills. I can't stop being in awe -- nor can I stop looking at these women in amazement. Life in Iraq has forced people to confront horror that would leave many of us paralyzed.  Watch a divorcee forced to live amid squalor with her kids Â»

Where do they find the strength to keep going?

Some don't and choose to live out their lives as hollow shells, just waiting for this wretched existence to be over. But so many others refuse to be beaten down, refuse to allow the horror that is Iraq to win and kill their spirit.

"If I want to see Baghdad again from before the war, I have to do my part while the other person will do his part and the other person will do his part," says Dr. Eaman, a children's doctor, as her bright smile seems to shine unnaturally in Baghdad's grim atmosphere.

"This is the dream, and I wish everybody would believe it and it will happen, I'm sure, and this is what is keeping me here," she continues. "I have been attacked by three insurgents and was going to be kidnapped."

She now lives at the hospital, choosing to disassociate herself from her 8-year-old son to keep him safe.  Watch why "I must help my people" Â»

"I wish I can have him with me, live with me, you know, raising him, and just show him how to do things more than anything else," Eaman says as she laughs and apologizes for her tears. She knows she chose to live with that pain because she believes other children need her more.

"Iraq is my life, is my country. Being a woman and knowing what other [countries] look like, I want to make a change. I want to make a change for the future for a lot of people."

Yanar is another fighter, petite with curly dark hair and a commanding presence.

"You have been beaten, pushed, kicked and blindfolded," Yanar says, describing today's Iraqi woman. "You cannot see, you cannot hear, but you are kicking back. It's not OK to be like that. You kick back and you fight for what you deserve ... you should not be turned into a prisoner."

She started the Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq to act as a watchdog to help safeguard women's rights amid war and conflict. She is another woman who exhibits jaw-dropping courage.  Go inside Iraq with CNN's Arwa Damon Â»

She left her family and her comfortable life in Canada and came to Baghdad to build growing support for women's rights. She lives a life that at times sounds more like a James Bond movie -- having to constantly move because of death threats -- than that of a mother of a 9-year-old.

"At many stages I had to change my house so my address is a secret; nobody knows where I am other than 10 very close allies," Yanar says nonchalantly, as if what she is saying is completely normal. But in Iraq it is -- it's a country where a person's parameters of what they accept as being "normal" have to shift to survive.

"What brings me here," Yanar says, "it is that everybody that I love, all the people that I love have been crushed."

She adds, "This cannot happen, should not happen, cannot be allowed to happen."

What we as journalists cannot allow to happen is for these voices to go unheard. No matter how hard it is for us to find them -- literally navigating roadblocks and checkpoints or spending days chasing down someone -- the voices of the innocents caught in war must be heard. E-mail to a friend

