text:
(CNN) -- Canada's House of Commons voted Thursday to extend the country's military mission in Afghanistan until 2011, with the stipulation that NATO send reinforcements to the volatile Kandahar province.

Canadian soldiers walk along a track at the Kandahar Air Base in Afghanistan last month.

Most of Canada's 2,500 troops in Afghanistan are in Kandahar as part of the NATO-led mission to stabilize the war-torn country.

Their presence has sparked controversy in Canada, with the Bloc Quebecois and the New Democratic Party calling for an immediate troop withdrawal.

Supporters of the mission argued that Canadians have made progress in providing schools, health care and clean water for thousands of Afghans.

They said the improving conditions would be impossible without troops ensuring a secure environment for aid workers and local residents.

"The military needs to be there," said Harold Albrecht, a conservative member of Parliament. "The military provides the civil order we would expect from police here."

The Canadian mission in Afghanistan was to end next February. It has claimed the lives of 80 soldiers and a diplomat, according to The Associated Press.

Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has endorsed a panel's recommendation to keep troops in place only if another NATO nation dispatches additional troops to Kandahar.

Canada wants a minimum of 1,000 reinforcements, The Globe and Mail reported.

Thursday's motion, passed with a 198-77 vote, brought Harper's Conservative party and the opposition Liberals together on the issue.

Other parties, however, noted that the cost of maintaining a troop presence in Afghanistan has not been disclosed to Parliament or the public.

"We must provide clarity to the Canadian people," said Nathan Cullen of the New Democratic Party. "We believe it to be wrong for our country."  E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: Canada

text: 's

text: House

text: of

text: Commons

text: voted

text: Thursday

text: to

text: extend

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: military

text: mission

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: until

text: with

text: the

text: stipulation

text: that

text: NATO

text: send

text: reinforcements

text: to

text: the

text: volatile

text: Kandahar

text: province

text: Canadian

text: soldiers

text: walk

text: along

text: a

text: track

text: at

text: the

text: Kandahar

text: Air

text: Base

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: last

text: month

text: Most

text: of

text: Canada

text: 's

text: troops

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: are

text: in

text: Kandahar

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: NATO

text: led

text: mission

text: to

text: stabilize

text: the

text: war

text: torn

text: country

text: Their

text: presence

text: has

text: sparked

text: controversy

text: in

text: Canada

text: with

text: the

text: Bloc

text: Quebecois

text: and

text: the

text: New

text: Democratic

text: Party

text: calling

text: for

text: an

text: immediate

text: troop

text: withdrawal

text: Supporters

text: of

text: the

text: mission

text: argued

text: that

text: Canadians

text: have

text: made

text: progress

text: in

text: providing

text: schools

text: health

text: care

text: and

text: clean

text: water

text: for

text: thousands

text: of

text: Afghans

text: They

text: said

text: the

text: improving

text: conditions

text: would

text: be

text: impossible

text: without

text: troops

text: ensuring

text: a

text: secure

text: environment

text: for

text: aid

text: workers

text: and

text: local

text: residents

text: The

text: military

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: there

text: said

text: Harold

text: Albrecht

text: a

text: conservative

text: member

text: of

text: Parliament

text: The

text: military

text: provides

text: the

text: civil

text: order

text: we

text: would

text: expect

text: from

text: police

text: here

text: The

text: Canadian

text: mission

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: was

text: to

text: end

text: next

text: February

text: It

text: has

text: claimed

text: the

text: lives

text: of

text: soldiers

text: and

text: a

text: diplomat

text: according

text: to

text: The

text: Associated

text: Press

text: Canadian

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Stephen

text: Harper

text: has

text: endorsed

text: a

text: panel

text: 's

text: recommendation

text: to

text: keep

text: troops

text: in

text: place

text: only

text: if

text: another

text: NATO

text: nation

text: dispatches

text: additional

text: troops

text: to

text: Kandahar

text: Canada

text: wants

text: a

text: minimum

text: of

text: reinforcements

text: The

text: Globe

text: and

text: Mail

text: reported

text: Thursday

text: 's

text: motion

text: passed

text: with

text: a

text: vote

text: brought

text: Harper

text: 's

text: Conservative

text: party

text: and

text: the

text: opposition

text: Liberals

text: together

text: on

text: the

text: issue

text: Other

text: parties

text: however

text: noted

text: that

text: the

text: cost

text: of

text: maintaining

text: a

text: troop

text: presence

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: has

text: not

text: been

text: disclosed

text: to

text: Parliament

text: or

text: the

text: public

text: We

text: must

text: provide

text: clarity

text: to

text: the

text: Canadian

text: people

text: said

text: Nathan

text: Cullen

text: of

text: the

text: New

text: Democratic

text: Party

text: We

text: believe

text: it

text: to

text: be

text: wrong

text: for

text: our

text: country

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: When is the Canadian mission in Afghanistan set to end?

answer: 2011,

question: What is the stipulation that allows the troops to stay until 2011?

answer: the volatile Kandahar province.

text: the volatile Kandahar province.

question: Where are most of Canada's  2,500 troops?

answer: Kandahar

text: Kandahar

question: Where are most of Canada's troops in Afghanistan located?

answer: Kandahar

text: Kandahar

question: On what condition will troops stay until 2011?

answer: NATO send reinforcements to the volatile Kandahar province.

text: NATO send reinforcements to the volatile Kandahar province.

question: When is the Canadian mission in Afghanistan to end?

answer: 2011,

question: Where are most of Canada's 2,500 troops located?

answer: Kandahar

text: Kandahar

question: When is the Canadian mission in Afghanistan supposed to end?

answer: 2011,


text:
(CNN) -- The Sri Lankan army launched an operation against Tamil rebels in the country's north early Monday, the military said, claiming to have rescued thousands of civilians trapped in a government safe zone.

The Sri Lankan army has relaunched its attacks on Tamil rebels in the country's north.

A rebel Web site, TamilNet, said government forces were engaged in a fresh ground offensive. A TamilNet correspondent in Vanni reported heavy shelling, rocket fire and gunfire. Thirty civilians died in shelling Sunday, rebels said.

The government of Sri Lanka has been battling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) rebels in a civil conflict that has lasted nearly 25 years.

"Thousands of civilians who had been forcibly held by the LTTE terrorists in the government declared No Fire Zone (NFZ) were rescued early hours this morning, 20 April, as the troops engaged in a massive scale rescue mission, were able to open a safe passage for the civilians," the Ministry of Defense Web site said. More than 10,000 civilians are trying to seek refuge with soldiers, the military said.

The upsurge in hostilities follows a two-day cessation last week for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year.

The U.S. State Department on Thursday called for a cease-fire between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tigers to allow civilians to escape the fighting.

"We call upon the government and military of Sri Lanka, and the Tamil Tigers, to immediately stop hostilities until the more than 140,000 civilians in the conflict area are safely out," acting spokesman Robert Wood said in a statement. "Both sides must immediately return to a humanitarian pause and both must respect the right of free movement of those civilian men, women and children trapped by the fighting."  Watch the heavy toll of fighting on civilians Â»

A brief cessation of hostilities  announced by the Sri Lankan government on April 12 allowed the United Nations and its partners to bring in aid, but a renewed government offensive has left civilians trapped in a war zone.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his humanitarian chief John Holmes called the brief halt in fighting inadequate and have pushed for a longer humanitarian pause in fighting.

The most pressing concern now, according to Holmes, is the fact that more than 100,000 people are crowded in a "very small pocket of land" that is about five square miles, or about twice the size of New York's Central Park.

"It is a very small area indeed for what we believe is a very large number of people," Holmes told reporters Wednesday.

Overcrowding is also a problem in camps housing displaced people, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). As of Monday, some 65,000 displaced people were crammed into camps in Vavuniya, Jaffna and Mannar, with 35,000 more expected to arrive within 48 hours, the organization said in a statement. '

UNICEF said it feared for children trapped in the escalating fighting and is worried that the worst is yet to come. The group appealed for donations to help cover "the most immediate needs of the affected population in health and nutrition, water and sanitation, protection and education."

The crowded population, primarily comprised of Tamil civilians, is subject to the continuing Sri Lankan government assaults. The British and French foreign ministers released a joint statement as well on Wednesday, saying that the Tamil Tigers are using Tamil civilians as human shields.

The Tigers have been declared a terrorist organization by 32 countries, including the United States and the European Union. As many as 70,000 people have been killed since the conflict officially began in 1983.

The International Committee of the Red Cross said Monday that it has helped evacuate more than 10,000 sick and injured patients, and their caregivers, from Putumattalan in rebel-held territory since February.

"These evacuations have saved many lives," said Morven Murchinson, the Red Cross medical coordinator in Sri Lanka. "It is vital that they continue, because more sick and wounded people are arriving every day at the makeshift medical facilities in Putumattalan."

