text:
(CNN) -- Historical tensions and overreaction on the part of both Russia and Georgia contributed to a five-day conflict between the two in 2008, a European Union fact-finding mission concluded in a report released Wednesday.

South Ossetian mourners at the grave of a relative killed in the conflict on the first anniversary in August 2009.

"The conflict is rooted in a profusion of causes comprising different layers in time and actions combined," said the report from the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Conflict in Georgia.

"While it is possible to identify the authorship of some important events and decisions marking its course, there is no way to assign overall responsibility for the conflict to one side alone. They have all failed, and it should be their responsibility to make good for it."

Georgia launched a campaign against South Ossetia, a Russian-backed separatist Georgian territory, on August 7, 2008. The following day, Russian tanks, troops and armored vehicles poured into South Ossetia and another Russian-backed breakaway Georgian territory, Abkhazia, advancing into Georgian cities outside the rebel regions.

A total of about 850 people were killed on all sides, the report said, and untold numbers of others were wounded or went missing. About 100,000 civilians fled their homes, and about 35,000 have been unable to return.

"The fighting did not end the political conflict, nor were any of the issues that lay beneath it resolved," the report said. "Tensions still continue. The political situation after the end of fighting turned out to be no easier and in some respects even more difficult than before."

Russia and Georgia each blamed the other for starting the conflict, and accused each other of a variety of offenses leading up to and during the fighting, including ethnic cleansing. Moscow has since recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent regions. But relations between Georgia and Russia are at an "all-time low," the report notes.

After five days of fighting, a peace deal was brokered by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, acting on behalf of the EU. An implementation effort followed on September 8. The report noted that the actions "stood in contrast to the failure of the international community, including the U.N. Security Council, to act swiftly and resolutely enough in order to control the ever-mounting tensions prior (to) the outbreak of armed conflict."

Georgian armed forces shelled the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali the night of August 7. While that action was seen as the start of the armed conflict, "it was only the culminating point of a long period of increasing tensions, provocations and incidents," the fact-finding report said. "Indeed, the conflict has deep roots in the history of the region, in peoples' national traditions and aspirations as well as in age-old perceptions or rather misperceptions of each other, which were never mended and sometimes exploited."

Any evaluation of the conflict should take that into account, along with mounting tensions in the months and weeks leading up to it, the report said, as well as "years of provocations, mutual accusations, military and political threats and acts of violence both inside and outside the conflict zone.

"It has to consider, too, the impact of a great power's coercive politics and diplomacy against a small and insubordinate neighbor, together with the small neighbour's penchant for overplaying its hand and acting in the heat of the moment without careful consideration of the final outcome, not to mention its fear that it might permanently lose important parts of its territory through creeping annexation," the report said.

The fact-finding mission was established in December by the EU to investigate the conflict. It was headed by Heidi Tagliavini, a former United Nations special representative for Georgia.

The EU said in a statement it welcomed the report and hopes its findings can contribute to future international efforts at "preventive diplomacy."