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: In

text: our

text: Behind

text: the

text: Scenes

text: series

text: CNN

text: correspondents

text: share

text: their

text: experiences

text: in

text: covering

text: news

text: and

text: analyze

text: the

text: stories

text: behind

text: the

text: events

text: Here

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Arwa

text: Damon

text: describes

text: the

text: hardships

text: faced

text: by

text: Iraqi

text: women

text: Her

text: documentary

text: airs

text: this

text: weekend

text: on

text: CNN

text: and

text: CNN

text: International

text: Nahla

text: 's

text: husband

text: returned

text: to

text: Iraq

text: after

text: the

text: fall

text: of

text: Saddam

text: Hussein

text: He

text: was

text: killed

text: in

text: a

text: bomb

text: blast

text: in

text: BAGHDAD

text: Iraq

text: CNN

text: The

text: pain

text: here

text: is

text: choking

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: dark

text: suffocating

text: sorrow

text: They

text: took

text: my

text: husband

text: away

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: me

text: I

text: found

text: his

text: body

text: in

text: the

text: morgue

text: a

text: few

text: days

text: later

text: He

text: had

text: multiple

text: bullet

text: wounds

text: and

text: his

text: eyes

text: had

text: been

text: gouged

text: out

text: one

text: woman

text: tells

text: me

text: forcefully

text: twisting

text: a

text: tissue

text: in

text: her

text: hands

text: as

text: if

text: it

text: somehow

text: could

text: ease

text: her

text: agony

text: and

text: erase

text: the

text: chilling

text: memory

text: She

text: did

text: n't

text: want

text: her

text: story

text: told

text: too

text: afraid

text: that

text: she

text: would

text: meet

text: the

text: same

text: fate

text: as

text: the

text: man

text: she

text: loved

text: Her

text: husband

text: 's

text: body

text: bore

text: the

text: signs

text: of

text: torture

text: How

text: many

text: times

text: has

text: that

text: phrase

text: been

text: used

text: It

text: 's

text: such

text: a

text: common

text: phrase

text: it

text: 's

text: as

text: if

text: what

text: really

text: happened

text: gets

text: glossed

text: over

text: skin

text: scraped

text: off

text: their

text: bodies

text: fingernails

text: ripped

text: out

text: horrifying

text: screams

text: of

text: pain

text: before

text: death

text: How

text: many

text: times

text: have

text: we

text: reported

text: death

text: tolls

text: from

text: one

text: horrific

text: bombing

text: or

text: another

text: and

text: not

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: get

text: across

text: that

text: these

text: are

text: lives

text: that

text: literally

text: were

text: blown

text: apart

text: No

text: matter

text: how

text: hard

text: we

text: in

text: the

text: media

text: try

text: Iraq

text: remains

text: a

text: nation

text: filled

text: with

text: untold

text: tragedies

text: the

text: scope

text: of

text: which

text: so

text: often

text: is

text: overwhelming

text: And

text: no

text: matter

text: how

text: hard

text: Iraqis

text: try

text: to

text: shield

text: themselves

text: and

text: those

text: they

text: love

text: from

text: the

text: horrors

text: here

text: more

text: often

text: than

text: not

text: they

text: fail

text: Yet

text: they

text: keep

text: fighting

text: See

text: the

text: sacrifices

text: of

text: Iraq

text: 's

text: women

text: Â

text: Nahla

text: works

text: at

text: a

text: radio

text: station

text: and

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: those

text: women

text: She

text: 's

text: tall

text: slender

text: elegantly

text: dressed

text: and

text: has

text: a

text: firm

text: handshake

text: I

text: look

text: at

text: her

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: nearly

text: impossible

text: to

text: imagine

text: what

text: she

text: 's

text: been

text: through

text: This

text: numbers

text: game

text: you

text: always

text: think

text: that

text: you

text: are

text: exempt

text: from

text: the

text: numbers

text: Nahla

text: tells

text: me

text: referring

text: to

text: the

text: daily

text: death

text: toll

text: You

text: 're

text: pained

text: by

text: them

text: but

text: you

text: are

text: outside

text: of

text: them

text: Watch

text: Nahla

text: 's

text: struggle

text: to

text: live

text: on

text: Â

text: On

text: April

text: her

text: world

text: shattered

text: There

text: was

text: an

text: explosion

text: on

text: a

text: bridge

text: in

text: the

text: capital

text: and

text: people

text: were

text: killed

text: Her

text: husband

text: Mohammed

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: them

text: And

text: with

text: it

text: I

text: am

text: motionless

text: she

text: says

text: Truly

text: life

text: was

text: in

text: color

text: and

text: now

text: it

text: is

text: in

text: black

text: and

text: white

text: I

text: feel

text: like

text: it

text: is

text: a

text: game

text: of

text: musical

text: chairs

text: we

text: used

text: to

text: play

text: with

text: others

text: One

text: time

text: you

text: are

text: hit

text: with

text: the

text: chair

text: another

text: time

text: someone

text: else

text: is

text: Now

text: my

text: son

text: and

text: I

text: are

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: game

text: completely

text: completely

text: The

text: image

text: of

text: the

text: man

text: she

text: loved

text: tall

text: and

text: proud

text: is

text: of

text: a

text: doctor

text: who

text: moved

text: his

text: family

text: back

text: to

text: Iraq

text: after

text: the

text: fall

text: of

text: Saddam

text: Hussein

text: because

text: he

text: believed

text: his

text: country

text: needed

text: him

text: He

text: was

text: a

text: father

text: who

text: doted

text: on

text: their

text: old

text: autistic

text: son

text: Also

text: etched

text: into

text: her

text: memory

text: is

text: the

text: image

text: of

text: his

text: charred

text: body

text: melted

text: together

text: with

text: nine

text: others

text: a

text: twisted

text: pile

text: of

text: black

text: scorched

text: flesh

text: Yet

text: Nahla

text: 's

text: voice

text: is

text: calm

text: as

text: she

text: speaks

text: only

text: breaking

text: at

text: the

text: very

text: end

text: of

text: our

text: conversation

text: when

text: the

text: pain

text: buried

text: so

text: deep

text: rises

text: to

text: the

text: surface

text: She

text: could

text: n't

text: suppress

text: her

text: gut

text: wrenching

text: dry

text: sobs

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: how

text: many

text: times

text: I

text: have

text: heard

text: stories

text: like

text: hers

text: after

text: nearly

text: five

text: years

text: of

text: war

text: here

text: and

text: yet

text: I

text: still

text: get

text: chills

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: stop

text: being

text: in

text: awe

text: nor

text: can

text: I

text: stop

text: looking

text: at

text: these

text: women

text: in

text: amazement

text: Life

text: in

text: Iraq

text: has

text: forced

text: people

text: to

text: confront

text: horror

text: that

text: would

text: leave

text: many

text: of

text: us

text: paralyzed

text: Watch

text: a

text: divorcee

text: forced

text: to

text: live

text: amid

text: squalor

text: with

text: her

text: kids

text: Â

text: Where

text: do

text: they

text: find

text: the

text: strength

text: to

text: keep

text: going

text: Some

text: do

text: n't

text: and

text: choose

text: to

text: live

text: out

text: their

text: lives

text: as

text: hollow

text: shells

text: just

text: waiting

text: for

text: this

text: wretched

text: existence

text: to

text: be

text: over

text: But

text: so

text: many

text: others

text: refuse

text: to

text: be

text: beaten

text: down

text: refuse

text: to

text: allow

text: the

text: horror

text: that

text: is

text: Iraq

text: to

text: win

text: and

text: kill

text: their

text: spirit

text: If

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: see

text: Baghdad

text: again

text: from

text: before

text: the

text: war

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: do

text: my

text: part

text: while

text: the

text: other

text: person

text: will

text: do

text: his

text: part

text: and

text: the

text: other

text: person

text: will

text: do

text: his

text: part

text: says

text: Dr.

text: Eaman

text: a

text: children

text: 's

text: doctor

text: as

text: her

text: bright

text: smile

text: seems

text: to

text: shine

text: unnaturally

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: 's

text: grim

text: atmosphere

text: This

text: is

text: the

text: dream

text: and

text: I

text: wish

text: everybody

text: would

text: believe

text: it

text: and

text: it

text: will

text: happen

text: I

text: 'm

text: sure

text: and

text: this

text: is

text: what

text: is

text: keeping

text: me

text: here

text: she

text: continues

text: I

text: have

text: been

text: attacked

text: by

text: three

text: insurgents

text: and

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: kidnapped

text: She

text: now

text: lives

text: at

text: the

text: hospital

text: choosing

text: to

text: disassociate

text: herself

text: from

text: her

text: old

text: son

text: to

text: keep

text: him

text: safe

text: Watch

text: why

text: I

text: must

text: help

text: my

text: people

text: Â

text: I

text: wish

text: I

text: can

text: have

text: him

text: with

text: me

text: live

text: with

text: me

text: you

text: know

text: raising

text: him

text: and

text: just

text: show

text: him

text: how

text: to

text: do

text: things

text: more

text: than

text: anything

text: else

text: Eaman

text: says

text: as

text: she

text: laughs

text: and

text: apologizes

text: for

text: her

text: tears

text: She

text: knows

text: she

text: chose

text: to

text: live

text: with

text: that

text: pain

text: because

text: she

text: believes

text: other

text: children

text: need

text: her

text: more

text: Iraq

text: is

text: my

text: life

text: is

text: my

text: country

text: Being

text: a

text: woman

text: and

text: knowing

text: what

text: other

text: countries

text: look

text: like

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: change

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: change

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: for

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: people

text: Yanar

text: is

text: another

text: fighter

text: petite

text: with

text: curly

text: dark

text: hair

text: and

text: a

text: commanding

text: presence

text: You

text: have

text: been

text: beaten

text: pushed

text: kicked

text: and

text: blindfolded

text: Yanar

text: says

text: describing

text: today

text: 's

text: Iraqi

text: woman

text: You

text: can

text: not

text: see

text: you

text: can

text: not

text: hear

text: but

text: you

text: are

text: kicking

text: back

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: OK

text: to

text: be

text: like

text: that

text: You

text: kick

text: back

text: and

text: you

text: fight

text: for

text: what

text: you

text: deserve

text: you

text: should

text: not

text: be

text: turned

text: into

text: a

text: prisoner

text: She

text: started

text: the

text: Organization

text: for

text: Women

text: 's

text: Freedom

text: in

text: Iraq

text: to

text: act

text: as

text: a

text: watchdog

text: to

text: help

text: safeguard

text: women

text: 's

text: rights

text: amid

text: war

text: and

text: conflict

text: She

text: is

text: another

text: woman

text: who

text: exhibits

text: jaw

text: dropping

text: courage

text: Go

text: inside

text: Iraq

text: with

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Arwa

text: Damon

text: Â

text: She

text: left

text: her

text: family

text: and

text: her

text: comfortable

text: life

text: in

text: Canada

text: and

text: came

text: to

text: Baghdad

text: to

text: build

text: growing

text: support

text: for

text: women

text: 's

text: rights

text: She

text: lives

text: a

text: life

text: that

text: at

text: times

text: sounds

text: more

text: like

text: a

text: James

text: Bond

text: movie

text: having

text: to

text: constantly

text: move

text: because

text: of

text: death

text: threats

text: than

text: that

text: of

text: a

text: mother

text: of

text: a

text: old

text: At

text: many

text: stages

text: I

text: had

text: to

text: change

text: my

text: house

text: so

text: my

text: address

text: is

text: a

text: secret

text: nobody

text: knows

text: where

text: I

text: am

text: other

text: than

text: very

text: close

text: allies

text: Yanar

text: says

text: nonchalantly

text: as

text: if

text: what

text: she

text: is

text: saying

text: is

text: completely

text: normal

text: But

text: in

text: Iraq

text: it

text: is

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: country

text: where

text: a

text: person

text: 's

text: parameters

text: of

text: what

text: they

text: accept

text: as

text: being

text: normal

text: have

text: to

text: shift

text: to

text: survive

text: What

text: brings

text: me

text: here

text: Yanar

text: says

text: it

text: is

text: that

text: everybody

text: that

text: I

text: love

text: all

text: the

text: people

text: that

text: I

text: love

text: have

text: been

text: crushed

text: She

text: adds

text: This

text: can

text: not

text: happen

text: should

text: not

text: happen

text: can

text: not

text: be

text: allowed

text: to

text: happen

text: What

text: we

text: as

text: journalists

text: can

text: not

text: allow

text: to

text: happen

text: is

text: for

text: these

text: voices

text: to

text: go

text: unheard

text: No

text: matter

text: how

text: hard

text: it

text: is

text: for

text: us

text: to

text: find

text: them

text: literally

text: navigating

text: roadblocks

text: and

text: checkpoints

text: or

text: spending

text: days

text: chasing

text: down

text: someone

text: the

text: voices

text: of

text: the

text: innocents

text: caught

text: in

text: war

text: must

text: be

text: heard

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: When was her husband killed?

answer: 2007.

question: what did doctor say

answer: r, I have to do my pa

text: r, I have to do my pa

question: When was one woman's husband killed?

answer: 2007.

question: Where is the woman from?

answer: Iraq

text: Iraq

question: What does the doctor say she wants?

answer: nt to see Baghdad again from before the wa

text: nt to see Baghdad again from before the wa

question: Who does Arwa Damon work for?

answer: CNN

text: CNN

question: What does Arwa Damon reveal?

answer: the hardships faced by Iraqi women.

text: the hardships faced by Iraqi women.

question: what did cnn reveal

answer: hardships faced by Iraqi women.

text: hardships faced by Iraqi women.


text:
(CNN) -- Elisabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of "The View" and author of the new book, "The G-Free Diet," spoke Wednesday with Larry King.