The Red Cross says there's an acute shortage of medical supplies in the region, which it is trying to rectify.

text: CNN

text: The

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: army

text: launched

text: an

text: operation

text: against

text: Tamil

text: rebels

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: north

text: early

text: Monday

text: the

text: military

text: said

text: claiming

text: to

text: have

text: rescued

text: thousands

text: of

text: civilians

text: trapped

text: in

text: a

text: government

text: safe

text: zone

text: The

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: army

text: has

text: relaunched

text: its

text: attacks

text: on

text: Tamil

text: rebels

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: north

text: A

text: rebel

text: Web

text: site

text: TamilNet

text: said

text: government

text: forces

text: were

text: engaged

text: in

text: a

text: fresh

text: ground

text: offensive

text: A

text: TamilNet

text: correspondent

text: in

text: Vanni

text: reported

text: heavy

text: shelling

text: rocket

text: fire

text: and

text: gunfire

text: Thirty

text: civilians

text: died

text: in

text: shelling

text: Sunday

text: rebels

text: said

text: The

text: government

text: of

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: has

text: been

text: battling

text: the

text: Liberation

text: Tigers

text: of

text: Tamil

text: Elam

text: LTTE

text: rebels

text: in

text: a

text: civil

text: conflict

text: that

text: has

text: lasted

text: nearly

text: years

text: Thousands

text: of

text: civilians

text: who

text: had

text: been

text: forcibly

text: held

text: by

text: the

text: LTTE

text: terrorists

text: in

text: the

text: government

text: declared

text: No

text: Fire

text: Zone

text: NFZ

text: were

text: rescued

text: early

text: hours

text: this

text: morning

text: April

text: as

text: the

text: troops

text: engaged

text: in

text: a

text: massive

text: scale

text: rescue

text: mission

text: were

text: able

text: to

text: open

text: a

text: safe

text: passage

text: for

text: the

text: civilians

text: the

text: Ministry

text: of

text: Defense

text: Web

text: site

text: said

text: More

text: than

text: civilians

text: are

text: trying

text: to

text: seek

text: refuge

text: with

text: soldiers

text: the

text: military

text: said

text: The

text: upsurge

text: in

text: hostilities

text: follows

text: a

text: two

text: day

text: cessation

text: last

text: week

text: for

text: the

text: Sinhala

text: and

text: Hindu

text: New

text: Year

text: The

text: U.S.

text: State

text: Department

text: on

text: Thursday

text: called

text: for

text: a

text: cease

text: fire

text: between

text: the

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: government

text: and

text: Tamil

text: Tigers

text: to

text: allow

text: civilians

text: to

text: escape

text: the

text: fighting

text: We

text: call

text: upon

text: the

text: government

text: and

text: military

text: of

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: and

text: the

text: Tamil

text: Tigers

text: to

text: immediately

text: stop

text: hostilities

text: until

text: the

text: more

text: than

text: civilians

text: in

text: the

text: conflict

text: area

text: are

text: safely

text: out

text: acting

text: spokesman

text: Robert

text: Wood

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Both

text: sides

text: must

text: immediately

text: return

text: to

text: a

text: humanitarian

text: pause

text: and

text: both

text: must

text: respect

text: the

text: right

text: of

text: free

text: movement

text: of

text: those

text: civilian

text: men

text: women

text: and

text: children

text: trapped

text: by

text: the

text: fighting

text: Watch

text: the

text: heavy

text: toll

text: of

text: fighting

text: on

text: civilians

text: Â

text: A

text: brief

text: cessation

text: of

text: hostilities

text: announced

text: by

text: the

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: government

text: on

text: April

text: allowed

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: and

text: its

text: partners

text: to

text: bring

text: in

text: aid

text: but

text: a

text: renewed

text: government

text: offensive

text: has

text: left

text: civilians

text: trapped

text: in

text: a

text: war

text: zone

text: U.N.

text: Secretary

text: General

text: Ban

text: Ki

text: moon

text: and

text: his

text: humanitarian

text: chief

text: John

text: Holmes

text: called

text: the

text: brief

text: halt

text: in

text: fighting

text: inadequate

text: and

text: have

text: pushed

text: for

text: a

text: longer

text: humanitarian

text: pause

text: in

text: fighting

text: The

text: most

text: pressing

text: concern

text: now

text: according

text: to

text: Holmes

text: is

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: are

text: crowded

text: in

text: a

text: very

text: small

text: pocket

text: of

text: land

text: that

text: is

text: about

text: five

text: square

text: miles

text: or

text: about

text: twice

text: the

text: size

text: of

text: New

text: York

text: 's

text: Central

text: Park

text: It

text: is

text: a

text: very

text: small

text: area

text: indeed

text: for

text: what

text: we

text: believe

text: is

text: a

text: very

text: large

text: number

text: of

text: people

text: Holmes

text: told

text: reporters

text: Wednesday

text: Overcrowding

text: is

text: also

text: a

text: problem

text: in

text: camps

text: housing

text: displaced

text: people

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: Children

text: 's

text: Fund

text: UNICEF

text: As

text: of

text: Monday

text: some

text: displaced

text: people

text: were

text: crammed

text: into

text: camps

text: in

text: Vavuniya

text: Jaffna

text: and

text: Mannar

text: with

text: more

text: expected

text: to

text: arrive

text: within

text: hours

text: the

text: organization

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: UNICEF

text: said

text: it

text: feared

text: for

text: children

text: trapped

text: in

text: the

text: escalating

text: fighting

text: and

text: is

text: worried

text: that

text: the

text: worst

text: is

text: yet

text: to

text: come

text: The

text: group

text: appealed

text: for

text: donations

text: to

text: help

text: cover

text: the

text: most

text: immediate

text: needs

text: of

text: the

text: affected

text: population

text: in

text: health

text: and

text: nutrition

text: water

text: and

text: sanitation

text: protection

text: and

text: education

text: The

text: crowded

text: population

text: primarily

text: comprised

text: of

text: Tamil

text: civilians

text: is

text: subject

text: to

text: the

text: continuing

text: Sri

text: Lankan

text: government

text: assaults

text: The

text: British

text: and

text: French

text: foreign

text: ministers

text: released

text: a

text: joint

text: statement

text: as

text: well

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: saying

text: that

text: the

text: Tamil

text: Tigers

text: are

text: using

text: Tamil

text: civilians

text: as

text: human

text: shields

text: The

text: Tigers

text: have

text: been

text: declared

text: a

text: terrorist

text: organization

text: by

text: countries

text: including

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: the

text: European

text: Union

text: As

text: many

text: as

text: people

text: have

text: been

text: killed

text: since

text: the

text: conflict

text: officially

text: began

text: in

text: The

text: International

text: Committee

text: of

text: the

text: Red

text: Cross

text: said

text: Monday

text: that

text: it

text: has

text: helped

text: evacuate

text: more

text: than

text: sick

text: and

text: injured

text: patients

text: and

text: their

text: caregivers

text: from

text: Putumattalan

text: in

text: rebel

text: held

text: territory

text: since

text: February

text: These

text: evacuations

text: have

text: saved

text: many

text: lives

text: said

text: Morven

text: Murchinson

text: the

text: Red

text: Cross

text: medical

text: coordinator

text: in

text: Sri

text: Lanka

text: It

text: is

text: vital

text: that

text: they

text: continue

text: because

text: more

text: sick

text: and

text: wounded

text: people

text: are

text: arriving

text: every

text: day

text: at

text: the

text: makeshift

text: medical

text: facilities

text: in

text: Putumattalan

text: The

text: Red

text: Cross

text: says

text: there

text: 's

text: an

text: acute

text: shortage

text: of

text: medical

text: supplies

text: in

text: the

text: region

text: which

text: it

text: is

text: trying

text: to

text: rectify

question: What was crowded in a very small area?

answer: 100,000 people

text: 100,000 people

question: Who voiced fears for children trapped in fighting?

answer: Robert Wood

text: Robert Wood

question: When did the hostilities increase?

answer: last week

text: last week

question: How long did the Sri Lanka government conflict last?

answer: nearly 25 years.

text: nearly 25 years.

question: What did the upsurge in hostilities follow?

answer: a two-day cessation last week for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year.

text: a two-day cessation last week for the Sinhala and Hindu New Year.

question: Who voiced fears?

answer: UNICEF

text: UNICEF

question: When did the conflict start/

answer: officially began in 1983.

text: officially began in 1983.

question: For how long has the conflict lasted?

answer: nearly 25 years.

text: nearly 25 years.


text:
(CNN) -- Football players are pushing for the sport's world governing body FIFA to bring in technology to decide whether the ball has crossed the goalline.

In a poll by international players' union FIFpro, 90 percent of respondents said they wanted to see goalline technology introduced.

FIFpro has submitted the findings to the International Football Association Board, FIFA's lawmaking body, which is meeting on Saturday, March 6, to discuss possible changes to the laws of the game.

Tijs Tummers, secretary of FIFpro's technical committee, said players have had enough of games being blighted by incorrect decisions over goals.

"The ultimate aim of football is scoring goals, and there's no greater injustice than when you have scored and it's not allowed because they say it did not cross the line," Tummers told CNN.

"Every weekend you see a situation like this in one of the top European leagues.

"There are no buts. It's very simple. The only argument against is that you say we want to keep a human feel but in the opinion of FIFpro and the players that is nonsense."

German sportswear giant Adidas has been working on a form of technology involving a microchip in the ball, while other options include a version of the Hawk-Eye system of computerized cameras currently used in tennis.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has called for a system which is accurate but doesn't disrupt the flow of the game.

FIFA has tested goalline technology in junior tournaments but has recently moved away from further trials in favor of a simpler system involving two extra assistant referees stationed at each end.

The scheme, favored by UEFA President Michel Platini, has been tested in the Europa League this season but has proved unpopular with coaches and players.

FIFpro polled the 48 captains who have played in the Europa League this season, with 70 percent of the 31 who responded saying they saw no improvement in decision-making.

The row between extra referees and technology is on the agenda for the IFAB meeting, with any changes to be implemented next season, after the World Cup.