text: CNN

text: Historical

text: tensions

text: and

text: overreaction

text: on

text: the

text: part

text: of

text: both

text: Russia

text: and

text: Georgia

text: contributed

text: to

text: a

text: five

text: day

text: conflict

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: in

text: a

text: European

text: Union

text: fact

text: finding

text: mission

text: concluded

text: in

text: a

text: report

text: released

text: Wednesday

text: South

text: Ossetian

text: mourners

text: at

text: the

text: grave

text: of

text: a

text: relative

text: killed

text: in

text: the

text: conflict

text: on

text: the

text: first

text: anniversary

text: in

text: August

text: The

text: conflict

text: is

text: rooted

text: in

text: a

text: profusion

text: of

text: causes

text: comprising

text: different

text: layers

text: in

text: time

text: and

text: actions

text: combined

text: said

text: the

text: report

text: from

text: the

text: Independent

text: International

text: Fact

text: Finding

text: Mission

text: on

text: the

text: Conflict

text: in

text: Georgia

text: While

text: it

text: is

text: possible

text: to

text: identify

text: the

text: authorship

text: of

text: some

text: important

text: events

text: and

text: decisions

text: marking

text: its

text: course

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: way

text: to

text: assign

text: overall

text: responsibility

text: for

text: the

text: conflict

text: to

text: one

text: side

text: alone

text: They

text: have

text: all

text: failed

text: and

text: it

text: should

text: be

text: their

text: responsibility

text: to

text: make

text: good

text: for

text: it

text: Georgia

text: launched

text: a

text: campaign

text: against

text: South

text: Ossetia

text: a

text: Russian

text: backed

text: separatist

text: Georgian

text: territory

text: on

text: August

text: The

text: following

text: day

text: Russian

text: tanks

text: troops

text: and

text: armored

text: vehicles

text: poured

text: into

text: South

text: Ossetia

text: and

text: another

text: Russian

text: backed

text: breakaway

text: Georgian

text: territory

text: Abkhazia

text: advancing

text: into

text: Georgian

text: cities

text: outside

text: the

text: rebel

text: regions

text: A

text: total

text: of

text: about

text: people

text: were

text: killed

text: on

text: all

text: sides

text: the

text: report

text: said

text: and

text: untold

text: numbers

text: of

text: others

text: were

text: wounded

text: or

text: went

text: missing

text: About

text: civilians

text: fled

text: their

text: homes

text: and

text: about

text: have

text: been

text: unable

text: to

text: return

text: The

text: fighting

text: did

text: not

text: end

text: the

text: political

text: conflict

text: nor

text: were

text: any

text: of

text: the

text: issues

text: that

text: lay

text: beneath

text: it

text: resolved

text: the

text: report

text: said

text: Tensions

text: still

text: continue

text: The

text: political

text: situation

text: after

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: fighting

text: turned

text: out

text: to

text: be

text: no

text: easier

text: and

text: in

text: some

text: respects

text: even

text: more

text: difficult

text: than

text: before

text: Russia

text: and

text: Georgia

text: each

text: blamed

text: the

text: other

text: for

text: starting

text: the

text: conflict

text: and

text: accused

text: each

text: other

text: of

text: a

text: variety

text: of

text: offenses

text: leading

text: up

text: to

text: and

text: during

text: the

text: fighting

text: including

text: ethnic

text: cleansing

text: Moscow

text: has

text: since

text: recognized

text: South

text: Ossetia

text: and

text: Abkhazia

text: as

text: independent

text: regions

text: But

text: relations

text: between

text: Georgia

text: and

text: Russia

text: are

text: at

text: an

text: all

text: time

text: low

text: the

text: report

text: notes

text: After

text: five

text: days

text: of

text: fighting

text: a

text: peace

text: deal

text: was

text: brokered

text: by

text: French

text: President

text: Nicolas

text: Sarkozy

text: acting

text: on

text: behalf

text: of

text: the

text: EU

text: An

text: implementation

text: effort

text: followed

text: on

text: September

text: The

text: report

text: noted

text: that

text: the

text: actions

text: stood

text: in

text: contrast

text: to

text: the

text: failure

text: of

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: including

text: the

text: U.N.

text: Security

text: Council

text: to

text: act

text: swiftly

text: and

text: resolutely

text: enough

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: control

text: the

text: ever

text: mounting

text: tensions

text: prior

text: to

text: the

text: outbreak

text: of

text: armed

text: conflict

text: Georgian

text: armed

text: forces

text: shelled

text: the

text: South

text: Ossetian

text: capital

text: of

text: Tskhinvali

text: the

text: night

text: of

text: August

text: While

text: that

text: action

text: was

text: seen

text: as

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: the

text: armed

text: conflict

text: it

text: was

text: only

text: the

text: culminating

text: point

text: of

text: a

text: long

text: period

text: of

text: increasing

text: tensions

text: provocations

text: and

text: incidents

text: the

text: fact

text: finding

text: report

text: said

text: Indeed

text: the

text: conflict

text: has

text: deep

text: roots

text: in

text: the

text: history

text: of

text: the

text: region

text: in

text: peoples

text: national

text: traditions

text: and

text: aspirations

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: in

text: age

text: old

text: perceptions

text: or

text: rather

text: misperceptions

text: of

text: each

text: other

text: which

text: were

text: never

text: mended

text: and

text: sometimes

text: exploited

text: Any

text: evaluation

text: of

text: the

text: conflict

text: should

text: take

text: that

text: into

text: account

text: along

text: with

text: mounting

text: tensions

text: in

text: the

text: months

text: and

text: weeks

text: leading

text: up

text: to

text: it

text: the

text: report

text: said

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: years

text: of

text: provocations

text: mutual

text: accusations

text: military

text: and

text: political

text: threats

text: and

text: acts

text: of

text: violence

text: both

text: inside

text: and

text: outside

text: the

text: conflict

text: zone

text: It

text: has

text: to

text: consider

text: too

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: a

text: great

text: power

text: 's

text: coercive

text: politics

text: and

text: diplomacy

text: against

text: a

text: small

text: and

text: insubordinate

text: neighbor

text: together

text: with

text: the

text: small

text: neighbour

text: 's

text: penchant

text: for

text: overplaying

text: its

text: hand

text: and

text: acting

text: in

text: the

text: heat

text: of

text: the

text: moment

text: without

text: careful

text: consideration

text: of

text: the

text: final

text: outcome

text: not

text: to

text: mention

text: its

text: fear

text: that

text: it

text: might

text: permanently

text: lose

text: important

text: parts

text: of

text: its

text: territory

text: through

text: creeping

text: annexation

text: the

text: report

text: said

text: The

text: fact

text: finding

text: mission

text: was

text: established

text: in

text: December

text: by

text: the

text: EU

text: to

text: investigate

text: the

text: conflict

text: It

text: was

text: headed

text: by

text: Heidi

text: Tagliavini

text: a

text: former

text: United

text: Nations

text: special

text: representative

text: for

text: Georgia

text: The

text: EU

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: it

text: welcomed

text: the

text: report

text: and

text: hopes

text: its

text: findings

text: can

text: contribute

text: to

text: future

text: international

text: efforts

text: at

text: preventive

text: diplomacy

question: Who is responsible for the conflict?

answer: Russia

text: Russia

question: How many fled?

answer: 100,000

question: Who did Russia blame?

answer: Georgia

text: Georgia

question: how many days for conflict

answer: five

text: five

question: How many were killed?

answer: about 850 people

text: about 850 people

question: How many were kiled in the five-day conflict?

answer: 850 people

text: 850 people

question: How many civilians fled their homes?

answer: 100,000

question: how many civilians

answer: 100,000


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Thousands of Americans learn a painful lesson in banking every day: Waiting for a check to clear and then getting access to the money from a bank doesn't mean the check has really cleared.

When Harry Smith, of New York, responded to an ad on Craigslist for an office assistant, a woman e-mailed him and said her British company was starting to sell its product in the United States, but was having trouble with dealing with checks from customers.

Smith said the woman needed someone to collect the checks and then send the money to her company. It was a commission job -- deposit the checks, wait for the funds to become available at his bank, then send cash to her, minus 10 percent for Smith.

After Smith checked out what seemed like a legitimate company on the Internet, he started receiving checks totaling several thousand dollars and deposited them in his account. When his bank released the funds, he sent cash to an address outside the country.

But after a few weeks, Smith's bank notified him the checks he had deposited had actually been returned, and that he owed the bank all the money he had withdrawn.

Smith has not heard from his business partner since and doesn't even know who she really is. He still owes his bank money, is unemployed and doesn't know what action the bank might take against him.

What happened to Smith is one example of a wide range of fake check scams carried out in the United States every year. A Consumer Federation of America survey estimates that 1.3 million Americans have been the victim of a fake check scam, with an average loss of $3,000 to $4,000 per consumer.

The most common scams are fake sweepstakes or lotteries, phony government sponsored grants and fraudulent work-at-home opportunities, the survey says. The scams follow the pattern of the so-called Nigerian Internet scams, which often involve accepting transfers of money that become obviously phony when it's too late.