Elizabeth Hasselbeck, of "The View," says Bristol Palin is an ideal choice to speak about teen abstinence.

Hasselbeck offers her thoughts on being the sole conservative on her show, Elizabeth Edwards dealing with her husband's infidelity, Bristol Palin being abstinence spokeswoman and her battle with celiac disease.

The following is an edited version of the interview.

Larry King: Were you surprised that "The View" made the most influential list of Time magazine?

Elisabeth Hasselbeck: I sure was. I think it's truly a tribute to what Barbara (Walters) has done and the show that she created along with Bill Geddie, our executive producer.

It's a great place for women to come to and listen -- men, as well. But, also, for us to get there every day and discuss everything from politics to motherhood and parenting.

But it was a shock. I think any time you receive an honor such as that, it's shocking.  Watch Hasselbeck defend Bristol Palin Â»

King: As the definitive conservative in the group, do you feel like the outcast? Do you feel put upon?

Hasselbeck: I never feel like an outcast there. If anything, I feel more included than ever. I mean, truly that is a table where respect is number one, in terms of we sort of have a vow to one another. And we couldn't come there every single day and talk about the things that -- that we discuss and have the debates that we do and get as fiery as we do and get back there the next day if there wasn't that respect at the table and true value for the others' opinion.

I mean the more we tend to disagree, I think the more we sort of dig deeper into that relationship.

King: So the anger doesn't carry over?

Hasselbeck: No. I wouldn't even classify it as anger. I think it's passion, and I think it's passion with purpose. You know, we do believe different things at times. Occasionally, we agree. It may not be that interesting when we do, but there is passion.

It is coming from different places, but we love that conversation. I love being able to hear someone else's opinion on a subject and maybe sort of, you know, push a button here and there and see what they think about what I have to say.

King also talked with Hasselbeck about Bristol Palin, the daughter of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, being a spokeswoman for abstinence.

King: What do you make of that choice?

Hasselbeck: I think she's the perfect choice. She has a tangible, living example of what this new responsibility is in her life. I believe that there is a sort of sadistic giddiness on the part of some true radical leftists, who are laughing behind-the-scenes about Bristol Palin's situation.

Why are they so obsessed with her being a spokesperson for this? She's promoting a great thing -- abstinence. Find me something else that works 100 percent of the time.

King: Elizabeth Edwards has gone public about her pain about her husband's infidelity. Yesterday on this show, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Joy Behar, your compatriot, called John Edwards a dog. Do you agree?

Hasselbeck: You never understand the intimacies of someone's relationship with their spouse -- I mean or boyfriend, partner, etc. Those are places that only the two people truly understand.

I think we're also looking at a woman of incredible strength, having looked at cancer and battled through. I believe that nothing, truly, can compare to that. And, you know, it's unfortunate. I think this alleged affair and, you know, disturbance, even in terms of allegedly funding his mistress' foundation, is even more complicating the matter. The idea of another child in the mix (is) disturbing as well.

King: Elisabeth, Miss California USA Carrie Prejean -- first, the controversy over gay marriage statements and now scandal over semi-nude modeling photos of her. What do you think of the way she's being treated in the media?

Hasselbeck: Well, I think there's a very specific witch hunt going on here because she expressed her opinion. So now we're going to dig and throw fear into the heart of any person who may want to freely express their opinion in the United States of America. That seems like a big bullying scheme to me.

If she had answered the other way, would anyone have been searching for those photos? Would they want to vilify her or remove what she's been working for?

I don't understand the pageant well, and I don't know what her responsibilities were. Was she to represent the state of California in her opinions and was she to represent the opinions of a young woman who believed in her heart one thing?

That's her personal opinion. I'm not sure what her duties were or were to be.

I do know this, though. I'm not sure this investigation into any sort of photos or background or family members that they're pulling out of left and right would have even occurred if she had given an answer on the other side.

So it seems to me a bit of a bullying scheme, as I said before, and that disturbing. We should be able to have our opinions in this country and stand by them and at least be respected, at the very least.

Later in the interview King talked with Hasselbeck about her new book, "The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide."

King: Now, (when) we think of gluten, we think of wheat, right?

Hasselbeck: Well, it's actually more than that. Gluten is a protein found in barley, oats, wheat and rye. It's more broad than most people actually think, so that is definitely a misconception out there.

This has been a decade-long process for me. I have celiac disease, and I say out of diabetes came that low glycemic index diet and out of my celiac disease, I found this all-star diet. I call it my "diet in the rough" because it is something that, even if I didn't have celiac disease, like many others, I would follow this diet.

You know, over 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with IBS, thyroid issues. I was having infertility problems. People suffer miscarriage after miscarriage, stillbirth. It eventually leads to intestinal cancer.

This is something that needs to be treated. But the diet is actually, yes, for people with celiac disease, for millions with food intolerance that is up like 25 percent in the past five years (and) for people who just want a healthy lifestyle. I mean I'm on this diet before I'm pregnant, during pregnancy and when I'm trying to get back in my bikini to, you know, strut around in the summer.