Other issues under review include whether players who concede penalties through professional fouls should also be sent off, and whether players should continue to be allowed to feint their run-ups when taking penalties.

text: CNN

text: Football

text: players

text: are

text: pushing

text: for

text: the

text: sport

text: 's

text: world

text: governing

text: body

text: FIFA

text: to

text: bring

text: in

text: technology

text: to

text: decide

text: whether

text: the

text: ball

text: has

text: crossed

text: the

text: goalline

text: In

text: a

text: poll

text: by

text: international

text: players

text: union

text: FIFpro

text: percent

text: of

text: respondents

text: said

text: they

text: wanted

text: to

text: see

text: goalline

text: technology

text: introduced

text: FIFpro

text: has

text: submitted

text: the

text: findings

text: to

text: the

text: International

text: Football

text: Association

text: Board

text: FIFA

text: 's

text: lawmaking

text: body

text: which

text: is

text: meeting

text: on

text: Saturday

text: March

text: to

text: discuss

text: possible

text: changes

text: to

text: the

text: laws

text: of

text: the

text: game

text: Tijs

text: Tummers

text: secretary

text: of

text: FIFpro

text: 's

text: technical

text: committee

text: said

text: players

text: have

text: had

text: enough

text: of

text: games

text: being

text: blighted

text: by

text: incorrect

text: decisions

text: over

text: goals

text: The

text: ultimate

text: aim

text: of

text: football

text: is

text: scoring

text: goals

text: and

text: there

text: 's

text: no

text: greater

text: injustice

text: than

text: when

text: you

text: have

text: scored

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: allowed

text: because

text: they

text: say

text: it

text: did

text: not

text: cross

text: the

text: line

text: Tummers

text: told

text: CNN

text: Every

text: weekend

text: you

text: see

text: a

text: situation

text: like

text: this

text: in

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: top

text: European

text: leagues

text: There

text: are

text: no

text: buts

text: It

text: 's

text: very

text: simple

text: The

text: only

text: argument

text: against

text: is

text: that

text: you

text: say

text: we

text: want

text: to

text: keep

text: a

text: human

text: feel

text: but

text: in

text: the

text: opinion

text: of

text: FIFpro

text: and

text: the

text: players

text: that

text: is

text: nonsense

text: German

text: sportswear

text: giant

text: Adidas

text: has

text: been

text: working

text: on

text: a

text: form

text: of

text: technology

text: involving

text: a

text: microchip

text: in

text: the

text: ball

text: while

text: other

text: options

text: include

text: a

text: version

text: of

text: the

text: Hawk

text: Eye

text: system

text: of

text: computerized

text: cameras

text: currently

text: used

text: in

text: tennis

text: FIFA

text: President

text: Sepp

text: Blatter

text: has

text: called

text: for

text: a

text: system

text: which

text: is

text: accurate

text: but

text: does

text: n't

text: disrupt

text: the

text: flow

text: of

text: the

text: game

text: FIFA

text: has

text: tested

text: goalline

text: technology

text: in

text: junior

text: tournaments

text: but

text: has

text: recently

text: moved

text: away

text: from

text: further

text: trials

text: in

text: favor

text: of

text: a

text: simpler

text: system

text: involving

text: two

text: extra

text: assistant

text: referees

text: stationed

text: at

text: each

text: end

text: The

text: scheme

text: favored

text: by

text: UEFA

text: President

text: Michel

text: Platini

text: has

text: been

text: tested

text: in

text: the

text: Europa

text: League

text: this

text: season

text: but

text: has

text: proved

text: unpopular

text: with

text: coaches

text: and

text: players

text: FIFpro

text: polled

text: the

text: captains

text: who

text: have

text: played

text: in

text: the

text: Europa

text: League

text: this

text: season

text: with

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: who

text: responded

text: saying

text: they

text: saw

text: no

text: improvement

text: in

text: decision

text: making

text: The

text: row

text: between

text: extra

text: referees

text: and

text: technology

text: is

text: on

text: the

text: agenda

text: for

text: the

text: IFAB

text: meeting

text: with

text: any

text: changes

text: to

text: be

text: implemented

text: next

text: season

text: after

text: the

text: World

text: Cup

text: Other

text: issues

text: under

text: review

text: include

text: whether

text: players

text: who

text: concede

text: penalties

text: through

text: professional

text: fouls

text: should

text: also

text: be

text: sent

text: off

text: and

text: whether

text: players

text: should

text: continue

text: to

text: be

text: allowed

text: to

text: feint

text: their

text: run

text: ups

text: when

text: taking

text: penalties

question: When did FIFA meet?

answer: Saturday, March 6,

text: Saturday, March 6,

question: When are FIFA meeting?

answer: Saturday, March 6,

text: Saturday, March 6,

question: when does FIFA meet?

answer: Saturday, March 6,

text: Saturday, March 6,

question: what do the players lobby to introduce?

answer: goalline technology

text: goalline technology

question: What were players unimpressed with?

answer: games being blighted by incorrect decisions over goals.

text: games being blighted by incorrect decisions over goals.

question: What is FIFA to introduce?

answer: technology

text: technology


text:
Princeton, New Jersey (CNN) -- After the Republicans and Democrats met at the White House summit on health care, it was clear that the parties are very far away from a bipartisan agreement. Indeed, few participants walked away with the sense that they were any closer to a deal.

The White House did make clear that it was willing to move forward on health care without Republican support. The choice now becomes whether Democrats should use the budget reconciliation process to pass some parts of health care legislation. According to recent reports, Democrats are considering having the House pass the bill that was already approved in the Senate and then dealing with a package of additional reforms through reconciliation.

Programs that are considered under the reconciliation process are not subject to a Senate filibuster. Democrats would only need 51 votes, not 60, to pass those parts of the bill that are included under reconciliation.

Reconciliation was created through the Budget Reform Act of 1974 in an effort to streamline the budget process, strengthen the ability of Congress to make tough decisions regarding deficits, and to make legislative decision-making more efficient.

Congress quickly expanded on the types of measures that could be considered under reconciliation until 1985 and 1986, when the Senate passed rules proposed by Sen. Robert Byrd that limited what could or could not be included when using this process.

Before moving forward, Democrats must consider two questions. The first is whether using reconciliation to pass health care is legitimate or an abuse of the process. Republicans have charged that this would be akin to forcing the program through the chamber rather than passing the bill through negotiation and compromise.

On this question, the answer is easy. Reconciliation has been as much a part of the Senate in the past three decades as the filibuster. According to an article that was published in The New Republic, Congress passed 22 reconciliation bills between 1980 and 2008. Many important policy changes were enacted through this process, including the Children's Health Insurance Program, COBRA (which allows people who switch jobs to keep their health care), student aid reform, expansions in Medicaid and several major tax cuts.

NPR's Julie Rovner reported that most of the health care reforms enacted in the past two decades have gone through reconciliation. President Ronald Reagan was one of the first presidents to make aggressive use of reconciliation when he pushed through his economic program in 1981. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker said then that speed had been essential because "Every day that this is delayed makes it more difficult to pass. This is an extraordinary proposal, and these are extraordinary times."

Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all used reconciliation as well. It is worth noting that these presidents, particularly George W. Bush, also made use of sweeping executive power to circumvent Congress altogether.

The second question is more difficult and it involves perceptions. If the Democratic leadership wants to use this tactic, they have to convince enough members of their own party that this won't scare off independent voters. This argument was harder to make in 2009 than in 2010. But after a year of dealing with paralysis in the Senate and highly effective Republican obstruction, more Democrats are coming on board.

The leadership must be proactive in responding to the criticism about reconciliation. They will have to explain that reconciliation is a legitimate process by pointing to the history.

They will also have to connect the dots for voters frustrated with the ineffective government by explaining that the constant use of the filibuster has turned the Senate into a supermajority institution where both parties have found it extraordinarily difficult -- virtually impossible -- to pass major legislation.On this point, Republicans and Democrats actually agree.

Indeed, as Democrats make this decision, Kentucky Republican Senator Jim Bunning is objecting to a unanimous consent order and single-handedly preventing the Senate from passing an important bill to assist unemployed workers.

Democrats must also convince hesitant colleagues that the payoff could be greater than the cost. While, in the short-term, Republicans will complain that their opponents have rammed through social policy in some sort of unnatural procedural move, Democrats are facing these kinds of intense attacks anyway.

Right now, Democrats are receiving the brunt of Republican attacks without being able to pass much legislation. If they pass health care, they will be able to respond to the arguments of the GOP, not just by complaining that Republicans obstruct everything, but by pointing to specific benefits such as lowering premiums by expanding how many people purchase coverage and bringing tens of millions of Americans into the health care system.

In certain respects, the White House made the use of reconciliation more difficult by initially accepting the notion that 60 votes were needed to pass legislation through the Senate. After the election of Sen. Scott Brown, R-Massachusetts, a decision to refocus on procedures that only depend on 51 votes makes it more vulnerable to the attacks of manipulating the process.

But in other respects, the administration now has a better political opportunity to use reconciliation. After a year, the public has seen just how dysfunctional Senate procedures can be in an era when filibusters are common.

With a public that is frustrated by Washington, as the polls show, the Democrats might be able to persuade a sufficient number of their colleagues to go along. If they don't, one thing is for certain: Democrats will go into election day facing voters who are hearing all the complaints about their party but seeing very little in terms of what they can deliver on health care.

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

text: Princeton

text: New

text: Jersey

text: CNN

text: After

text: the

text: Republicans

text: and

text: Democrats

text: met

text: at

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: summit

text: on

text: health

text: care

text: it

text: was

text: clear

text: that

text: the

text: parties

text: are

text: very

text: far

text: away

text: from

text: a

text: bipartisan

text: agreement

text: Indeed

text: few

text: participants

text: walked

text: away

text: with

text: the

text: sense

text: that

text: they

text: were

text: any

text: closer

text: to

text: a

text: deal

text: The

text: White

text: House

text: did

text: make

text: clear

text: that

text: it

text: was

text: willing

text: to

text: move

text: forward

text: on

text: health

text: care

text: without

text: Republican

text: support

text: The

text: choice

text: now

text: becomes

text: whether

text: Democrats

text: should

text: use

text: the

text: budget

text: reconciliation

text: process

text: to

text: pass

text: some

text: parts

text: of

text: health

text: care

text: legislation

text: According

text: to

text: recent

text: reports

text: Democrats

text: are

text: considering

text: having

text: the

text: House

text: pass

text: the

text: bill

text: that

text: was

text: already

text: approved

text: in

text: the

text: Senate

text: and

text: then

text: dealing

text: with

text: a

text: package

text: of

text: additional

text: reforms

text: through

text: reconciliation

text: Programs

text: that

text: are

text: considered

text: under

text: the

text: reconciliation

text: process

text: are

text: not

text: subject

text: to

text: a

text: Senate

text: filibuster

text: Democrats

text: would

text: only

text: need

text: votes

text: not

text: to

text: pass

text: those

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: bill

text: that

text: are

text: included

text: under

text: reconciliation

text: Reconciliation

text: was

text: created

text: through

text: the

text: Budget

text: Reform

text: Act

text: of

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: streamline

text: the

text: budget

text: process

text: strengthen

text: the

text: ability

text: of

text: Congress

text: to

text: make

text: tough

text: decisions

text: regarding

text: deficits

text: and

text: to

text: make

text: legislative

text: decision

text: making

text: more

text: efficient

text: Congress

text: quickly

text: expanded

text: on

text: the

text: types

text: of

text: measures

text: that

text: could

text: be

text: considered

text: under

text: reconciliation

text: until

text: and

text: when

text: the

text: Senate

text: passed

text: rules

text: proposed

text: by

text: Sen.