On Wednesday, the Consumer Federation launched a campaign to combat check scams. Many consumers don't know they are responsible if they deposit a bad check, said Susan Grant, the federation's director of consumer protection.

Grant said its survey shows an alarming level of misinformation among consumers, and the problem includes money orders and cashier's checks.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents in the survey incorrectly thought that, when you deposit a check or money order, your bank confirms it is good before allowing you to withdraw the money. That number goes up to 70 percent among adults age 18 to 24. More than 40 percent of those surveyed also incorrectly think that the person who gave you the bad check must pay back the bank.

American consumers are mostly unfamiliar with the time needed to process checks and money orders, say consumer watchdogs. Government banking rules mandate that money from deposits become available within one to five days.

However, it can take weeks, especially with foreign checks or money orders, for the originating institutions to get the checks or money orders back and determine that they are counterfeit. When that happens, scam victims are in for a rude surprise.

Publishers Clearing House, which runs legitimate sweepstakes, warns consumers that scammers might claim that you are being given an advance on a prize, but that some fee, tax or other payment needs to be sent before you get the jackpot. That's the heart of the scam, and it's something that a real sweepstakes will never ask for, say legitimate companies.

Consumer protection groups, state attorney generals, the Federal Trade Commission and government bank regulators warn consumers that the number of fake checks, money orders and even cashier's checks being used to scam victims is increasing.

The bottom line: "There's no legitimate reason why anyone who wants to give you a check or money order for something would ever ask you to send money anywhere in return. It's as simple as that," said Grant of the Consumer Federation of America.

Smith said he suspected that his part-time job was not on the up-and-up, but didn't know about fake check scams. He's not sure how he will pay back his bank, but hopes his story will help keep other people from becoming victims.

The Consumer Federation of America's tips against fake check scams:

-- Never agree to pay to claim a prize.

-- Never agree to pay for grants from the government or foundations.

-- Never agree to cash checks and send the money somewhere as part of a job working from home.

-- Never agree to wire money to anyone you have not met in person and known for a long time.

-- If it seems suspicious, consult your state or local consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service or another trusted source.

-- Remember that there is no legitimate reason why anyone who wants to give you a check or money order would ask you to send money anywhere in return.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: Thousands