text: CNN

text: Elisabeth

text: Hasselbeck

text: co

text: host

text: of

text: The

text: View

text: and

text: author

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text: new

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text: Free

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text: Wednesday

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text: Larry

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text: The

text: View

text: says

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text: being

text: the

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text: show

text: Elizabeth

text: Edwards

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text: with

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text: husband

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text: infidelity

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text: abstinence

text: spokeswoman

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text: battle

text: with

text: celiac

text: disease

text: The

text: following

text: is

text: an

text: edited

text: version

text: of

text: the

text: interview

text: Larry

text: King

text: Were

text: you

text: surprised

text: that

text: The

text: View

text: made

text: the

text: most

text: influential

text: list

text: of

text: Time

text: magazine

text: Elisabeth

text: Hasselbeck

text: I

text: sure

text: was

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 's

text: truly

text: a

text: tribute

text: to

text: what

text: Barbara

text: Walters

text: has

text: done

text: and

text: the

text: show

text: that

text: she

text: created

text: along

text: with

text: Bill

text: Geddie

text: our

text: executive

text: producer

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: great

text: place

text: for

text: women

text: to

text: come

text: to

text: and

text: listen

text: men

text: as

text: well

text: But

text: also

text: for

text: us

text: to

text: get

text: there

text: every

text: day

text: and

text: discuss

text: everything

text: from

text: politics

text: to

text: motherhood

text: and

text: parenting

text: But

text: it

text: was

text: a

text: shock

text: I

text: think

text: any

text: time

text: you

text: receive

text: an

text: honor

text: such

text: as

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: shocking

text: Watch

text: Hasselbeck

text: defend

text: Bristol

text: Palin

text: Â

text: King

text: As

text: the

text: definitive

text: conservative

text: in

text: the

text: group

text: do

text: you

text: feel

text: like

text: the

text: outcast

text: Do

text: you

text: feel

text: put

text: upon

text: Hasselbeck

text: I

text: never

text: feel

text: like

text: an

text: outcast

text: there

text: If

text: anything

text: I

text: feel

text: more

text: included

text: than

text: ever

text: I

text: mean

text: truly

text: that

text: is

text: a

text: table

text: where

text: respect

text: is

text: number

text: one

text: in

text: terms

text: of

text: we

text: sort

text: of

text: have

text: a

text: vow

text: to

text: one

text: another

text: And

text: we

text: could

text: n't

text: come

text: there

text: every

text: single

text: day

text: and

text: talk

text: about

text: the

text: things

text: that

text: that

text: we

text: discuss

text: and

text: have

text: the

text: debates

text: that

text: we

text: do

text: and

text: get

text: as

text: fiery

text: as

text: we

text: do

text: and

text: get

text: back

text: there

text: the

text: next

text: day

text: if

text: there

text: was

text: n't

text: that

text: respect

text: at

text: the

text: table

text: and

text: true

text: value

text: for

text: the

text: others

text: opinion

text: I

text: mean

text: the

text: more

text: we

text: tend

text: to

text: disagree

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: more

text: we

text: sort

text: of

text: dig

text: deeper

text: into

text: that

text: relationship

text: King

text: So

text: the

text: anger

text: does

text: n't

text: carry

text: over

text: Hasselbeck

text: No

text: I

text: would

text: n't

text: even

text: classify

text: it

text: as

text: anger

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 's

text: passion

text: and

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 's

text: passion

text: with

text: purpose

text: You

text: know

text: we

text: do

text: believe

text: different

text: things

text: at

text: times

text: Occasionally

text: we

text: agree

text: It

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: that

text: interesting

text: when

text: we

text: do

text: but

text: there

text: is

text: passion

text: It

text: is

text: coming

text: from

text: different

text: places

text: but

text: we

text: love

text: that

text: conversation

text: I

text: love

text: being

text: able

text: to

text: hear

text: someone

text: else

text: 's

text: opinion

text: on

text: a

text: subject

text: and

text: maybe

text: sort

text: of

text: you

text: know

text: push

text: a

text: button

text: here

text: and

text: there

text: and

text: see

text: what

text: they

text: think

text: about

text: what

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: say

text: King

text: also

text: talked

text: with

text: Hasselbeck

text: about

text: Bristol

text: Palin

text: the

text: daughter

text: of

text: Alaska

text: Gov.

text: Sarah

text: Palin

text: being

text: a

text: spokeswoman

text: for

text: abstinence

text: King

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: make

text: of

text: that

text: choice

text: Hasselbeck

text: I

text: think

text: she

text: 's

text: the

text: perfect

text: choice

text: She

text: has

text: a

text: tangible

text: living

text: example

text: of

text: what

text: this

text: new

text: responsibility

text: is

text: in

text: her

text: life

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: sort

text: of

text: sadistic

text: giddiness

text: on

text: the

text: part

text: of

text: some

text: true

text: radical

text: leftists

text: who

text: are

text: laughing

text: behind

text: the

text: scenes

text: about

text: Bristol

text: Palin

text: 's

text: situation

text: Why

text: are

text: they

text: so

text: obsessed

text: with

text: her

text: being

text: a

text: spokesperson

text: for

text: this

text: She

text: 's

text: promoting

text: a

text: great

text: thing

text: abstinence

text: Find

text: me

text: something

text: else

text: that

text: works

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: time

text: King

text: Elizabeth

text: Edwards

text: has

text: gone

text: public

text: about

text: her

text: pain

text: about

text: her

text: husband

text: 's

text: infidelity

text: Yesterday

text: on

text: this

text: show

text: Elisabeth

text: Hasselbeck

text: Joy

text: Behar

text: your

text: compatriot

text: called

text: John

text: Edwards

text: a

text: dog

text: Do

text: you

text: agree

text: Hasselbeck

text: You

text: never

text: understand

text: the

text: intimacies

text: of

text: someone

text: 's

text: relationship

text: with

text: their

text: spouse

text: I

text: mean

text: or

text: boyfriend

text: partner

text: etc

text: Those

text: are

text: places

text: that

text: only

text: the

text: two

text: people

text: truly

text: understand

text: I

text: think

text: we

text: 're

text: also

text: looking

text: at

text: a

text: woman

text: of

text: incredible

text: strength

text: having

text: looked

text: at

text: cancer

text: and

text: battled

text: through

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: nothing

text: truly

text: can

text: compare

text: to

text: that

text: And

text: you

text: know

text: it

text: 's

text: unfortunate

text: I

text: think

text: this

text: alleged

text: affair

text: and

text: you

text: know

text: disturbance

text: even

text: in

text: terms

text: of

text: allegedly

text: funding

text: his

text: mistress

text: foundation

text: is

text: even

text: more

text: complicating

text: the

text: matter

text: The

text: idea

text: of

text: another

text: child

text: in

text: the

text: mix

text: is

text: disturbing

text: as

text: well

text: King

text: Elisabeth

text: Miss

text: California

text: USA

text: Carrie

text: Prejean

text: first

text: the

text: controversy

text: over

text: gay

text: marriage

text: statements

text: and

text: now

text: scandal

text: over

text: semi

text: nude

text: modeling

text: photos

text: of

text: her

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: of

text: the

text: way

text: she

text: 's

text: being

text: treated

text: in

text: the

text: media

text: Hasselbeck

text: Well

text: I

text: think

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: very

text: specific

text: witch

text: hunt

text: going

text: on

text: here

text: because

text: she

text: expressed

text: her

text: opinion

text: So

text: now

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: dig

text: and

text: throw

text: fear

text: into

text: the

text: heart

text: of

text: any

text: person

text: who

text: may

text: want

text: to

text: freely

text: express

text: their

text: opinion

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: of

text: America

text: That

text: seems

text: like

text: a

text: big

text: bullying

text: scheme

text: to

text: me

text: If

text: she

text: had

text: answered

text: the

text: other

text: way

text: would

text: anyone

text: have

text: been

text: searching

text: for

text: those

text: photos

text: Would

text: they

text: want

text: to

text: vilify

text: her

text: or

text: remove

text: what

text: she

text: 's

text: been

text: working

text: for

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: understand

text: the

text: pageant

text: well

text: and

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: her

text: responsibilities

text: were

text: Was

text: she

text: to

text: represent

text: the

text: state

text: of

text: California

text: in

text: her

text: opinions

text: and

text: was

text: she

text: to

text: represent

text: the

text: opinions

text: of

text: a

text: young

text: woman

text: who

text: believed

text: in

text: her

text: heart

text: one

text: thing

text: That

text: 's

text: her

text: personal

text: opinion

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: sure

text: what

text: her

text: duties

text: were

text: or

text: were

text: to

text: be

text: I

text: do

text: know

text: this

text: though

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: sure

text: this

text: investigation

text: into

text: any

text: sort

text: of

text: photos

text: or

text: background

text: or

text: family

text: members

text: that

text: they

text: 're

text: pulling

text: out

text: of

text: left

text: and

text: right

text: would

text: have

text: even

text: occurred

text: if

text: she

text: had

text: given

text: an

text: answer

text: on

text: the

text: other

text: side

text: So

text: it

text: seems

text: to

text: me

text: a

text: bit

text: of

text: a

text: bullying

text: scheme

text: as

text: I

text: said

text: before

text: and

text: that

text: disturbing

text: We

text: should

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: have

text: our

text: opinions

text: in

text: this

text: country

text: and

text: stand

text: by

text: them

text: and

text: at

text: least

text: be

text: respected

text: at

text: the

text: very

text: least

text: Later

text: in

text: the

text: interview

text: King

text: talked

text: with

text: Hasselbeck

text: about

text: her

text: new

text: book

text: The

text: G

text: Free

text: Diet

text: A

text: Gluten

text: Free

text: Survival

text: Guide

text: King

text: Now

text: when

text: we

text: think

text: of

text: gluten

text: we

text: think

text: of

text: wheat

text: right

text: Hasselbeck

text: Well

text: it

text: 's

text: actually

text: more

text: than

text: that

text: Gluten

text: is

text: a

text: protein

text: found

text: in

text: barley

text: oats

text: wheat

text: and

text: rye

text: It

text: 's

text: more

text: broad

text: than

text: most

text: people

text: actually

text: think

text: so

text: that

text: is

text: definitely

text: a

text: misconception

text: out

text: there

text: This

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: decade

text: long

text: process

text: for

text: me

text: I

text: have

text: celiac

text: disease

text: and

text: I

text: say

text: out

text: of

text: diabetes

text: came

text: that

text: low

text: glycemic

text: index

text: diet

text: and

text: out

text: of

text: my

text: celiac

text: disease

text: I

text: found

text: this

text: all

text: star

text: diet

text: I

text: call

text: it

text: my

text: diet

text: in

text: the

text: rough

text: because

text: it

text: is

text: something

text: that

text: even

text: if

text: I

text: did

text: n't

text: have

text: celiac

text: disease

text: like

text: many

text: others

text: I

text: would

text: follow

text: this

text: diet

text: You

text: know

text: over

text: years

text: ago

text: I

text: was

text: diagnosed

text: with

text: IBS

text: thyroid

text: issues

text: I

text: was

text: having

text: infertility

text: problems

text: People

text: suffer

text: miscarriage

text: after

text: miscarriage

text: stillbirth

text: It

text: eventually

text: leads

text: to

text: intestinal

text: cancer

text: This

text: is

text: something

text: that

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: treated

text: But

text: the

text: diet

text: is

text: actually

text: yes

text: for

text: people

text: with

text: celiac

text: disease

text: for

text: millions

text: with

text: food

text: intolerance

text: that

text: is

text: up

text: like

text: percent

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: five

text: years

text: and

text: for

text: people

text: who

text: just

text: want

text: a

text: healthy

text: lifestyle

text: I

text: mean

text: I

text: 'm

text: on

text: this

text: diet

text: before

text: I

text: 'm

text: pregnant

text: during

text: pregnancy

text: and

text: when

text: I

text: 'm

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: back

text: in

text: my

text: bikini

text: to

text: you

text: know

text: strut

text: around

text: in

text: the

text: summer

question: What did she says?