text: Robert

text: Byrd

text: that

text: limited

text: what

text: could

text: or

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: included

text: when

text: using

text: this

text: process

text: Before

text: moving

text: forward

text: Democrats

text: must

text: consider

text: two

text: questions

text: The

text: first

text: is

text: whether

text: using

text: reconciliation

text: to

text: pass

text: health

text: care

text: is

text: legitimate

text: or

text: an

text: abuse

text: of

text: the

text: process

text: Republicans

text: have

text: charged

text: that

text: this

text: would

text: be

text: akin

text: to

text: forcing

text: the

text: program

text: through

text: the

text: chamber

text: rather

text: than

text: passing

text: the

text: bill

text: through

text: negotiation

text: and

text: compromise

text: On

text: this

text: question

text: the

text: answer

text: is

text: easy

text: Reconciliation

text: has

text: been

text: as

text: much

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: Senate

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: three

text: decades

text: as

text: the

text: filibuster

text: According

text: to

text: an

text: article

text: that

text: was

text: published

text: in

text: The

text: New

text: Republic

text: Congress

text: passed

text: reconciliation

text: bills

text: between

text: and

text: Many

text: important

text: policy

text: changes

text: were

text: enacted

text: through

text: this

text: process

text: including

text: the

text: Children

text: 's

text: Health

text: Insurance

text: Program

text: COBRA

text: which

text: allows

text: people

text: who

text: switch

text: jobs

text: to

text: keep

text: their

text: health

text: care

text: student

text: aid

text: reform

text: expansions

text: in

text: Medicaid

text: and

text: several

text: major

text: tax

text: cuts

text: NPR

text: 's

text: Julie

text: Rovner

text: reported

text: that

text: most

text: of

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: reforms

text: enacted

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: two

text: decades

text: have

text: gone

text: through

text: reconciliation

text: President

text: Ronald

text: Reagan

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: first

text: presidents

text: to

text: make

text: aggressive

text: use

text: of

text: reconciliation

text: when

text: he

text: pushed

text: through

text: his

text: economic

text: program

text: in

text: Senate

text: Majority

text: Leader

text: Howard

text: Baker

text: said

text: then

text: that

text: speed

text: had

text: been

text: essential

text: because

text: Every

text: day

text: that

text: this

text: is

text: delayed

text: makes

text: it

text: more

text: difficult

text: to

text: pass

text: This

text: is

text: an

text: extraordinary

text: proposal

text: and

text: these

text: are

text: extraordinary

text: times

text: Presidents

text: Jimmy

text: Carter

text: George

text: H.W.

text: Bush

text: Bill

text: Clinton

text: and

text: George

text: W.

text: Bush

text: all

text: used

text: reconciliation

text: as

text: well

text: It

text: is

text: worth

text: noting

text: that

text: these

text: presidents

text: particularly

text: George

text: W.

text: Bush

text: also

text: made

text: use

text: of

text: sweeping

text: executive

text: power

text: to

text: circumvent

text: Congress

text: altogether

text: The

text: second

text: question

text: is

text: more

text: difficult

text: and

text: it

text: involves

text: perceptions

text: If

text: the

text: Democratic

text: leadership

text: wants

text: to

text: use

text: this

text: tactic

text: they

text: have

text: to

text: convince

text: enough

text: members

text: of

text: their

text: own

text: party

text: that

text: this

text: wo

text: n't

text: scare

text: off

text: independent

text: voters

text: This

text: argument

text: was

text: harder

text: to

text: make

text: in

text: than

text: in

text: But

text: after

text: a

text: year

text: of

text: dealing

text: with

text: paralysis

text: in

text: the

text: Senate

text: and

text: highly

text: effective

text: Republican

text: obstruction

text: more

text: Democrats

text: are

text: coming

text: on

text: board

text: The

text: leadership

text: must

text: be

text: proactive

text: in

text: responding

text: to

text: the

text: criticism

text: about

text: reconciliation

text: They

text: will

text: have

text: to

text: explain

text: that

text: reconciliation

text: is

text: a

text: legitimate

text: process

text: by

text: pointing

text: to

text: the

text: history

text: They

text: will

text: also

text: have

text: to

text: connect

text: the

text: dots

text: for

text: voters

text: frustrated

text: with

text: the

text: ineffective

text: government

text: by

text: explaining

text: that

text: the

text: constant

text: use

text: of

text: the

text: filibuster

text: has

text: turned

text: the

text: Senate

text: into

text: a

text: supermajority

text: institution

text: where

text: both

text: parties

text: have

text: found

text: it

text: extraordinarily

text: difficult

text: virtually

text: impossible

text: to

text: pass

text: major

text: legislation

text: On

text: this

text: point

text: Republicans

text: and

text: Democrats

text: actually

text: agree

text: Indeed

text: as

text: Democrats

text: make

text: this

text: decision

text: Kentucky

text: Republican

text: Senator

text: Jim

text: Bunning

text: is

text: objecting

text: to

text: a

text: unanimous

text: consent

text: order

text: and

text: single

text: handedly

text: preventing

text: the

text: Senate

text: from

text: passing

text: an

text: important

text: bill

text: to

text: assist

text: unemployed

text: workers

text: Democrats

text: must

text: also

text: convince

text: hesitant

text: colleagues

text: that

text: the

text: payoff

text: could

text: be

text: greater

text: than

text: the

text: cost

text: While

text: in

text: the

text: short

text: term

text: Republicans

text: will

text: complain

text: that

text: their

text: opponents

text: have

text: rammed

text: through

text: social

text: policy

text: in

text: some

text: sort

text: of

text: unnatural

text: procedural

text: move

text: Democrats

text: are

text: facing

text: these

text: kinds

text: of

text: intense

text: attacks

text: anyway

text: Right

text: now

text: Democrats

text: are

text: receiving

text: the

text: brunt

text: of

text: Republican

text: attacks

text: without

text: being

text: able

text: to

text: pass

text: much

text: legislation

text: If

text: they

text: pass

text: health

text: care

text: they

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: respond

text: to

text: the

text: arguments

text: of

text: the

text: GOP

text: not

text: just

text: by

text: complaining

text: that

text: Republicans

text: obstruct

text: everything

text: but

text: by

text: pointing

text: to

text: specific

text: benefits

text: such

text: as

text: lowering

text: premiums

text: by

text: expanding

text: how

text: many

text: people

text: purchase

text: coverage

text: and

text: bringing

text: tens

text: of

text: millions

text: of

text: Americans

text: into

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: system

text: In

text: certain

text: respects

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: made

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: reconciliation

text: more

text: difficult

text: by

text: initially

text: accepting

text: the

text: notion

text: that

text: votes

text: were

text: needed

text: to

text: pass

text: legislation

text: through

text: the

text: Senate

text: After

text: the

text: election

text: of

text: Sen.

text: Scott

text: Brown

text: R

text: Massachusetts

text: a

text: decision

text: to

text: refocus

text: on

text: procedures

text: that

text: only

text: depend

text: on

text: votes

text: makes

text: it

text: more

text: vulnerable

text: to

text: the

text: attacks

text: of

text: manipulating

text: the

text: process

text: But

text: in

text: other

text: respects

text: the

text: administration

text: now

text: has

text: a

text: better

text: political

text: opportunity

text: to

text: use

text: reconciliation

text: After

text: a

text: year

text: the

text: public

text: has

text: seen

text: just

text: how

text: dysfunctional

text: Senate

text: procedures

text: can

text: be

text: in

text: an

text: era

text: when

text: filibusters

text: are

text: common

text: With

text: a

text: public

text: that

text: is

text: frustrated

text: by

text: Washington

text: as

text: the

text: polls

text: show

text: the

text: Democrats

text: might

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: persuade

text: a

text: sufficient

text: number

text: of

text: their

text: colleagues

text: to

text: go

text: along

text: If

text: they

text: do

text: n't

text: one

text: thing

text: is

text: for

text: certain

text: Democrats

text: will

text: go

text: into

text: election

text: day

text: facing

text: voters

text: who

text: are

text: hearing

text: all

text: the

text: complaints

text: about

text: their

text: party

text: but

text: seeing

text: very

text: little

text: in

text: terms

text: of

text: what

text: they

text: can

text: deliver

text: on

text: health

text: care

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Julian

text: E.

text: Zelizer

question: what are democrats considering

answer: having the House pass the bill that was already approved in the Senate and then dealing with a package of additional reforms through reconciliation.

text: having the House pass the bill that was already approved in the Senate and then dealing with a package of additional reforms through reconciliation.

question: How many votes will be used to pass health bill?

answer: 51

question: who has a difficult choice

answer: Democrats

text: Democrats


text:
Editor's note: Dr. Thomas H. Murray is chief executive of The Hastings Center, a nonprofit research institute on bioethics in Garrison, New York. Murray was formerly director of the Center for Biomedical Ethics at Case Western Reserve University and president of the Society for Health and Human Values.

Thomas Murray says doctors have responsibility for welfare of children conceived through IVF procedure.

GARRISON, New York (CNN) -- The birth of octuplets to a California woman last week raised a boatload of issues that can distract us from the central ethical question posed by the case: How do we take children's well-being into account in reproductive medicine?

Yes, it's puzzling why an unemployed single woman who already had six children wanted a passel more. And it is not crazy to wonder who will pay for these children's needs over the years, beginning with what is sure to be a gobsmacking bill for neonatal intensive care.

For now, we can put aside the lifeboat problem: A human uterus is not built for eight passengers; the odds for each child to be born alive and healthy go down as the number in the lifeboat goes up.

Her physicians offered to reduce the number of fetuses she was carrying; citing her moral convictions, she declined. As of the last reports, all eight survived. Still, knowing what we do about the many risks that come with being born too soon and too small, their medical course is likely to be complex and unsteady.