text: of

text: Americans

text: learn

text: a

text: painful

text: lesson

text: in

text: banking

text: every

text: day

text: Waiting

text: for

text: a

text: check

text: to

text: clear

text: and

text: then

text: getting

text: access

text: to

text: the

text: money

text: from

text: a

text: bank

text: does

text: n't

text: mean

text: the

text: check

text: has

text: really

text: cleared

text: When

text: Harry

text: Smith

text: of

text: New

text: York

text: responded

text: to

text: an

text: ad

text: on

text: Craigslist

text: for

text: an

text: office

text: assistant

text: a

text: woman

text: e

text: mailed

text: him

text: and

text: said

text: her

text: British

text: company

text: was

text: starting

text: to

text: sell

text: its

text: product

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: but

text: was

text: having

text: trouble

text: with

text: dealing

text: with

text: checks

text: from

text: customers

text: Smith

text: said

text: the

text: woman

text: needed

text: someone

text: to

text: collect

text: the

text: checks

text: and

text: then

text: send

text: the

text: money

text: to

text: her

text: company

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: commission

text: job

text: deposit

text: the

text: checks

text: wait

text: for

text: the

text: funds

text: to

text: become

text: available

text: at

text: his

text: bank

text: then

text: send

text: cash

text: to

text: her

text: minus

text: percent

text: for

text: Smith

text: After

text: Smith

text: checked

text: out

text: what

text: seemed

text: like

text: a

text: legitimate

text: company

text: on

text: the

text: Internet

text: he

text: started

text: receiving

text: checks

text: totaling

text: several

text: thousand

text: dollars

text: and

text: deposited

text: them

text: in

text: his

text: account

text: When

text: his

text: bank

text: released

text: the

text: funds

text: he

text: sent

text: cash

text: to

text: an

text: address

text: outside

text: the

text: country

text: But

text: after

text: a

text: few

text: weeks

text: Smith

text: 's

text: bank

text: notified

text: him

text: the

text: checks

text: he

text: had

text: deposited

text: had

text: actually

text: been

text: returned

text: and

text: that

text: he

text: owed

text: the

text: bank

text: all

text: the

text: money

text: he

text: had

text: withdrawn

text: Smith

text: has

text: not

text: heard

text: from

text: his

text: business

text: partner

text: since

text: and

text: does

text: n't

text: even

text: know

text: who

text: she

text: really

text: is

text: He

text: still

text: owes

text: his

text: bank

text: money

text: is

text: unemployed

text: and

text: does

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: action

text: the

text: bank

text: might

text: take

text: against

text: him

text: What

text: happened

text: to

text: Smith

text: is

text: one

text: example

text: of

text: a

text: wide

text: range

text: of

text: fake

text: check

text: scams

text: carried

text: out

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: every

text: year

text: A

text: Consumer

text: Federation

text: of

text: America

text: survey

text: estimates

text: that

text: million

text: Americans

text: have

text: been

text: the

text: victim

text: of

text: a

text: fake

text: check

text: scam

text: with

text: an

text: average

text: loss

text: of

text: to

text: per

text: consumer

text: The

text: most

text: common

text: scams

text: are

text: fake

text: sweepstakes

text: or

text: lotteries

text: phony

text: government

text: sponsored

text: grants

text: and

text: fraudulent

text: work

text: at

text: home

text: opportunities

text: the

text: survey

text: says

text: The

text: scams

text: follow

text: the

text: pattern

text: of

text: the

text: so

text: called

text: Nigerian

text: Internet

text: scams

text: which

text: often

text: involve

text: accepting

text: transfers

text: of

text: money

text: that

text: become

text: obviously

text: phony

text: when

text: it

text: 's

text: too

text: late

text: On

text: Wednesday

text: the

text: Consumer

text: Federation

text: launched

text: a

text: campaign

text: to

text: combat

text: check

text: scams

text: Many

text: consumers

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: they

text: are

text: responsible

text: if

text: they

text: deposit

text: a

text: bad

text: check

text: said

text: Susan

text: Grant

text: the

text: federation

text: 's

text: director

text: of

text: consumer

text: protection

text: Grant

text: said

text: its

text: survey

text: shows

text: an

text: alarming

text: level

text: of

text: misinformation

text: among

text: consumers

text: and

text: the

text: problem

text: includes

text: money

text: orders

text: and

text: cashier

text: 's

text: checks

text: Fifty

text: nine

text: percent

text: of

text: respondents

text: in

text: the

text: survey

text: incorrectly

text: thought

text: that

text: when

text: you

text: deposit

text: a

text: check

text: or

text: money

text: order

text: your

text: bank

text: confirms

text: it

text: is

text: good

text: before

text: allowing

text: you

text: to

text: withdraw

text: the

text: money

text: That

text: number

text: goes

text: up

text: to

text: percent

text: among

text: adults

text: age

text: to

text: More

text: than

text: percent

text: of

text: those

text: surveyed

text: also

text: incorrectly

text: think

text: that

text: the

text: person

text: who

text: gave

text: you

text: the

text: bad

text: check

text: must

text: pay

text: back

text: the

text: bank

text: American

text: consumers

text: are

text: mostly

text: unfamiliar

text: with

text: the

text: time

text: needed

text: to

text: process

text: checks

text: and

text: money

text: orders

text: say

text: consumer

text: watchdogs

text: Government

text: banking

text: rules

text: mandate

text: that

text: money

text: from

text: deposits

text: become

text: available

text: within

text: one

text: to

text: five

text: days

text: However

text: it

text: can

text: take

text: weeks

text: especially

text: with

text: foreign

text: checks

text: or

text: money

text: orders

text: for

text: the

text: originating

text: institutions

text: to

text: get

text: the

text: checks

text: or

text: money

text: orders

text: back

text: and

text: determine

text: that

text: they

text: are

text: counterfeit

text: When

text: that

text: happens

text: scam

text: victims

text: are

text: in

text: for

text: a

text: rude

text: surprise

text: Publishers

text: Clearing

text: House

text: which

text: runs

text: legitimate

text: sweepstakes

text: warns

text: consumers

text: that

text: scammers

text: might

text: claim

text: that

text: you

text: are

text: being

text: given

text: an

text: advance

text: on

text: a

text: prize

text: but

text: that

text: some

text: fee

text: tax

text: or

text: other

text: payment

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: sent

text: before

text: you

text: get

text: the

text: jackpot

text: That

text: 's

text: the

text: heart

text: of

text: the

text: scam

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: something

text: that

text: a

text: real

text: sweepstakes

text: will

text: never

text: ask

text: for

text: say

text: legitimate

text: companies

text: Consumer

text: protection

text: groups

text: state

text: attorney

text: generals

text: the

text: Federal

text: Trade

text: Commission

text: and

text: government

text: bank

text: regulators

text: warn

text: consumers

text: that

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: fake

text: checks

text: money

text: orders

text: and

text: even

text: cashier

text: 's

text: checks

text: being

text: used

text: to

text: scam

text: victims

text: is

text: increasing

text: The

text: bottom

text: line

text: There

text: 's

text: no

text: legitimate

text: reason

text: why

text: anyone

text: who

text: wants

text: to

text: give

text: you

text: a

text: check

text: or

text: money

text: order

text: for

text: something

text: would

text: ever

text: ask

text: you

text: to

text: send

text: money

text: anywhere

text: in

text: return

text: It

text: 's

text: as

text: simple

text: as

text: that

text: said

text: Grant

text: of

text: the

text: Consumer

text: Federation

text: of

text: America

text: Smith

text: said

text: he

text: suspected

text: that

text: his

text: part

text: time

text: job

text: was

text: not

text: on

text: the

text: up

text: and

text: up

text: but

text: did

text: n't

text: know

text: about

text: fake

text: check

text: scams

text: He

text: 's

text: not

text: sure

text: how

text: he

text: will

text: pay

text: back

text: his

text: bank

text: but

text: hopes

text: his

text: story

text: will

text: help

text: keep

text: other

text: people

text: from

text: becoming

text: victims

text: The

text: Consumer

text: Federation

text: of

text: America

text: 's

text: tips

text: against

text: fake

text: check

text: scams

text: Never

text: agree

text: to

text: pay

text: to

text: claim

text: a

text: prize

text: Never

text: agree

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: grants

text: from

text: the

text: government

text: or

text: foundations

text: Never

text: agree

text: to

text: cash

text: checks

text: and

text: send

text: the

text: money

text: somewhere

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: a

text: job

text: working

text: from

text: home

text: Never

text: agree

text: to

text: wire

text: money

text: to

text: anyone

text: you

text: have

text: not

text: met

text: in

text: person

text: and

text: known

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: If

text: it

text: seems

text: suspicious

text: consult

text: your

text: state

text: or

text: local

text: consumer

text: protection

text: agency

text: the

text: Federal

text: Trade

text: Commission

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Postal

text: Inspection

text: Service

text: or

text: another

text: trusted

text: source

text: Remember

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: no

text: legitimate

text: reason

text: why

text: anyone

text: who

text: wants

text: to

text: give

text: you

text: a

text: check

text: or

text: money

text: order

text: would

text: ask

text: you

text: to

text: send

text: money

text: anywhere

text: in

text: return

question: what is the scam

answer: a fake check

text: a fake check

question: what does the study find?

answer: 1.3 million Americans have been the victim of a fake check scam,

text: 1.3 million Americans have been the victim of a fake check scam,

question: What should you not accept from someone seeking money in return?

answer: checks and

text: checks and

question: how long is needed to process checks?

answer: one

text: one

question: what do experts say to do?

answer: cash checks and send the money somewhere as part of a job working from home.

text: cash checks and send the money somewhere as part of a job working from home.

question: What are most American consumers unfamiliar with?

answer: the time needed to process checks

text: the time needed to process checks

question: what is the time frame

answer: within one to five days.

text: within one to five days.

question: What have more than 1 million Americans have been victims of?

answer: fake check scam,

text: fake check scam,


text:
(CNN) -- The murderer of a 16-year-old girl who bragged about his crimes was electrocuted Thursday night, a spokesman for the Virginia Department of Corrections said.