answer: Bristol Palin is an ideal choice to speak about teen abstinence.

text: Bristol Palin is an ideal choice to speak about teen abstinence.

question: What did Hasselbeck call a big bullying scheme?

answer: to dig and throw fear into the heart of any person who may want to freely express their opinion in the United States of America.

text: to dig and throw fear into the heart of any person who may want to freely express their opinion in the United States of America.

question: Who wrote the book?

answer: Hasselbeck,

text: Hasselbeck,

question: Who was laughing at Palin's situation?

answer: true radical leftists,

text: true radical leftists,

question: Who is laughing at Bristol Palin?

answer: radical leftists,

text: radical leftists,

question: Who is Elisabeth Hasselbeck?

answer: co-host of "The View"

text: co-host of "The View"


text:
(CNN) -- That's right, I said it. And I mean it.

Roland Martin says the GOP is missing its chance to win black voters.

The GOP as a whole is completely scared of black voters, and the actions by the front-runners for the party's 2008 nomination show they are continuing the same silly political games the party has played for years.

Oh, don't bother tossing out the appointments of Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state by Bush. Yes, they are African-American. But I'm speaking of the party.

Ever since Richard Nixon ran for the White House, the GOP has run on a "Southern Strategy," meant to alienate blacks in an effort to garner white voters. They've worked the strategy to perfection. When he was head of the Republican National Committee, Ken Mehlman apologized for that strategy as he sought to make inroads among black voters.

Republicans will tell you they are the party of Abraham Lincoln, who signed the Emancipation Proclamation, but their outreach efforts to black voters are lacking.

Oh, yes, I know. Democrats have a stranglehold on the black vote, receiving upward of 90 percent in national elections. A significant part of that is a result of the party seeing blacks as the backbone of the party. But the reality is that when you have only one party that truly makes a play for those voters, of course you will see such disparities!

That's why it's dumb, dumb, and dumber for the leading GOP candidates to skip Thursday's debate hosted by Tavis Smiley and airing on PBS.

Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson and Sen. John McCain have all cited "scheduling conflicts" as the reason for their lack of attendance to debate at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, even though Smiley personnel tell me they began discussions with then-RNC head Mehlman in February 2006. When the debate was announced earlier this year, along with a Democratic forum held in June at Howard University, the RNC promised their candidates would speak.

But those of us who follow politics knew that wasn't going to happen.

This summer, all of the Republican candidates, save Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, skipped the NAACP and the National Urban League conventions. OK, I get the former, but the Urban League? President Bush has spoken there several times as president!

The GOP keeps blowing a big opportunity by ignoring blacks. And what about the debate sponsored by Spanish language TV station Univision? Only McCain accepted the invite.

Today's generation of blacks and Latinos shouldn't be seen as the same as their parents. An increasing number of people are refusing to identify themselves with a party, and looking at issues. Latinos have been a huge part of the Republican outreach, but the immigration debate is turning that in a different direction.

Why should the GOP talk to black voters, and what would they talk about?

First, I can tell you that immigration is huge in the black community, and gets folks riled up in a hurry (you ought to see my talk show lines when this comes up). Education and health care are also major. And every GOP debate has been about faith in the public square, and we know that plays well with black voters.

Now, when it comes to the war in Iraq, the GOP can forget that tune. No one is listening. And they are completely uneven on the issue of civil rights.

Here is an example that further explains the GOP's stupidity on this topic.

Several years ago, a Republican in the Dallas-Fort Worth area was trying to unseat then-Rep. Martin Frost, a heavily entrenched Democrat. That summer, a series of black churches were being burned. My good friend, Michael Williams, a third-generation black Republican, was planning to hold a fundraiser at his home for the GOP candidate.

He called the campaign and said it would be a good idea for the candidate to make a statement on the burnings, condemning them and saying it didn't make sense. The campaign said no.

Williams called back and made the suggestion again, and the response was they didn't want to seem as if they were pandering to the black community. He laughed at that because the campaign was bringing then-Rep. J.C. Watts, a prominent black Republican, to visit black churches with the candidate. Hello! That's pandering.

So Williams told his wife, Donna, what the candidate said. She replied, "Any man who is such a coward that he can't speak against churches being burned is not welcome in my home."

The fundraiser was called off.

Here was a simple opportunity to actually show that he cared, but the candidate was so scared to say something, he turned off a campaign donor.

Will speaking at one debate turn around decades of black support for the Democrats? Nope. But not speaking will just mean business as usual, and the GOP needs less of that.

Roland S. Martin is a nationally award-winning, multifaceted journalist and CNN contributor. Martin is studying to receive his master's degree in Christian Communications at Louisiana Baptist University, and is the author of "Listening to the Spirit Within: 50 Perspectives on Faith." You can read more of his columns at www.rolandsmartin.com

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer.  E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: That

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text: party

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text: looking

text: at

text: issues

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text: have

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text: the

text: Republican

text: outreach

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text: immigration

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text: a

text: different

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text: should

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text: black

text: voters

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text: what

text: would

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text: immigration

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text: black

text: community

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text: Education

text: and

text: health

text: care

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text: every

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text: debate

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text: faith

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text: the

text: public

text: square

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text: we

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text: it

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text: war

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text: GOP

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text: they

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text: the

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text: explains

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text: GOP

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text: stupidity

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text: this

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text: Republican

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text: Dallas

text: Fort

text: Worth

text: area

text: was

text: trying

text: to

text: unseat

text: then

text: Rep

text: Martin

text: Frost

text: a

text: heavily

text: entrenched

text: Democrat

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text: summer

text: a

text: series

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text: black

text: churches

text: were

text: being

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text: My

text: good

text: friend

text: Michael

text: Williams

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text: third

text: generation

text: black

text: Republican

text: was

text: planning

text: to

text: hold

text: a

text: fundraiser

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text: his

text: home

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text: GOP

text: candidate

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text: the

text: campaign

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text: the

text: candidate

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text: burnings

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text: Watts

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text: Republican

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text: the

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text: what

text: the

text: candidate

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text: Any

text: man

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text: coward

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text: he

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text: n't

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text: against

text: churches

text: being

text: burned

text: is

text: not

text: welcome

text: in

text: my

text: home

text: The

text: fundraiser

text: was

text: called

text: off

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text: was

text: a

text: simple

text: opportunity

text: to

text: actually

text: show

text: that

text: he

text: cared

text: but

text: the

text: candidate

text: was

text: so

text: scared

text: to

text: say

text: something

text: he

text: turned

text: off

text: a

text: campaign

text: donor

text: Will

text: speaking

text: at

text: one

text: debate

text: turn

text: around

text: decades

text: of

text: black

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: Democrats

text: Nope

text: But

text: not

text: speaking

text: will

text: just

text: mean

text: business

text: as

text: usual

text: and

text: the

text: GOP

text: needs

text: less

text: of

text: that

text: Roland

text: S.

text: Martin

text: is

text: a

text: nationally

text: award

text: winning

text: multifaceted

text: journalist

text: and

text: CNN

text: contributor

text: Martin

text: is

text: studying

text: to

text: receive

text: his

text: master

text: 's

text: degree

text: in

text: Christian

text: Communications

text: at

text: Louisiana

text: Baptist

text: University

text: and

text: is

text: the

text: author

text: of

text: Listening

text: to

text: the

text: Spirit

text: Within

text: Perspectives

text: on

text: Faith

text: You

text: can

text: read

text: more

text: of

text: his

text: columns

text: at

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: the

text: writer

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: Which categories of GOP appeal to blacks?

answer: immigration

text: immigration

question: Can Democrats win the black vote?

answer: have a stranglehold on the

text: have a stranglehold on the

question: What republican outreach efforts are lacking?

answer: to black voters

text: to black voters

question: Which party won black voters?

answer: Democrats

text: Democrats


text:
(CNN) -- President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama were dancing their way through 10 official inaugural balls after a day of pomp and circumstance that saw his first presidential address and excitement about her inaugural dress.