What this case really does is split wide open a fault line running through infertility treatment in American medicine. People who show up at fertility clinics are adults. In the typical case, they've been trying to get pregnant for a year or more without success.

When all goes well, a cycle of IVF (in-vitro fertilization) results in a pregnancy and the birth of one, perhaps two, healthy babies. As a son, a father, and now a grandfather, I can attest that there is no more important or enduring relationship in our lives than the one between parents and children.

Whether that relationship is forged through infertility medicine, adoption or the old-fashioned way matters not at all: What counts is that adults who want to love and raise a child are matched with a child who needs just that love and care.

The point of infertility treatment, after all, is to create a child. But that child-to-be is not the clinic's patient -- the would-be parents are. I believe that the interests of those children deserve at least as much consideration as the wishes of the prospective parents.

The vast majority of infertility patients are no doubt fierce advocates for the well-being of the child they so earnestly seek to bring into their lives. What happens, though, when the client's request shows little consideration or regard for the welfare of the would-be children? What happens if a woman in her early 30s with six children wants eight embryos implanted all at once?

A responsible physician could turn down such a request, citing professional guidelines that counsel implanting one, at most two, embryos in women younger than 35. How Nadya Suleman ended up with eight is a mystery. That's what Nadya Suleman is claiming.

Perhaps there is a physician somewhere willing to defy the wisdom of his or her peers; perhaps Suleman used fertility drugs rather than IVF as she claimed. Whatever the case, this guideline is based on safety. Carrying more than a couple of fetuses is dangerous to the pregnant woman and to the health and survival of the fetuses in her womb.

Citing safety is a prudent way to turn down requests an infertility physician thinks are ill-considered. But sometimes that gambit isn't available.

A psychiatrist friend who conducted intake interviews for a well-respected clinic described a rough-looking couple who carried for their up-front payment thousands of dollars in cash stuffed in a bag -- drug money, she was certain.

She was able to discourage the couple from following through on their plan. Here's the rub: Her concern was the ultimate well-being of the child that the clinic was being asked to help create. But the ideology of American infertility medicine allows physicians to escape from making any judgments about the suitability of prospective parents.

There is understandable worry that cracking the door to considerations about parents' motives and capacities would blast it wide open for nasty, petty stereotypes and prejudices. That would be an awful result.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine acknowledged in a 2004 report that fertility programs may withhold services when they can provide "well-substantiated judgments" that the child will not receive adequate care. But that same report has a huge loophole.

Providers can abdicate almost all responsibility to anticipate the welfare of the children they help create by claiming "an obligation to treat all patients who would benefit from medical treatment." The statement goes on to say that "except when significant harm to a future child is likely," they "should not be required to make assessments of a patient's child-rearing abilities or other child welfare issues."

It's time for the profession -- and business -- of reproductive medicine to accept their firm, inescapable ethical obligation to give the interests and well-being of the children they help to create the same consideration they give to the desires of the adults they serve.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Thomas Murray.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: Dr.

text: Thomas

text: H.