Paul Warner Powell was pronounced dead at 9:09 p.m. at a correctional center in Jarratt, Virginia. He did not make a last statement at the execution attended by the victim's family.

Powell was convicted in the 1999 murder of Stacie Reed and the rape of her 14-year-old sister in their Manassas, Virginia, family home.

Powell's execution comes after Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell denied him clemency and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to block the execution.

The killer claimed double jeopardy after state prosecutors put him on trial for a second time in the killing. In July, the high court delayed Powell's execution while considering the broader constitutional claims, which were finally rejected. Powell rejected lethal injection, the state's usual method of execution.

"I'm hopeful this is the last legal chapter in the long history of this case," said Powell's prosecutor, Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert.

"The survivors -- Stacie's mother and [her sister] -- have really been traumatized by delay after delay. Hopefully they're going to get some peace and closure after all these years."

CNN does not identify sexual assault victims without their permission, even though the surviving victim, now 25, has talked publicly about the case.

The crime shocked the Washington area. Reed knew Powell, then 20 and an admitted racist. The state's highest court eventually threw out the 2000 verdict in the first trial, saying prosecutors had not proven other necessary death-eligible offenses were committed against the 16-year-old. Such "aggravating" factors could include rape, attempted rape or robbery in commission of the murder.

The sexual assault and attempted murder of Reed's younger sister was upheld, and Powell was given a long prison sentence.

Powell, believing he was free from execution, proceeded to write a taunting, profanity-filled letter from behind bars to Ebert, laying out explicit details of the crime unknown to investigators at the time.

"Since I have already been indicted on first degree murder and the Va. Supreme Court said that I can't be charged with capital murder again, I figured I would tell you the rest of what happened on Jan. 29, 1999, to show you how stupid all of y'all ... are," wrote Powell, who is white.

He said he had gone to the family's home to confront Reed about dating a black man. He admitted pinning the victim, threatening to rape her, then stabbing her in the heart when the girl resisted. He then stomped on her throat.

"I guess I forgot to mention these events when I was being questioned. Ha Ha!" he wrote in 2001. "Do you just hate yourself for being so stupid ... and saving me?"

The killer also said that after that crime, he waited in the house until the younger girl returned from school, then attacked her, leaving her for dead. In the meantime, he drank iced tea from the family refrigerator and smoked a cigarette, part of the forensic evidence that investigators used to place Powell at the scene of the crime.

With this first-hand account from Powell, he was indicted again and charged with murder and attempted rape of Stacie Reed -- a capital-eligible crime. He was convicted again, and federal and state courts subsequently upheld the conviction on appeal.

text: CNN

text: The

text: murderer

text: of

text: a

text: old

text: girl

text: who

text: bragged

text: about

text: his

text: crimes

text: was

text: electrocuted

text: Thursday

text: night

text: a

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: Virginia

text: Department

text: of

text: Corrections

text: said

text: Paul

text: Warner

text: Powell

text: was

text: pronounced

text: dead

text: at

text: p.m.

text: at

text: a

text: correctional

text: center

text: in

text: Jarratt

text: Virginia

text: He

text: did

text: not

text: make

text: a

text: last

text: statement

text: at

text: the

text: execution

text: attended

text: by

text: the

text: victim

text: 's

text: family

text: Powell

text: was

text: convicted

text: in

text: the

text: murder

text: of

text: Stacie

text: Reed

text: and

text: the

text: rape

text: of

text: her

text: old

text: sister

text: in

text: their

text: Manassas

text: Virginia

text: family

text: home

text: Powell

text: 's

text: execution

text: comes

text: after

text: Virginia

text: Gov.