Michelle Obama, dressed in Jason Wu, and President Obama at the Home State Ball Tuesday night.

The Obamas were serenaded by BeyoncÃ© during their first dance at the Neighborhood Ball Tuesday night.

BeyoncÃ© sang Etta James' "At Last," from her role in the movie "Cadillac Records" as the couple laughed and took their first spin around the dance floor.

Before the dance, Obama addressed the crowd, which erupted in applause when he entered the room.

"First of all, how good-looking is my wife?" Obama joked.  Watch the Obamas at the first ball of the night Â»

All eyes certainly were on Michelle Obama, who had kept her choice of a designer and dress style a secret until the moment she entered the dance floor.

The first lady was clad in a long white gown designed by up-and-coming designer Jason Wu, 26.  The gown made especially for the first lady is made of ivory silk chiffon, embellished with organza and Swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver thread embroidery, according to one of Wu's publicists.

Wu told CNN he didn't know that she had chosen his gown until her first ball appearance Tuesday night.

"It's thrilling. ... For a young designer, I couldn't ask for any more than this," said Wu, whose design style combines modern lifestyle dressing and haute couture, according to his Web site.

He designed and delivered the dress at the request of Michelle Obama's aides in December, according to fashion expert Mary Alice Stephenson, contributing editor at Harper's Bazaar.

Wu -- who has been in the business for three years, according to InStyle.com fashion director Joe Berean -- said he intended the gown to stand for everything that she and President Obama are about.  Listen to Berean critique Michelle Obama's inauguration outfits Â»

"It's about hope. It's about newness," he said. "It's all a little dreamlike, and we're making history, and I wanted to really reflect that."

The Neighborhood Ball, a first of its kind and one of the balls open to the public, was the first of 10 official balls that the Obamas were scheduled to attend.

For the new president, the first was particularly important.

"I cut my teeth doing neighborhood work and this campaign was organized neighborhood by neighborhood," he said.

For that reason "this ball is the one that captures best the spirit of this campaign," Obama said.

The Obamas then moved to their second ball -- the Home State Ball, for Illinois and Hawaii --  at the Convention Center.

After greeting the crowd by saying "Aloha," the president thanked many in the crowd who he said were old friends who had been part of the couple's lives for awhile.

"This is a special ball because it represents our roots," he said.

The couple laughed and embraced as they danced. President Obama even let loose after his long day, twirling his wife around in a circle -- a move the crowd cheered.  Time: See the glamour of past balls

Next, the Obamas made their way to the Commander-in-Chief Ball, attended by many members of the military, including wounded veterans.

"It is wonderful to be surrounded by some of the very best and bravest Americans," Obama said. "Your courage, your grace and your patriotism inspire us all."

Obama told the crowd that there is "no greater honor or responsibility than serving as your commander in chief."  Watch the Obamas as the Commander-in-Chief Ball Â»

Obama then introduced members of the military from Illinois stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan. After thanking them, Obama took time for lighter banter, polling the members of the military about whether they were Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox baseball fans.

"Terrible!" quipped Obama, known to be a huge White Sox fan, as most said they were Cubs fans.

Then Obama introduced his wife, who took a moment to emerge from backstage.

"I may have been stood up," he joked, before she came out for their next dance.

Next, the Obamas turned their attention to the Youth Inaugural Ball, where people between the ages of 18 and 35 gathered.

"When you look at the history of this campaign, what started out as an improbable journey -- when nobody gave us a chance -- was carried forward, was inspired by, was driven by, was energized by, young people all across America," Obama said.

The president thanked the young people who came out to vote in dramatically high numbers, especially compared to past elections.

He said a new generation inspired an older generation, and "that's how change happens in America."

Afterward, the Obamas moved to the Home State Ball for Delaware and Pennsylvania, honoring Vice President Joe Biden.

"We are grateful to you, not only for the trust you bestowed, but also for a guy named Joe Biden," Obama said. Biden was born in Pennsylvania and later moved to Delaware, which he represented in the U.S. Senate.

The Obamas then visited the rest of the parties earlier than scheduled and in quick succession, spending about five minutes each at the Mid-Atlantic, Western, Midwest, Southern and Eastern regional balls.

At the Western Ball, singer Marc Anthony helped entertain about 11,500 guests, including film director Ron Howard and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actress Cheryl Hines. When the Obamas arrived, someone shouted "I love you" to the president.

"I love you back," Obama responded. "Michelle loves you, too."

Before the couple's dance at the Midwest Ball, the president introduced the first lady by saying he'd "like to dance with the one who brung me, and who does everything I do except ... in high heels."

The first couple's last dance of the night -- at the Eastern Ball -- happened shortly after 12:35 a.m. Wednesday.

Melanie Roussell, a spokeswoman for the committee, said that in keeping with tradition, the Obamas and Biden and his wife, Jill,  would make appearances at each of the official balls. Quiz: First ladies gowns

There was more than chips and dip for the new president and his fellow partygoers. "We will have a little more than light fare," said Roussell, who listed such menu items as penne Italiano and chilled chicken roulades with tomatoes, artichokes and pine nuts.

The balls also featured plenty of music to suit just about everyone's taste. In addition to BeyoncÃ©, the Neighborhood Inaugural Ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center included recording artists Jay-Z, Faith Hill, Shakira and Alicia Keys. iReport.com: Are you in Washington? Share your story

Those not lucky enough to score a ticket or an invitation could watch on television.

"We are trying to make this the most accessible inauguration in history," Roussell said. "We are encouraging people to plan parties in their own neighborhoods, and they can tune in and celebrate along with the president."

CNN's Lisa Respers France, Mallory Simon and Rebecca Sinderbrand contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: President