text: Murray

text: is

text: chief

text: executive

text: of

text: The

text: Hastings

text: Center

text: a

text: nonprofit

text: research

text: institute

text: on

text: bioethics

text: in

text: Garrison

text: New

text: York

text: Murray

text: was

text: formerly

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: Center

text: for

text: Biomedical

text: Ethics

text: at

text: Case

text: Western

text: Reserve

text: University

text: and

text: president

text: of

text: the

text: Society

text: for

text: Health

text: and

text: Human

text: Values

text: Thomas

text: Murray

text: says

text: doctors

text: have

text: responsibility

text: for

text: welfare

text: of

text: children

text: conceived

text: through

text: IVF

text: procedure

text: GARRISON

text: New

text: York

text: CNN

text: The

text: birth

text: of

text: octuplets

text: to

text: a

text: California

text: woman

text: last

text: week

text: raised

text: a

text: boatload

text: of

text: issues

text: that

text: can

text: distract

text: us

text: from

text: the

text: central

text: ethical

text: question

text: posed

text: by

text: the

text: case

text: How

text: do

text: we

text: take

text: children

text: 's

text: well

text: being

text: into

text: account

text: in

text: reproductive

text: medicine

text: Yes

text: it

text: 's

text: puzzling

text: why

text: an

text: unemployed

text: single

text: woman

text: who

text: already

text: had

text: six

text: children

text: wanted

text: a

text: passel

text: more

text: And

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: crazy

text: to

text: wonder

text: who

text: will

text: pay

text: for

text: these

text: children

text: 's

text: needs

text: over

text: the

text: years

text: beginning

text: with

text: what

text: is

text: sure

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: gobsmacking

text: bill

text: for

text: neonatal

text: intensive

text: care

text: For

text: now

text: we

text: can

text: put

text: aside

text: the

text: lifeboat

text: problem

text: A

text: human

text: uterus

text: is

text: not

text: built

text: for

text: eight

text: passengers

text: the

text: odds

text: for

text: each

text: child

text: to

text: be

text: born

text: alive

text: and

text: healthy

text: go

text: down

text: as

text: the

text: number

text: in

text: the

text: lifeboat

text: goes

text: up

text: Her

text: physicians

text: offered

text: to

text: reduce

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: fetuses

text: she

text: was

text: carrying

text: citing

text: her

text: moral

text: convictions

text: she

text: declined

text: As

text: of

text: the

text: last

text: reports

text: all

text: eight

text: survived

text: Still

text: knowing

text: what

text: we

text: do

text: about

text: the

text: many

text: risks

text: that

text: come

text: with

text: being

text: born

text: too

text: soon

text: and

text: too

text: small

text: their

text: medical

text: course

text: is

text: likely

text: to

text: be

text: complex

text: and

text: unsteady

text: What

text: this

text: case

text: really

text: does

text: is

text: split

text: wide

text: open

text: a

text: fault

text: line

text: running

text: through

text: infertility

text: treatment

text: in

text: American

text: medicine

text: People

text: who

text: show

text: up

text: at

text: fertility

text: clinics

text: are

text: adults

text: In

text: the

text: typical

text: case

text: they

text: 've

text: been

text: trying

text: to

text: get

text: pregnant

text: for

text: a

text: year

text: or

text: more

text: without

text: success

text: When

text: all

text: goes

text: well

text: a

text: cycle

text: of

text: IVF

text: in

text: vitro

text: fertilization

text: results

text: in

text: a

text: pregnancy

text: and

text: the

text: birth

text: of

text: one

text: perhaps

text: two

text: healthy

text: babies

text: As

text: a

text: son

text: a

text: father

text: and

text: now

text: a

text: grandfather

text: I

text: can

text: attest

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: more

text: important

text: or

text: enduring

text: relationship

text: in

text: our

text: lives

text: than

text: the

text: one

text: between

text: parents

text: and

text: children

text: Whether

text: that

text: relationship

text: is

text: forged

text: through

text: infertility

text: medicine

text: adoption

text: or

text: the

text: old

text: fashioned

text: way

text: matters

text: not

text: at

text: all

text: What

text: counts

text: is

text: that

text: adults

text: who

text: want

text: to

text: love

text: and

text: raise

text: a

text: child

text: are

text: matched

text: with

text: a

text: child

text: who

text: needs

text: just

text: that

text: love

text: and

text: care

text: The

text: point

text: of

text: infertility

text: treatment

text: after

text: all

text: is

text: to

text: create

text: a

text: child

text: But

text: that

text: child

text: to

text: be

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: clinic

text: 's

text: patient

text: the

text: would

text: be

text: parents

text: are

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: the

text: interests

text: of

text: those

text: children

text: deserve

text: at

text: least

text: as

text: much

text: consideration

text: as

text: the

text: wishes

text: of

text: the

text: prospective

text: parents

text: The

text: vast

text: majority

text: of

text: infertility

text: patients

text: are

text: no

text: doubt

text: fierce

text: advocates

text: for

text: the

text: well

text: being

text: of

text: the

text: child

text: they

text: so

text: earnestly

text: seek

text: to

text: bring

text: into

text: their

text: lives

text: What

text: happens

text: though

text: when

text: the

text: client

text: 's

text: request

text: shows

text: little

text: consideration

text: or

text: regard

text: for

text: the

text: welfare

text: of

text: the

text: would

text: be

text: children

text: What

text: happens

text: if

text: a

text: woman

text: in

text: her

text: early

text: with

text: six

text: children

text: wants

text: eight

text: embryos

text: implanted

text: all

text: at

text: once

text: A

text: responsible

text: physician

text: could

text: turn

text: down

text: such

text: a

text: request

text: citing

text: professional

text: guidelines

text: that

text: counsel

text: implanting

text: one

text: at

text: most

text: two

text: embryos

text: in

text: women

text: younger

text: than

text: How

text: Nadya

text: Suleman

text: ended

text: up

text: with

text: eight

text: is

text: a

text: mystery

text: That

text: 's

text: what

text: Nadya

text: Suleman

text: is

text: claiming

text: Perhaps

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: physician

text: somewhere

text: willing

text: to

text: defy

text: the

text: wisdom

text: of

text: his

text: or

text: her

text: peers

text: perhaps

text: Suleman

text: used

text: fertility

text: drugs

text: rather

text: than

text: IVF

text: as

text: she

text: claimed

text: Whatever

text: the

text: case

text: this

text: guideline

text: is

text: based

text: on

text: safety

text: Carrying

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: fetuses

text: is

text: dangerous

text: to

text: the

text: pregnant

text: woman

text: and

text: to

text: the

text: health

text: and

text: survival

text: of

text: the

text: fetuses

text: in

text: her

text: womb

text: Citing

text: safety

text: is

text: a

text: prudent

text: way

text: to

text: turn

text: down

text: requests

text: an

text: infertility

text: physician

text: thinks

text: are

text: ill

text: considered

text: But

text: sometimes

text: that

text: gambit

text: is

text: n't

text: available

text: A

text: psychiatrist

text: friend

text: who

text: conducted

text: intake

text: interviews

text: for

text: a

text: well

text: respected

text: clinic

text: described

text: a

text: rough

text: looking

text: couple

text: who

text: carried

text: for

text: their

text: up

text: front

text: payment

text: thousands

text: of

text: dollars

text: in

text: cash

text: stuffed

text: in

text: a

text: bag

text: drug

text: money

text: she

text: was

text: certain

text: She

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: discourage

text: the

text: couple

text: from

text: following

text: through

text: on

text: their

text: plan

text: Here

text: 's

text: the

text: rub

text: Her

text: concern

text: was

text: the

text: ultimate

text: well

text: being

text: of

text: the

text: child

text: that

text: the

text: clinic

text: was

text: being

text: asked

text: to

text: help

text: create

text: But

text: the

text: ideology

text: of

text: American

text: infertility

text: medicine

text: allows

text: physicians

text: to

text: escape

text: from

text: making

text: any

text: judgments

text: about

text: the

text: suitability

text: of

text: prospective

text: parents

text: There

text: is

text: understandable

text: worry

text: that

text: cracking

text: the

text: door

text: to

text: considerations

text: about

text: parents

text: motives

text: and

text: capacities

text: would

text: blast

text: it

text: wide

text: open

text: for

text: nasty

text: petty

text: stereotypes

text: and

text: prejudices

text: That

text: would

text: be

text: an

text: awful

text: result

text: The

text: American

text: Society

text: for

text: Reproductive

text: Medicine

text: acknowledged

text: in

text: a

text: report

text: that

text: fertility

text: programs

text: may

text: withhold

text: services

text: when

text: they

text: can

text: provide

text: well

text: substantiated

text: judgments

text: that

text: the

text: child

text: will

text: not

text: receive

text: adequate

text: care

text: But

text: that

text: same

text: report

text: has

text: a

text: huge

text: loophole

text: Providers

text: can

text: abdicate

text: almost

text: all

text: responsibility

text: to

text: anticipate

text: the

text: welfare

text: of

text: the

text: children

text: they

text: help

text: create

text: by

text: claiming

text: an

text: obligation

text: to

text: treat

text: all

text: patients

text: who

text: would

text: benefit

text: from

text: medical

text: treatment

text: The

text: statement

text: goes

text: on

text: to

text: say

text: that

text: except

text: when

text: significant

text: harm

text: to

text: a

text: future

text: child

text: is

text: likely

text: they

text: should

text: not

text: be

text: required

text: to

text: make

text: assessments

text: of

text: a

text: patient

text: 's

text: child

text: rearing

text: abilities

text: or

text: other

text: child

text: welfare

text: issues

text: It

text: 's

text: time

text: for

text: the

text: profession

text: and

text: business

text: of

text: reproductive

text: medicine

text: to

text: accept

text: their

text: firm

text: inescapable

text: ethical

text: obligation

text: to

text: give

text: the

text: interests

text: and

text: well

text: being

text: of

text: the

text: children

text: they

text: help

text: to

text: create

text: the

text: same

text: consideration

text: they

text: give

text: to

text: the

text: desires

text: of

text: the

text: adults

text: they

text: serve

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Thomas

text: Murray

question: Where were the octuplets born?

answer: California

text: California

question: In what cases do doctors have responsibility for children's welfare?

answer: conceived through IVF procedure.

text: conceived through IVF procedure.

question: The case of the birth of what in California raises questions?

answer: octuplets

text: octuplets

question: Where were the octuplets  born?

answer: California

text: California

question: What did Thomas Murray say about the case of the birth of octuplets?

answer: How Nadya Suleman ended up with eight is a mystery.

text: How Nadya Suleman ended up with eight is a mystery.

question: Who is thomas Murray?

answer: chief executive of The Hastings Center,

text: chief executive of The Hastings Center,


text:
(CNN) -- The story of how I became a national figure in the media is widely known, but few people know what I actually did for the CIA.

I was a covert operations officer specializing in nuclear counter proliferation -- essentially, making sure the bad guys didn't get the bomb.

My job was to create and run operations that sought to peer into the procurement networks and acquisition chains of rogue nations. It was intense, tactical, creative and demanding. I believed that there was no more important work to be done.

I resigned from the CIA in 2006 because it was no longer possible to do the covert work for which I was highly trained and which I loved. This happened because in 2003, my covert identity was revealed in retaliation against my husband, Ambassador Joe Wilson, who wrote an op-ed piece in which he accused the White House of distorting the intelligence that was used to draw us into the Iraq war.

But I did not lose my belief that the danger of nuclear terrorism was the most urgent threat we face. Nor did I lose my passion for working, albeit in a new way, to address that threat. I am working on this issue now as part of the international Global Zero movement, in which political, military and faith leaders, experts and activists strive for the worldwide elimination of all nuclear weapons.

We know that terrorist groups have been trying to buy, build or steal a bomb.

In the past two decades, there have been at least 25 instances of nuclear explosive materials being lost or stolen. There is enough highly enriched uranium, or HEU, in the world today to build more than 100,000 bombs.

Terrorists looking to buy or steal HEU could look to the approximately 40 countries with nuclear weapons materials. And then there are rogue individuals out there who are running black markets selling nuclear materials and technology.

Pakistan's Dr. A. Q. Khan did it for years before my group at the CIA brought him down in December 2003 after catching him red-handed selling a full-scale nuclear bomb to Moammar Gadhafi's regime in Libya.

If terrorists manage to get their hands on enough HEU, they could smuggle it into a target city, build a bomb and explode it. A hundred pounds of highly enriched uranium could fit in a shoebox, and 100,000 shipping containers come into the United States every day.

The nuclear threat is not limited to terrorism.

There are also the dangers of proliferation and accidental or unauthorized nuclear launch. Today, nine countries have more than 23,000 nuclear weapons, and the U.S. and Russia still maintain thousands of nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert, poised for launch within a few minutes.

The only way to eliminate the danger that nuclear weapons will be used by countries in conflict, by accident or by terrorists is to lock down all nuclear materials and eliminate all nuclear weapons in all countries: global zero.

Today we have a real opportunity to set the course to global zero. U.S. President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, whose countries have 22,000 nuclear weapons or 96 percent of the world's stockpile, are signing an agreement to reduce their strategic nuclear arsenals by a third each. This is the most significant arms reduction treaty in two decades and a crucial first step.

Next week, Obama is hosting the leaders of 48 countries at a summit in Washington to address the global nuclear threat and initiate programs to secure all nuclear materials worldwide. With the U.S. and Russia leading the way, 2010 could mark the beginning of the end of nuclear weapons.

But achieving global zero will take years, a realistic plan of action and tremendous amounts of political will. In February, leaders of the Global Zero movement met in Paris, France, and outlined a step-by-step plan to eliminate all remaining nuclear weapons.

The plan, backed by hundreds of former heads-of-state, foreign ministers, national security advisers and military commanders, calls in its first phase for the U.S. and Russia to cut their arsenals to 1,000 total warheads each. All other countries with nuclear weapons would freeze their arsenals, and the international community would conduct an all-out global effort to block the further spread of nuclear weapons and to secure all nuclear materials.

Locking down nuclear bomb-making materials involves building secure facilities for storage, accounting for all stockpiles, guarding materials in transit (transportation being the most vulnerable to terrorist attack and seizure), regulating exports, interdicting smuggling operations, ending production of new bomb materials and ultimately eliminating existing stockpiles.

These steps would be followed by the first multilateral negotiations in history for reductions by all nuclear weapons countries.

I'm proud to be working with the Global Zero movement and its team of world leaders and grass-roots organizers, presidents and college kids. I want to do everything I can to raise public and political support for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

And that is why I said yes when Lawrence Bender, producer of "An Inconvenient Truth," "Good Will Hunting" and "Inglorious Basterds," asked me to be in an extraordinary and chilling documentary film, "Countdown to Zero," which premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and will be released in U.S. theaters in July.

The film will be a stunning wake-up call to citizens and our political leaders about the urgent threats posed by nuclear weapons, including proliferation, nuclear terrorism and accidental nuclear launch. It will build awareness and support for the Global Zero movement to eliminate nuclear weapons.

Based on my experience in the field, I believe that if governments don't act now to begin eliminating all remaining nuclear weapons, we will witness in our lifetime the use of the bomb by a country or terrorist group.

To get governments to act, everyone needs to get involved, to make their voices heard, to bring this issue to the top of the political agenda, to everyone's kitchen table and to the front pages of every blog and every newspaper.

There is still time to change direction and set our course to global zero, but the clock is ticking. To learn more about the issue and get involved in the growing movement, go to globalzero.org and sign the declaration.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Valerie Plame Wilson.