text: Bob

text: McDonnell

text: denied

text: him

text: clemency

text: and

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: declined

text: to

text: block

text: the

text: execution

text: The

text: killer

text: claimed

text: double

text: jeopardy

text: after

text: state

text: prosecutors

text: put

text: him

text: on

text: trial

text: for

text: a

text: second

text: time

text: in

text: the

text: killing

text: In

text: July

text: the

text: high

text: court

text: delayed

text: Powell

text: 's

text: execution

text: while

text: considering

text: the

text: broader

text: constitutional

text: claims

text: which

text: were

text: finally

text: rejected

text: Powell

text: rejected

text: lethal

text: injection

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: usual

text: method

text: of

text: execution

text: I

text: 'm

text: hopeful

text: this

text: is

text: the

text: last

text: legal

text: chapter

text: in

text: the

text: long

text: history

text: of

text: this

text: case

text: said

text: Powell

text: 's

text: prosecutor

text: Prince

text: William

text: County

text: Commonwealth

text: 's

text: Attorney

text: Paul

text: Ebert

text: The

text: survivors

text: Stacie

text: 's

text: mother

text: and

text: her

text: sister

text: have

text: really

text: been

text: traumatized

text: by

text: delay

text: after

text: delay

text: Hopefully

text: they

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: get

text: some

text: peace

text: and

text: closure

text: after

text: all

text: these

text: years

text: CNN

text: does

text: not

text: identify

text: sexual

text: assault

text: victims

text: without

text: their

text: permission

text: even

text: though

text: the

text: surviving

text: victim

text: now

text: has

text: talked

text: publicly

text: about

text: the

text: case

text: The

text: crime

text: shocked

text: the

text: Washington

text: area

text: Reed

text: knew

text: Powell

text: then

text: and

text: an

text: admitted

text: racist

text: The

text: state

text: 's

text: highest

text: court

text: eventually

text: threw

text: out

text: the

text: verdict

text: in

text: the

text: first

text: trial

text: saying

text: prosecutors

text: had

text: not

text: proven

text: other

text: necessary

text: death

text: eligible

text: offenses

text: were

text: committed

text: against

text: the

text: old

text: Such

text: aggravating

text: factors

text: could

text: include

text: rape

text: attempted

text: rape

text: or

text: robbery

text: in

text: commission

text: of

text: the

text: murder

text: The

text: sexual

text: assault

text: and

text: attempted

text: murder

text: of

text: Reed

text: 's

text: younger

text: sister

text: was

text: upheld

text: and

text: Powell

text: was

text: given

text: a

text: long

text: prison

text: sentence

text: Powell

text: believing

text: he

text: was

text: free

text: from

text: execution

text: proceeded

text: to

text: write

text: a

text: taunting

text: profanity

text: filled

text: letter

text: from

text: behind

text: bars

text: to

text: Ebert

text: laying

text: out

text: explicit

text: details

text: of

text: the

text: crime

text: unknown

text: to

text: investigators

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: Since

text: I

text: have

text: already

text: been

text: indicted

text: on

text: first

text: degree

text: murder

text: and

text: the

text: Va.

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: said

text: that

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: be

text: charged

text: with

text: capital

text: murder

text: again

text: I

text: figured

text: I

text: would

text: tell

text: you

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: what

text: happened

text: on

text: Jan.

text: to

text: show

text: you

text: how

text: stupid

text: all

text: of

text: y'

text: all

text: are

text: wrote

text: Powell

text: who

text: is

text: white

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: gone

text: to

text: the

text: family

text: 's

text: home

text: to

text: confront

text: Reed

text: about

text: dating

text: a

text: black

text: man

text: He

text: admitted

text: pinning

text: the

text: victim

text: threatening

text: to

text: rape

text: her

text: then

text: stabbing

text: her

text: in

text: the

text: heart

text: when

text: the

text: girl

text: resisted

text: He

text: then

text: stomped

text: on

text: her

text: throat

text: I

text: guess

text: I

text: forgot

text: to

text: mention

text: these

text: events

text: when

text: I

text: was

text: being

text: questioned

text: Ha

text: Ha

text: he

text: wrote

text: in

text: Do

text: you

text: just

text: hate

text: yourself

text: for

text: being

text: so

text: stupid

text: and

text: saving

text: me

text: The

text: killer

text: also

text: said

text: that

text: after

text: that

text: crime

text: he

text: waited

text: in

text: the

text: house

text: until

text: the

text: younger

text: girl

text: returned

text: from

text: school

text: then

text: attacked

text: her

text: leaving

text: her

text: for

text: dead

text: In

text: the

text: meantime

text: he

text: drank

text: iced

text: tea

text: from

text: the

text: family

text: refrigerator

text: and

text: smoked

text: a

text: cigarette

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: forensic

text: evidence

text: that

text: investigators

text: used

text: to

text: place

text: Powell

text: at

text: the

text: scene

text: of

text: the

text: crime

text: With

text: this

text: first

text: hand

text: account

text: from

text: Powell

text: he

text: was

text: indicted

text: again

text: and

text: charged

text: with

text: murder

text: and

text: attempted

text: rape

text: of

text: Stacie

text: Reed

text: a

text: capital

text: eligible

text: crime

text: He

text: was

text: convicted

text: again

text: and

text: federal

text: and

text: state

text: courts

text: subsequently

text: upheld

text: the

text: conviction

text: on

text: appeal

question: Who is Powell accused of killing?

answer: Stacie Reed

text: Stacie Reed

question: What method of execution did Powell reject?

answer: lethal injection,

text: lethal injection,

question: Who wrote a profane letter that detailed the crime?

answer: Paul Warner Powell

text: Paul Warner Powell

question: What did Powell reject?

answer: lethal injection,

text: lethal injection,

question: Who was the victim?

answer: Stacie Reed

text: Stacie Reed


text:
(CNN) -- North Korea resumed firing near its sea border with South Korea on Thursday, South Korean media said, citing Seoul officials.

Artillery shells were fired toward South Korean-controlled Yeonpyeong Island, Yonhap News Agency quoted the officials as saying, adding that the shells fell in waters north of the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto inter-Korean maritime border.

The North fired artillery shells on Wednesday in the same area, saying they were part of an annual training drill.

"We have confirmed North Korea's firing of several artillery shells, but they did not cross" the two countries' maritime border, said Park Sung-woo, of Seoul's joint chiefs of staff, according to Yonhap. "We are on high military alert."

"Following the firing by North Korea, South Korea responded by shooting vulcan canons into the air, a statement that it would not be intimidated by saber-rattling by the communist neighbor," Yonhap said.

There were no reports of casualties.

Also Thursday, a South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman said that despite the tension, talks slated for Monday with North Korea would still go forward in the North Korean border town of Kaesong, Yonhap reported.

Seventeen South Korean officials are expected to attend those talks, Yonhap cited Chun Hae-sung, the official, as saying.