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text: Ball

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text: Neighborhood

text: Ball

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text: At

text: Last

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text: role

text: in

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text: movie

text: Cadillac

text: Records

text: as

text: the

text: couple

text: laughed

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text: first

text: ball

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text: Michelle

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text: first

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text: according

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text: CNN

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text: did

text: n't

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text: she

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text: chosen

text: his

text: gown

text: until

text: her

text: first

text: ball

text: appearance

text: Tuesday

text: night

text: It

text: 's

text: thrilling

text: For

text: a

text: young

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text: could

text: n't

text: ask

text: for

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text: than

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text: Wu

text: whose

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text: at

text: the

text: request

text: of

text: Michelle

text: Obama

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text: aides

text: in

text: December

text: according

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text: fashion

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text: InStyle.com

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text: the

text: public

text: was

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text: first

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text: the

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text: the

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text: Obama

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text: The

text: Obamas

text: then

text: moved

text: to

text: their

text: second

text: ball

text: the

text: Home

text: State

text: Ball

text: for

text: Illinois

text: and

text: Hawaii

text: at

text: the

text: Convention

text: Center

text: After

text: greeting

text: the

text: crowd

text: by

text: saying

text: Aloha

text: the

text: president

text: thanked

text: many

text: in

text: the

text: crowd

text: who

text: he

text: said

text: were

text: old

text: friends

text: who

text: had

text: been

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: couple

text: 's

text: lives

text: for

text: awhile

text: This

text: is

text: a

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text: ball

text: because

text: it

text: represents

text: our

text: roots

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: couple

text: laughed

text: and

text: embraced

text: as

text: they

text: danced

text: President

text: Obama

text: even

text: let

text: loose

text: after

text: his

text: long

text: day

text: twirling

text: his

text: wife

text: around

text: in

text: a

text: circle

text: a

text: move

text: the

text: crowd

text: cheered

text: Time

text: See

text: the

text: glamour

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text: Obamas

text: made

text: their

text: way

text: to

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text: Commander

text: in

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text: Ball

text: attended

text: by

text: many

text: members

text: of

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text: military

text: including

text: wounded

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text: is

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text: to

text: be

text: surrounded

text: by

text: some

text: of

text: the

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text: Americans

text: Obama

text: said

text: Your

text: courage

text: your

text: grace

text: and

text: your

text: patriotism

text: inspire

text: us

text: all

text: Obama

text: told

text: the

text: crowd

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: greater

text: honor

text: or

text: responsibility

text: than

text: serving

text: as

text: your

text: commander

text: in

text: chief

text: Watch

text: the

text: Obamas

text: as

text: the

text: Commander

text: in

text: Chief

text: Ball

text: Â

text: Obama

text: then

text: introduced

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: military

text: from

text: Illinois

text: stationed

text: in

text: Kabul

text: Afghanistan

text: After

text: thanking

text: them

text: Obama

text: took

text: time

text: for

text: lighter

text: banter

text: polling

text: the

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: military

text: about

text: whether

text: they

text: were

text: Chicago

text: Cubs

text: or

text: Chicago

text: White

text: Sox

text: baseball

text: fans

text: Terrible

text: quipped

text: Obama

text: known

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: huge

text: White

text: Sox

text: fan

text: as

text: most

text: said

text: they

text: were

text: Cubs

text: fans

text: Then

text: Obama

text: introduced

text: his

text: wife

text: who

text: took

text: a

text: moment

text: to

text: emerge

text: from

text: backstage

text: I

text: may

text: have

text: been

text: stood

text: up

text: he

text: joked

text: before

text: she

text: came

text: out

text: for

text: their

text: next

text: dance

text: Next

text: the

text: Obamas

text: turned

text: their

text: attention

text: to

text: the

text: Youth

text: Inaugural

text: Ball

text: where

text: people

text: between

text: the

text: ages

text: of

text: and

text: gathered

text: When

text: you

text: look

text: at

text: the

text: history

text: of

text: this

text: campaign

text: what

text: started

text: out

text: as

text: an

text: improbable

text: journey

text: when

text: nobody

text: gave

text: us

text: a

text: chance

text: was

text: carried

text: forward

text: was

text: inspired

text: by

text: was

text: driven

text: by

text: was

text: energized

text: by

text: young

text: people

text: all

text: across

text: America

text: Obama

text: said

text: The

text: president

text: thanked

text: the

text: young

text: people

text: who

text: came

text: out

text: to

text: vote

text: in

text: dramatically

text: high

text: numbers

text: especially

text: compared

text: to

text: past

text: elections

text: He

text: said

text: a

text: new

text: generation

text: inspired

text: an

text: older

text: generation

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: how

text: change

text: happens

text: in

text: America

text: Afterward

text: the

text: Obamas

text: moved

text: to

text: the

text: Home

text: State

text: Ball

text: for

text: Delaware

text: and

text: Pennsylvania

text: honoring

text: Vice

text: President

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: We

text: are

text: grateful

text: to

text: you

text: not

text: only

text: for

text: the

text: trust

text: you

text: bestowed

text: but

text: also

text: for

text: a

text: guy

text: named

text: Joe

text: Biden

text: Obama

text: said

text: Biden

text: was

text: born

text: in

text: Pennsylvania

text: and

text: later

text: moved

text: to

text: Delaware

text: which

text: he

text: represented

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Senate

text: The

text: Obamas

text: then

text: visited

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: the

text: parties

text: earlier

text: than

text: scheduled

text: and

text: in

text: quick

text: succession

text: spending

text: about

text: five

text: minutes

text: each

text: at

text: the

text: Mid

text: Atlantic

text: Western

text: Midwest

text: Southern

text: and

text: Eastern

text: regional

text: balls

text: At

text: the

text: Western

text: Ball

text: singer

text: Marc

text: Anthony

text: helped

text: entertain

text: about

text: guests

text: including

text: film

text: director

text: Ron

text: Howard

text: and

text: Curb

text: Your

text: Enthusiasm

text: actress

text: Cheryl

text: Hines

text: When

text: the

text: Obamas

text: arrived

text: someone

text: shouted

text: I

text: love

text: you

text: to

text: the

text: president

text: I

text: love

text: you

text: back

text: Obama

text: responded

text: Michelle

text: loves

text: you

text: too

text: Before

text: the

text: couple

text: 's

text: dance

text: at

text: the

text: Midwest

text: Ball

text: the

text: president

text: introduced

text: the

text: first

text: lady

text: by

text: saying

text: he

text: 'd

text: like

text: to

text: dance

text: with

text: the

text: one

text: who

text: brung

text: me

text: and

text: who

text: does

text: everything

text: I

text: do

text: except

text: in

text: high

text: heels

text: The

text: first

text: couple

text: 's

text: last

text: dance

text: of

text: the

text: night

text: at

text: the

text: Eastern

text: Ball

text: happened

text: shortly

text: after

text: a.m.

text: Wednesday

text: Melanie

text: Roussell

text: a

text: spokeswoman

text: for

text: the

text: committee

text: said

text: that

text: in

text: keeping

text: with

text: tradition

text: the

text: Obamas

text: and

text: Biden

text: and

text: his

text: wife

text: Jill

text: would

text: make

text: appearances

text: at

text: each

text: of

text: the

text: official

text: balls

text: Quiz

text: First

text: ladies

text: gowns

text: There

text: was

text: more

text: than

text: chips

text: and

text: dip

text: for

text: the

text: new

text: president

text: and

text: his

text: fellow

text: partygoers

text: We

text: will

text: have

text: a

text: little

text: more

text: than

text: light

text: fare

text: said

text: Roussell

text: who

text: listed

text: such

text: menu

text: items

text: as

text: penne

text: Italiano

text: and

text: chilled

text: chicken

text: roulades

text: with

text: tomatoes

text: artichokes

text: and

text: pine

text: nuts

text: The

text: balls

text: also

text: featured

text: plenty

text: of

text: music

text: to

text: suit

text: just

text: about

text: everyone

text: 's

text: taste

text: In

text: addition

text: to

text: BeyoncÃ

text: the

text: Neighborhood

text: Inaugural

text: Ball

text: at

text: the

text: Walter

text: E.

text: Washington

text: Convention

text: Center

text: included

text: recording

text: artists

text: Jay

text: Z

text: Faith

text: Hill

text: Shakira

text: and

text: Alicia

text: Keys

text: iReport.com

text: Are

text: you

text: in

text: Washington

text: Share

text: your

text: story

text: Those

text: not

text: lucky

text: enough

text: to

text: score

text: a

text: ticket

text: or

text: an

text: invitation

text: could

text: watch

text: on

text: television

text: We

text: are

text: trying

text: to

text: make

text: this

text: the

text: most

text: accessible

text: inauguration

text: in

text: history

text: Roussell

text: said

text: We

text: are

text: encouraging

text: people

text: to

text: plan

text: parties

text: in

text: their

text: own

text: neighborhoods

text: and

text: they

text: can

text: tune

text: in

text: and

text: celebrate

text: along

text: with

text: the

text: president

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Lisa

text: Respers

text: France

text: Mallory

text: Simon

text: and

text: Rebecca

text: Sinderbrand

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

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text:
(CNN) -- Massachusetts sued the U.S. government on Wednesday, challenging the constitutionality of a federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

The state of Massachusetts says the Defense of Marriage Act denies same-sex couples essential rights.

"We're taking this action today because, first, we believe that [the Defense of Marriage Act] directly interferes with Massachusetts' long-standing sovereign authority to define and regulate the marital status of its residents," Attorney General Martha Coakley said Wednesday afternoon.