text: CNN

text: The

text: story

text: of

text: how

text: I

text: became

text: a

text: national

text: figure

text: in

text: the

text: media

text: is

text: widely

text: known

text: but

text: few

text: people

text: know

text: what

text: I

text: actually

text: did

text: for

text: the

text: CIA

text: I

text: was

text: a

text: covert

text: operations

text: officer

text: specializing

text: in

text: nuclear

text: counter

text: proliferation

text: essentially

text: making

text: sure

text: the

text: bad

text: guys

text: did

text: n't

text: get

text: the

text: bomb

text: My

text: job

text: was

text: to

text: create

text: and

text: run

text: operations

text: that

text: sought

text: to

text: peer

text: into

text: the

text: procurement

text: networks

text: and

text: acquisition

text: chains

text: of

text: rogue

text: nations

text: It

text: was

text: intense

text: tactical

text: creative

text: and

text: demanding

text: I

text: believed

text: that

text: there

text: was

text: no

text: more

text: important

text: work

text: to

text: be

text: done

text: I

text: resigned

text: from

text: the

text: CIA

text: in

text: because

text: it

text: was

text: no

text: longer

text: possible

text: to

text: do

text: the

text: covert

text: work

text: for

text: which

text: I

text: was

text: highly

text: trained

text: and

text: which

text: I

text: loved

text: This

text: happened

text: because

text: in

text: my

text: covert

text: identity

text: was

text: revealed

text: in

text: retaliation

text: against

text: my

text: husband

text: Ambassador

text: Joe

text: Wilson

text: who

text: wrote

text: an

text: op

text: ed

text: piece

text: in

text: which

text: he

text: accused

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: of

text: distorting

text: the

text: intelligence

text: that

text: was

text: used

text: to

text: draw

text: us

text: into

text: the

text: Iraq

text: war

text: But

text: I

text: did

text: not

text: lose

text: my

text: belief

text: that

text: the

text: danger

text: of

text: nuclear

text: terrorism

text: was

text: the

text: most

text: urgent

text: threat

text: we

text: face

text: Nor

text: did

text: I

text: lose

text: my

text: passion

text: for

text: working

text: albeit

text: in

text: a

text: new

text: way

text: to

text: address

text: that

text: threat

text: I

text: am

text: working

text: on

text: this

text: issue

text: now

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: international

text: Global

text: Zero

text: movement

text: in

text: which

text: political

text: military

text: and

text: faith

text: leaders

text: experts

text: and

text: activists

text: strive

text: for

text: the

text: worldwide

text: elimination

text: of

text: all

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: We

text: know

text: that

text: terrorist

text: groups

text: have

text: been

text: trying

text: to

text: buy

text: build

text: or

text: steal

text: a

text: bomb

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: two

text: decades

text: there

text: have

text: been

text: at

text: least

text: instances

text: of

text: nuclear

text: explosive

text: materials

text: being

text: lost

text: or

text: stolen

text: There

text: is

text: enough

text: highly

text: enriched

text: uranium

text: or

text: HEU

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: today

text: to

text: build

text: more

text: than

text: bombs

text: Terrorists

text: looking

text: to

text: buy

text: or

text: steal

text: HEU

text: could

text: look

text: to

text: the

text: approximately

text: countries

text: with

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: materials

text: And

text: then

text: there

text: are

text: rogue

text: individuals

text: out

text: there

text: who

text: are

text: running

text: black

text: markets

text: selling

text: nuclear

text: materials

text: and

text: technology

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: Dr.

text: A.

text: Q.

text: Khan

text: did

text: it

text: for

text: years

text: before

text: my

text: group

text: at

text: the

text: CIA

text: brought

text: him

text: down

text: in

text: December

text: after

text: catching

text: him

text: red

text: handed

text: selling

text: a

text: full

text: scale

text: nuclear

text: bomb

text: to

text: Moammar

text: Gadhafi

text: 's

text: regime

text: in

text: Libya

text: If

text: terrorists

text: manage

text: to

text: get

text: their

text: hands

text: on

text: enough

text: HEU

text: they

text: could

text: smuggle

text: it

text: into

text: a

text: target

text: city

text: build

text: a

text: bomb

text: and

text: explode

text: it

text: A

text: hundred

text: pounds

text: of

text: highly

text: enriched

text: uranium

text: could

text: fit

text: in

text: a

text: shoebox

text: and

text: shipping

text: containers

text: come

text: into

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: every

text: day

text: The

text: nuclear

text: threat

text: is

text: not

text: limited

text: to

text: terrorism

text: There

text: are

text: also

text: the

text: dangers

text: of

text: proliferation

text: and

text: accidental

text: or

text: unauthorized

text: nuclear

text: launch

text: Today

text: nine

text: countries

text: have

text: more

text: than

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: and

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Russia

text: still

text: maintain

text: thousands

text: of

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: on

text: hair

text: trigger

text: alert

text: poised

text: for

text: launch

text: within

text: a

text: few

text: minutes

text: The

text: only

text: way

text: to

text: eliminate

text: the

text: danger

text: that

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: will

text: be

text: used

text: by

text: countries

text: in

text: conflict

text: by

text: accident

text: or

text: by

text: terrorists

text: is

text: to

text: lock

text: down

text: all

text: nuclear

text: materials

text: and

text: eliminate

text: all

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: in

text: all

text: countries

text: global

text: zero

text: Today

text: we

text: have

text: a

text: real

text: opportunity

text: to

text: set

text: the

text: course

text: to

text: global

text: zero

text: U.S.

text: President

text: Obama

text: and

text: Russian

text: President

text: Dmitry

text: Medvedev

text: whose

text: countries

text: have

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: or

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: stockpile

text: are

text: signing

text: an

text: agreement

text: to

text: reduce

text: their

text: strategic

text: nuclear

text: arsenals

text: by

text: a

text: third

text: each

text: This

text: is

text: the

text: most

text: significant

text: arms

text: reduction

text: treaty

text: in

text: two

text: decades

text: and

text: a

text: crucial

text: first

text: step

text: Next

text: week

text: Obama

text: is

text: hosting

text: the

text: leaders

text: of

text: countries

text: at

text: a

text: summit

text: in

text: Washington

text: to

text: address

text: the

text: global

text: nuclear

text: threat

text: and

text: initiate

text: programs

text: to

text: secure

text: all

text: nuclear

text: materials

text: worldwide

text: With

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Russia

text: leading

text: the

text: way

text: could

text: mark

text: the

text: beginning

text: of

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: But

text: achieving

text: global

text: zero

text: will

text: take

text: years

text: a

text: realistic

text: plan

text: of

text: action

text: and

text: tremendous

text: amounts

text: of

text: political

text: will

text: In

text: February

text: leaders

text: of

text: the

text: Global

text: Zero

text: movement

text: met

text: in

text: Paris

text: France

text: and

text: outlined

text: a

text: step

text: by

text: step

text: plan

text: to

text: eliminate

text: all

text: remaining

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: The

text: plan

text: backed

text: by

text: hundreds

text: of

text: former

text: heads

text: of

text: state

text: foreign

text: ministers

text: national

text: security

text: advisers

text: and

text: military

text: commanders

text: calls

text: in

text: its

text: first

text: phase

text: for

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: Russia

text: to

text: cut

text: their

text: arsenals

text: to

text: total

text: warheads

text: each

text: All

text: other

text: countries

text: with

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: would

text: freeze

text: their

text: arsenals

text: and

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: would

text: conduct

text: an

text: all

text: out

text: global

text: effort

text: to

text: block

text: the

text: further

text: spread

text: of

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: and

text: to

text: secure

text: all

text: nuclear

text: materials

text: Locking

text: down

text: nuclear

text: bomb

text: making

text: materials

text: involves

text: building

text: secure

text: facilities

text: for

text: storage

text: accounting

text: for

text: all

text: stockpiles

text: guarding

text: materials

text: in

text: transit

text: transportation

text: being

text: the

text: most

text: vulnerable

text: to

text: terrorist

text: attack

text: and

text: seizure

text: regulating

text: exports

text: interdicting

text: smuggling

text: operations

text: ending

text: production

text: of

text: new

text: bomb

text: materials

text: and

text: ultimately

text: eliminating

text: existing

text: stockpiles

text: These

text: steps

text: would

text: be

text: followed

text: by

text: the

text: first

text: multilateral

text: negotiations

text: in

text: history

text: for

text: reductions

text: by

text: all

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: countries

text: I

text: 'm

text: proud

text: to

text: be

text: working

text: with

text: the

text: Global

text: Zero

text: movement

text: and

text: its

text: team

text: of

text: world

text: leaders

text: and

text: grass

text: roots

text: organizers

text: presidents

text: and

text: college

text: kids

text: I

text: want

text: to

text: do

text: everything

text: I

text: can

text: to

text: raise

text: public

text: and

text: political

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: elimination

text: of

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: And

text: that

text: is

text: why

text: I

text: said

text: yes

text: when

text: Lawrence

text: Bender

text: producer

text: of

text: An

text: Inconvenient

text: Truth

text: Good

text: Will

text: Hunting

text: and

text: Inglorious

text: Basterds

text: asked

text: me

text: to

text: be

text: in

text: an

text: extraordinary

text: and

text: chilling

text: documentary

text: film

text: Countdown

text: to

text: Zero

text: which

text: premiered

text: in

text: January

text: at

text: the

text: Sundance

text: Film

text: Festival

text: to

text: critical

text: acclaim

text: and

text: will

text: be

text: released

text: in

text: U.S.

text: theaters

text: in

text: July

text: The

text: film

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: stunning

text: wake

text: up

text: call

text: to

text: citizens

text: and

text: our

text: political

text: leaders

text: about

text: the

text: urgent

text: threats

text: posed

text: by

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: including

text: proliferation

text: nuclear

text: terrorism

text: and

text: accidental

text: nuclear

text: launch

text: It

text: will

text: build

text: awareness

text: and

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: Global

text: Zero

text: movement

text: to

text: eliminate

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: Based

text: on

text: my

text: experience

text: in

text: the

text: field

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: if

text: governments

text: do

text: n't

text: act

text: now

text: to

text: begin

text: eliminating

text: all

text: remaining

text: nuclear

text: weapons

text: we

text: will

text: witness

text: in

text: our

text: lifetime

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: the

text: bomb

text: by

text: a

text: country

text: or

text: terrorist

text: group

text: To

text: get

text: governments

text: to

text: act

text: everyone

text: needs

text: to

text: get

text: involved

text: to

text: make

text: their

text: voices

text: heard

text: to

text: bring

text: this

text: issue

text: to

text: the

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: political

text: agenda

text: to

text: everyone

text: 's

text: kitchen

text: table

text: and

text: to

text: the

text: front

text: pages

text: of

text: every

text: blog

text: and

text: every

text: newspaper

text: There

text: is

text: still

text: time

text: to

text: change

text: direction

text: and

text: set

text: our

text: course

text: to

text: global

text: zero

text: but

text: the

text: clock

text: is

text: ticking

text: To

text: learn

text: more

text: about

text: the

text: issue

text: and

text: get

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: growing

text: movement

text: go

text: to

text: globalzero.org

text: and

text: sign

text: the

text: declaration

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Valerie

text: Plame

text: Wilson

question: Who is Valerie Plame Wilson?

answer: covert operations officer specializing in nuclear counter proliferation

text: covert operations officer specializing in nuclear counter proliferation

question: What does Valerie Plame Wilson think is the #1 threat right now?

answer: danger of nuclear terrorism

text: danger of nuclear terrorism

question: What do nations need to do?

answer: to get involved,

text: to get involved,

question: What is Wilson saying?

answer: Based on my experience in the field, I believe that if governments don't act now to begin eliminating all remaining nuclear weapons, we will witness in our lifetime the use of the bomb by a country or terrorist group.

text: Based on my experience in the field, I believe that if governments don't act now to begin eliminating all remaining nuclear weapons, we will witness in our lifetime the use of the bomb by a country or terrorist group.

question: What is the No.1 Threat faced right now?

answer: nuclear terrorism

text: nuclear terrorism


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- He would surely make history. But would Sen. Barack Obama's election as America's first black president transform the nation? Obama says yes.