text: CNN

text: North

text: Korea

text: resumed

text: firing

text: near

text: its

text: sea

text: border

text: with

text: South

text: Korea

text: on

text: Thursday

text: South

text: Korean

text: media

text: said

text: citing

text: Seoul

text: officials

text: Artillery

text: shells

text: were

text: fired

text: toward

text: South

text: Korean

text: controlled

text: Yeonpyeong

text: Island

text: Yonhap

text: News

text: Agency

text: quoted

text: the

text: officials

text: as

text: saying

text: adding

text: that

text: the

text: shells

text: fell

text: in

text: waters

text: north

text: of

text: the

text: Northern

text: Limit

text: Line

text: NLL

text: the

text: de

text: facto

text: inter

text: Korean

text: maritime

text: border

text: The

text: North

text: fired

text: artillery

text: shells

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: in

text: the

text: same

text: area

text: saying

text: they

text: were

text: part

text: of

text: an

text: annual

text: training

text: drill

text: We

text: have

text: confirmed

text: North

text: Korea

text: 's

text: firing

text: of

text: several

text: artillery

text: shells

text: but

text: they

text: did

text: not

text: cross

text: the

text: two

text: countries

text: maritime

text: border

text: said

text: Park

text: Sung

text: woo

text: of

text: Seoul

text: 's

text: joint

text: chiefs

text: of

text: staff

text: according

text: to

text: Yonhap

text: We

text: are

text: on

text: high

text: military

text: alert

text: Following

text: the

text: firing

text: by

text: North

text: Korea

text: South

text: Korea

text: responded

text: by

text: shooting

text: vulcan

text: canons

text: into

text: the

text: air

text: a

text: statement

text: that

text: it

text: would

text: not

text: be

text: intimidated

text: by

text: saber

text: rattling

text: by

text: the

text: communist

text: neighbor

text: Yonhap

text: said

text: There

text: were

text: no

text: reports

text: of

text: casualties

text: Also

text: Thursday

text: a

text: South

text: Korean

text: Unification

text: Ministry

text: spokesman

text: said

text: that

text: despite

text: the

text: tension

text: talks

text: slated

text: for

text: Monday

text: with

text: North

text: Korea

text: would

text: still

text: go

text: forward

text: in

text: the

text: North

text: Korean

text: border

text: town

text: of

text: Kaesong

text: Yonhap

text: reported

text: Seventeen

text: South

text: Korean

text: officials

text: are

text: expected

text: to

text: attend

text: those

text: talks

text: Yonhap

text: cited

text: Chun

text: Hae

text: sung

text: the

text: official

text: as

text: saying

question: What is firing artillery shells part of?

answer: annual training drill.

text: annual training drill.

question: What did South Korean official say?

answer: Korean-controlled Yeonpyeong Island,

text: Korean-controlled Yeonpyeong Island,

question: what did the official say

answer: Korea resumed firing near its sea border with South Korea on Thursday,

text: Korea resumed firing near its sea border with South Korea on Thursday,

question: What does the official say?

answer: Artillery shells were fired toward South Korean-controlled Yeonpyeong Island,

text: Artillery shells were fired toward South Korean-controlled Yeonpyeong Island,

question: who is doing the talking

answer: Park Sung-woo,

text: Park Sung-woo,

question: what country is involved

answer: Korea

text: Korea


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- North Korea's rhetoric toward the United States has always had a certain bizarre, over-the-top quality to it. Under the Bush administration it labeled Undersecretary of State John Bolton "human scum."

"Complete and irreversible denuclearization is the only viable path for North Korea," Hillary Clinton says.

But the North Korea's latest comments about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are stunningly personal.

An unnamed North Korean official quoted by the state-run KCNA news agency calls Clinton "by no means intelligent" and a "funny lady."

"Sometimes she looks like a primary schoolgirl and sometimes a pensioner going shopping," he said.

The remarks seem to be a reply to Clinton's comments to ABC News in which she compared North Korea's leadership to "small children and unruly teenagers and people who are demanding attention."

Behind the scenes, U.S officials for months have made similar comparisons, claiming the Pyonyang's modus operandi is to be deliberately provocative, to "act out" to get the United States' attention and be rewarded for its "misbehavior."

This time, they say, it's not going to work. Clinton said Pyonyang has "no friends left."

After North Korea conducted an underground nuclear test in May and fired several ballistic missiles over Japan, the United States rallied the United Nations to pass resolution 1874, which invoked strong sanctions, including targeting top North Korean officials connected to Pyonyang's nuclear program.

Significantly, the resolution was supported by Russia and China, countries that have been reluctant to impose strict sanctions on North Korea.

"Complete and irreversible denuclearization is the only viable path for North Korea," Clinton said at the Association of Southeast Asia Nations meeting in Thailand this week.

"We do not intend to reward North Korea just for returning to the table, nor do we intend to reward them for actions they have already committed to taking and then reneged on. The path is open to them, and it is up to them to follow it. Unless and until they do, they will face international isolation and the unrelenting pressure of global sanctions."

North Korea, however, says the six-party talks with the United States, South Korea, Russia, China and Japan are dead and it's not going back. The country has the right to a nuclear program, it says, since it must defend itself against possible attack from the United States.

With strong words on both sides, the standoff seems intractable.

Clinton maintains the door still is open to the North, but only if Pyonyang does what it already has committed to: resume talks and dismantle its nuclear program -- completely, irreversibly and verifiably.

"We have made it very clear to the North Koreans that if they will agree to irreversible denuclearization the United States, as well as our partners, will move forward on a package of incentives and opportunities, including normalizing relations that will give the people of North Korea a better future," she said.

But a North Korean official, quoted by South Korean news agency Yonhap, calls the package of incentives "nonsense."

"The U.S. is telling us to take off all of our clothes," he's quoted as saying. "The most important thing for us is sovereignty. Sovereignty, security, namely life, should be guaranteed. How can we barter life with money?"