"Massachusetts has a single category of married persons, and we view all married persons equally and identically," she said.

"DOMA divides that category into two distinct and unequal classes of marriage."

The lawsuit argues that the act, which became law in 1996, denies same-sex couples essential rights and protections, including federal income tax credits, employment and retirement benefits, health insurance coverage and Social Security payments.

"In enacting DOMA, Congress overstepped its authority, undermined states' efforts to recognize marriages between same-sex couples, and codified an animus towards gay and lesbian people," the state wrote in the lawsuit, which was filed Wednesday in federal court.

Massachusetts, the first state to legalize gay marriage, said that about 16,000 same-sex couples have been married there since 2004, when it began issuing marriage licenses. Since that time, the lawsuit said, "the security and stability of families has been strengthened in important ways throughout the state. "

The state is challenging Section 3 of the law, which defines marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

Before the act, the lawsuit argues, defining marital status was the prerogative of the states.

The law "eviscerated more than 200 years of federal government deference to the states with respect to defining marriage," it said.

The lawsuit also argues that the law forces Massachusetts to treat same-sex married couples differently from heterosexual married couples, particularly through determining who qualifies for the state's Medicaid program, known as MassHealth, and whether a same-sex spouse of a veteran can be buried in a veteran cemetery.

"But for DOMA, married individuals in same-sex relationships in the commonwealth would receive the same status, obligations, responsibilities, rights, and protections as married individuals in different-sex relationships under local, state, and federal laws," the lawsuit said.

The defendants named in the lawsuit include the Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki and the United States itself.

Charles Miller, a spokesman for the Department of Justice, said the department will review the case but noted that President Obama supports the legislative repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

In March, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders -- the same Boston-based group that successfully argued in 2003 for same-sex marriage rights in Massachusetts -- also sued the federal government over Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Besides Massachusetts, three other states recognize same-sex marriages: Connecticut, Maine, and Iowa. Vermont and New Hampshire will join their company when same-sex marriages become legal later this year and early next year.

text: CNN

text: Massachusetts

text: sued

text: the

text: U.S.

text: government

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: challenging

text: the

text: constitutionality

text: of

text: a

text: federal

text: law

text: that

text: defines

text: marriage

text: as

text: the

text: union

text: of

text: a

text: man

text: and

text: a

text: woman

text: The

text: state

text: of

text: Massachusetts

text: says

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: denies

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: essential

text: rights

text: We

text: 're

text: taking

text: this

text: action

text: today

text: because

text: first

text: we

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: directly

text: interferes

text: with

text: Massachusetts

text: long

text: standing

text: sovereign

text: authority

text: to

text: define

text: and

text: regulate

text: the

text: marital

text: status

text: of

text: its

text: residents

text: Attorney

text: General

text: Martha

text: Coakley

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: afternoon

text: Massachusetts

text: has

text: a

text: single

text: category

text: of

text: married

text: persons

text: and

text: we

text: view

text: all

text: married

text: persons

text: equally

text: and

text: identically

text: she

text: said

text: DOMA

text: divides

text: that

text: category

text: into

text: two

text: distinct

text: and

text: unequal

text: classes

text: of

text: marriage

text: The

text: lawsuit

text: argues

text: that

text: the

text: act

text: which

text: became

text: law

text: in

text: denies

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: essential

text: rights

text: and

text: protections

text: including

text: federal

text: income

text: tax

text: credits

text: employment

text: and

text: retirement

text: benefits

text: health

text: insurance

text: coverage

text: and

text: Social

text: Security

text: payments

text: In

text: enacting

text: DOMA

text: Congress

text: overstepped

text: its

text: authority

text: undermined

text: states

text: efforts

text: to

text: recognize

text: marriages

text: between

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: and

text: codified

text: an

text: animus

text: towards

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: people

text: the

text: state

text: wrote

text: in

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: which

text: was

text: filed

text: Wednesday

text: in

text: federal

text: court

text: Massachusetts

text: the

text: first

text: state

text: to

text: legalize

text: gay

text: marriage

text: said

text: that

text: about

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: have

text: been

text: married

text: there

text: since

text: when

text: it

text: began

text: issuing

text: marriage

text: licenses

text: Since

text: that

text: time

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: said

text: the

text: security

text: and

text: stability

text: of

text: families

text: has

text: been

text: strengthened

text: in

text: important

text: ways

text: throughout

text: the

text: state

text: The

text: state

text: is

text: challenging

text: Section

text: of

text: the

text: law

text: which

text: defines

text: marriage

text: as

text: a

text: legal

text: union

text: between

text: one

text: man

text: and

text: one

text: woman

text: as

text: husband

text: and

text: wife

text: and

text: a

text: spouse

text: as

text: a

text: person

text: of

text: the

text: opposite

text: sex

text: who

text: is

text: a

text: husband

text: or

text: a

text: wife

text: Before

text: the

text: act

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: argues

text: defining

text: marital

text: status

text: was

text: the

text: prerogative

text: of

text: the

text: states

text: The

text: law

text: eviscerated

text: more

text: than

text: years

text: of

text: federal

text: government

text: deference

text: to

text: the

text: states

text: with

text: respect

text: to

text: defining

text: marriage

text: it

text: said

text: The

text: lawsuit

text: also

text: argues

text: that

text: the

text: law

text: forces

text: Massachusetts

text: to

text: treat

text: same

text: sex

text: married

text: couples

text: differently

text: from

text: heterosexual

text: married

text: couples

text: particularly

text: through

text: determining

text: who

text: qualifies

text: for

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: Medicaid

text: program

text: known

text: as

text: MassHealth

text: and

text: whether

text: a

text: same

text: sex

text: spouse

text: of

text: a

text: veteran

text: can

text: be

text: buried

text: in

text: a

text: veteran

text: cemetery

text: But

text: for

text: DOMA

text: married

text: individuals

text: in

text: same

text: sex

text: relationships

text: in

text: the

text: commonwealth

text: would

text: receive

text: the

text: same

text: status

text: obligations

text: responsibilities

text: rights

text: and

text: protections

text: as

text: married

text: individuals

text: in

text: different

text: sex

text: relationships

text: under

text: local

text: state

text: and

text: federal

text: laws

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: said

text: The

text: defendants

text: named

text: in

text: the

text: lawsuit

text: include

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Health

text: and

text: Human

text: Services

text: Secretary

text: of

text: Health

text: and

text: Human

text: Services

text: Kathleen

text: Sebelius

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: Veterans

text: Affairs

text: Secretary

text: Eric

text: Shinseki

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: itself

text: Charles

text: Miller

text: a

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Justice

text: said

text: the

text: department

text: will

text: review

text: the

text: case

text: but

text: noted

text: that

text: President

text: Obama

text: supports

text: the

text: legislative

text: repeal

text: of

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: In

text: March

text: Gay

text: Lesbian

text: Advocates

text: Defenders

text: the

text: same

text: Boston

text: based

text: group

text: that

text: successfully

text: argued

text: in

text: for

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: rights

text: in

text: Massachusetts

text: also

text: sued

text: the

text: federal

text: government

text: over

text: Section

text: of

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: Besides

text: Massachusetts

text: three

text: other

text: states

text: recognize

text: same

text: sex

text: marriages

text: Connecticut

text: Maine

text: and

text: Iowa

text: Vermont

text: and

text: New

text: Hampshire

text: will

text: join

text: their

text: company

text: when

text: same

text: sex

text: marriages

text: become

text: legal

text: later

text: this

text: year

text: and

text: early

text: next

text: year

question: What defines marriages?

answer: "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

text: "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife."

question: What does the suit say?

answer: the act, which became law in 1996, denies same-sex couples essential rights and protections, including federal income tax credits,

text: the act, which became law in 1996, denies same-sex couples essential rights and protections, including federal income tax credits,

question: What does the lawsuit challenge?

answer: federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

text: federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

question: What does the measure define?

answer: marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

text: marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

question: What was the lawsuit challenges?

answer: federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

text: federal law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

question: What did the law denies?

answer: same-sex couples essential rights.

text: same-sex couples essential rights.