"The day I'm inaugurated, the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation," Obama told the crowd Friday at the National Urban League convention in St. Louis, Missouri.

The Democrat from Illinois was answering a question about the racial polarization in America. Obama said "race is still an enormous factor in our society. But economics can overcome a lot of racial division."

The Democratic presidential hopeful also said that action, rather than high-minded discussions, is the way to end racial inequality.

Obama said "if we're doing the right thing and making sure that our young people are going to school, that they're getting good jobs, that they're starting businesses, that they're living in thriving neighborhoods and communities, that will do more to lessen racial tension, division and conflict than any set of roundtables and blue ribbon commissions are going to do."

Two of Obama's main Democratic rivals, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, and former Sen. John Edwards, D-North Carolina, also spoke about racial inequality during the Urban League convention.

Clinton told the crowd that she rejects "a conversation about 1.4 million young men as a threat, as a headache, or as a lost cause.  I reject the conversation about 1.4 million disappointments, failures, and casualties of a broken system. That is not who these young men are. I believe it is long past time for a new and different conversation. It is time for America to begin a conversation about 1.4 million future workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers, community leaders, business executives."

Edwards addressed affirmative action, saying "I would ensure that my administration was a representation of what affirmative action can be. I would make sure that my administration looks like America, and I mean, from the top to the bottom, all the way through the administration."

Edwards continued, saying "I would ensure that judges that I appointed to the federal bench and justices nominated to the United States Supreme Court believed in real equality and believed in the concept of affirmative action."

Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, also spoke at the National Urban League convention, but no Republican candidates came to the presidential forum. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee met with members of the league at a gathering Thursday night.

This is the second forum with a large African-American crowd that the Democratic candidates attended this month. All of the Democrats showed up in Detroit on July 12  for the presidential forum at the NAACP convention.

Black voters are crucial to the Democratic Party. "Nearly nine in 10 blacks vote Democratic, making them the most reliable Democratic voting block in the country" said CNN Pollster Keating Holland.

And they'll play an important role in picking the next Democratic presidential nominee, especially in South Carolina and Florida, two early primary states.

In CNN's most recent polls, Clinton and Obama are running neck and neck among black voters nationally, though Clinton was well ahead in South Carolina.

But it's still early and many voters haven't made up their minds.

"I'm not feeling that at this point either candidate would be that much of a difference" says Amy Johnson, an undecided black voter in New Orleans, Louisiana. E-mail to a friend

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: He

text: would

text: surely

text: make

text: history

text: But

text: would

text: Sen.

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: 's

text: election

text: as

text: America

text: 's

text: first

text: black

text: president

text: transform

text: the

text: nation

text: Obama

text: says

text: yes

text: The

text: day

text: I

text: 'm

text: inaugurated

text: the

text: country

text: looks

text: at

text: itself

text: differently

text: And

text: do

text: n't

text: underestimate

text: that

text: power

text: Do

text: n't

text: underestimate

text: that

text: transformation

text: Obama

text: told

text: the

text: crowd

text: Friday

text: at

text: the

text: National

text: Urban

text: League

text: convention

text: in

text: St.

text: Louis

text: Missouri

text: The

text: Democrat

text: from

text: Illinois

text: was

text: answering

text: a

text: question

text: about

text: the

text: racial

text: polarization

text: in

text: America

text: Obama

text: said

text: race

text: is

text: still

text: an

text: enormous

text: factor

text: in

text: our

text: society

text: But

text: economics

text: can

text: overcome

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: racial

text: division

text: The

text: Democratic

text: presidential

text: hopeful

text: also

text: said

text: that

text: action

text: rather

text: than

text: high

text: minded

text: discussions

text: is

text: the

text: way

text: to

text: end

text: racial

text: inequality

text: Obama

text: said

text: if

text: we

text: 're

text: doing

text: the

text: right

text: thing

text: and

text: making

text: sure

text: that

text: our

text: young

text: people

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: school

text: that

text: they

text: 're

text: getting

text: good

text: jobs

text: that

text: they

text: 're

text: starting

text: businesses

text: that

text: they

text: 're

text: living

text: in

text: thriving

text: neighborhoods

text: and

text: communities

text: that

text: will

text: do

text: more

text: to

text: lessen

text: racial

text: tension

text: division

text: and

text: conflict

text: than

text: any

text: set

text: of

text: roundtables

text: and

text: blue

text: ribbon

text: commissions

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: do

text: Two

text: of

text: Obama

text: 's

text: main

text: Democratic

text: rivals

text: Sen.

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: D

text: New

text: York

text: and

text: former

text: Sen.

text: John

text: Edwards

text: D

text: North

text: Carolina

text: also

text: spoke

text: about

text: racial

text: inequality

text: during

text: the

text: Urban

text: League

text: convention

text: Clinton

text: told

text: the

text: crowd

text: that

text: she

text: rejects

text: a

text: conversation

text: about

text: million

text: young

text: men

text: as

text: a

text: threat

text: as

text: a

text: headache

text: or

text: as

text: a

text: lost

text: cause

text: I

text: reject

text: the

text: conversation

text: about

text: million

text: disappointments

text: failures

text: and

text: casualties

text: of

text: a

text: broken

text: system

text: That

text: is

text: not

text: who

text: these

text: young

text: men

text: are

text: I

text: believe

text: it

text: is

text: long

text: past

text: time

text: for

text: a

text: new

text: and

text: different

text: conversation

text: It

text: is

text: time

text: for

text: America

text: to

text: begin

text: a

text: conversation

text: about

text: million

text: future

text: workers

text: entrepreneurs

text: taxpayers

text: community

text: leaders

text: business

text: executives

text: Edwards

text: addressed

text: affirmative

text: action

text: saying

text: I

text: would

text: ensure

text: that

text: my

text: administration

text: was

text: a

text: representation

text: of

text: what

text: affirmative

text: action

text: can

text: be

text: I

text: would

text: make

text: sure

text: that

text: my

text: administration

text: looks

text: like

text: America

text: and

text: I

text: mean

text: from

text: the

text: top

text: to

text: the

text: bottom

text: all

text: the

text: way

text: through

text: the

text: administration

text: Edwards

text: continued

text: saying

text: I

text: would

text: ensure

text: that

text: judges

text: that

text: I

text: appointed

text: to

text: the

text: federal

text: bench

text: and

text: justices

text: nominated

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: believed

text: in

text: real

text: equality

text: and

text: believed

text: in

text: the

text: concept

text: of

text: affirmative

text: action

text: Rep.

text: Dennis

text: Kucinich

text: D

text: Ohio

text: also

text: spoke

text: at

text: the

text: National

text: Urban

text: League

text: convention

text: but

text: no

text: Republican

text: candidates

text: came

text: to

text: the

text: presidential

text: forum

text: Former

text: Arkansas

text: Gov.

text: Mike

text: Huckabee

text: met

text: with

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: league

text: at

text: a

text: gathering

text: Thursday

text: night

text: This

text: is

text: the

text: second

text: forum

text: with

text: a

text: large

text: African

text: American

text: crowd

text: that

text: the

text: Democratic

text: candidates

text: attended

text: this

text: month

text: All

text: of

text: the

text: Democrats

text: showed

text: up

text: in

text: Detroit

text: on

text: July

text: for

text: the

text: presidential

text: forum

text: at

text: the

text: NAACP

text: convention

text: Black

text: voters

text: are

text: crucial

text: to

text: the

text: Democratic

text: Party

text: Nearly

text: nine

text: in

text: blacks

text: vote

text: Democratic

text: making

text: them

text: the

text: most

text: reliable

text: Democratic

text: voting

text: block

text: in

text: the

text: country

text: said

text: CNN

text: Pollster

text: Keating

text: Holland

text: And

text: they

text: 'll

text: play

text: an

text: important

text: role

text: in

text: picking

text: the

text: next

text: Democratic

text: presidential

text: nominee

text: especially

text: in

text: South

text: Carolina

text: and

text: Florida

text: two

text: early

text: primary

text: states

text: In

text: CNN

text: 's

text: most

text: recent

text: polls

text: Clinton

text: and

text: Obama

text: are

text: running

text: neck

text: and

text: neck

text: among

text: black

text: voters

text: nationally

text: though

text: Clinton

text: was

text: well

text: ahead

text: in

text: South

text: Carolina

text: But

text: it

text: 's

text: still

text: early

text: and

text: many

text: voters

text: have

text: n't

text: made

text: up

text: their

text: minds

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: feeling

text: that

text: at

text: this

text: point

text: either

text: candidate

text: would

text: be

text: that

text: much

text: of

text: a

text: difference

text: says

text: Amy

text: Johnson

text: an

text: undecided

text: black

text: voter

text: in

text: New

text: Orleans

text: Louisiana

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: Where is Barack Obama from?

answer: Illinois

text: Illinois

question: What looks at itself differently?

answer: the country

text: the country

question: Who would be the first black president?

answer: Barack Obama's

text: Barack Obama's

question: Who are neck and neck in polls of black voters?

answer: Obama

text: Obama

question: Who would be first black president if elected?

answer: Barack Obama's

text: Barack Obama's

question: Who is ahead in the polls for black voters?

answer: Clinton and Obama are running neck and neck among

text: Clinton and Obama are running neck and neck among

question: What did Barack Obama say?

answer: "The day I'm inaugurated, the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation,"

text: "The day I'm inaugurated, the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation,"

question: What did Barack Obama say about the day he is inaugurated?

answer: the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation,"

text: the country looks at itself differently. And don't underestimate that power. Don't underestimate that transformation,"