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: North

text: Korea

text: 's

text: rhetoric

text: toward

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: has

text: always

text: had

text: a

text: certain

text: bizarre

text: over

text: the

text: top

text: quality

text: to

text: it

text: Under

text: the

text: Bush

text: administration

text: it

text: labeled

text: Undersecretary

text: of

text: State

text: John

text: Bolton

text: human

text: scum

text: Complete

text: and

text: irreversible

text: denuclearization

text: is

text: the

text: only

text: viable

text: path

text: for

text: North

text: Korea

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: says

text: But

text: the

text: North

text: Korea

text: 's

text: latest

text: comments

text: about

text: Secretary

text: of

text: State

text: Hillary

text: Clinton

text: are

text: stunningly

text: personal

text: An

text: unnamed

text: North

text: Korean

text: official

text: quoted

text: by

text: the

text: state

text: run

text: KCNA

text: news

text: agency

text: calls

text: Clinton

text: by

text: no

text: means

text: intelligent

text: and

text: a

text: funny

text: lady

text: Sometimes

text: she

text: looks

text: like

text: a

text: primary

text: schoolgirl

text: and

text: sometimes

text: a

text: pensioner

text: going

text: shopping

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: remarks

text: seem

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: reply

text: to

text: Clinton

text: 's

text: comments

text: to

text: ABC

text: News

text: in

text: which

text: she

text: compared

text: North

text: Korea

text: 's

text: leadership

text: to

text: small

text: children

text: and

text: unruly

text: teenagers

text: and

text: people

text: who

text: are

text: demanding

text: attention

text: Behind

text: the

text: scenes

text: U.S

text: officials

text: for

text: months

text: have

text: made

text: similar

text: comparisons

text: claiming

text: the

text: Pyonyang

text: 's

text: modus

text: operandi

text: is

text: to

text: be

text: deliberately

text: provocative

text: to

text: act

text: out

text: to

text: get

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: attention

text: and

text: be

text: rewarded

text: for

text: its

text: misbehavior

text: This

text: time

text: they

text: say

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: work

text: Clinton

text: said

text: Pyonyang

text: has

text: no

text: friends

text: left

text: After

text: North

text: Korea

text: conducted

text: an

text: underground

text: nuclear

text: test

text: in

text: May

text: and

text: fired

text: several

text: ballistic

text: missiles

text: over

text: Japan

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: rallied

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: to

text: pass

text: resolution

text: which

text: invoked

text: strong

text: sanctions

text: including

text: targeting

text: top

text: North

text: Korean

text: officials

text: connected

text: to

text: Pyonyang

text: 's

text: nuclear

text: program

text: Significantly

text: the

text: resolution

text: was

text: supported

text: by

text: Russia

text: and

text: China

text: countries

text: that

text: have

text: been

text: reluctant

text: to

text: impose

text: strict

text: sanctions

text: on

text: North

text: Korea

text: Complete

text: and

text: irreversible

text: denuclearization

text: is

text: the

text: only

text: viable

text: path

text: for

text: North

text: Korea

text: Clinton

text: said

text: at

text: the

text: Association

text: of

text: Southeast

text: Asia

text: Nations

text: meeting

text: in

text: Thailand

text: this

text: week

text: We

text: do

text: not

text: intend

text: to

text: reward

text: North

text: Korea

text: just

text: for

text: returning

text: to

text: the

text: table

text: nor

text: do

text: we

text: intend

text: to

text: reward

text: them

text: for

text: actions

text: they

text: have

text: already

text: committed

text: to

text: taking

text: and

text: then

text: reneged

text: on

text: The

text: path

text: is

text: open

text: to

text: them

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: up

text: to

text: them

text: to

text: follow

text: it

text: Unless

text: and

text: until

text: they

text: do

text: they

text: will

text: face

text: international

text: isolation

text: and

text: the

text: unrelenting

text: pressure

text: of

text: global

text: sanctions

text: North

text: Korea

text: however

text: says

text: the

text: six

text: party

text: talks

text: with

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: South

text: Korea

text: Russia

text: China

text: and

text: Japan

text: are

text: dead

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: going

text: back

text: The

text: country

text: has

text: the

text: right

text: to

text: a

text: nuclear

text: program

text: it

text: says

text: since

text: it

text: must

text: defend

text: itself

text: against

text: possible

text: attack

text: from

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: With

text: strong

text: words

text: on

text: both

text: sides

text: the

text: standoff

text: seems

text: intractable

text: Clinton

text: maintains

text: the

text: door

text: still

text: is

text: open

text: to

text: the

text: North

text: but

text: only

text: if

text: Pyonyang

text: does

text: what

text: it

text: already

text: has

text: committed

text: to

text: resume

text: talks

text: and

text: dismantle

text: its

text: nuclear

text: program

text: completely

text: irreversibly

text: and

text: verifiably

text: We

text: have

text: made

text: it

text: very

text: clear

text: to

text: the

text: North

text: Koreans

text: that

text: if

text: they

text: will

text: agree

text: to

text: irreversible

text: denuclearization

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: our

text: partners

text: will

text: move

text: forward

text: on

text: a

text: package

text: of

text: incentives

text: and

text: opportunities

text: including

text: normalizing

text: relations

text: that

text: will

text: give

text: the

text: people

text: of

text: North

text: Korea

text: a

text: better

text: future

text: she

text: said

text: But

text: a

text: North

text: Korean

text: official

text: quoted

text: by

text: South

text: Korean

text: news

text: agency

text: Yonhap

text: calls

text: the

text: package

text: of

text: incentives

text: nonsense

text: The

text: U.S.

text: is

text: telling

text: us

text: to

text: take

text: off

text: all

text: of

text: our

text: clothes

text: he

text: 's

text: quoted

text: as

text: saying

text: The

text: most

text: important

text: thing

text: for

text: us

text: is

text: sovereignty

text: Sovereignty

text: security

text: namely

text: life

text: should

text: be

text: guaranteed

text: How

text: can

text: we

text: barter

text: life

text: with

text: money

question: what does the official reportedly says about Clinton?

answer: "by no means intelligent"

text: "by no means intelligent"

question: When was North Korea's nuclear test?

answer: May

text: May

question: what's the reason behind the U.S. officials that likened North Korea's provocative actions?

answer: to "act out" to get the United States' attention and be rewarded for its "misbehavior."

text: to "act out" to get the United States' attention and be rewarded for its "misbehavior."

question: What strengthened call for sanctions?

answer: fired several ballistic missiles over Japan,

text: fired several ballistic missiles over Japan,

question: Who remains defiant?

answer: North Korea,

text: North Korea,

question: What has officials likened N Korea's actions to?

answer: "small children and unruly teenagers and people who are demanding attention."

text: "small children and unruly teenagers and people who are demanding attention."

question: What does official say of Clinton?

answer: "by no means intelligent" and a "funny lady."

text: "by no means intelligent" and a "funny lady."


text:
(CNN) -- The 2012 presidential race has been dominated by one issue: the economy. Americans are desperately looking for a leader who can steer the country into full recovery; anything else is peripheral at this point.

This past weekend, however, the presidential race was harmfully thrown off course.

I'm referring to the words of Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. Jeffress introduced Texas Gov. Rick Perry at the Values Voters Summit in Washington D.C. on Friday and strongly endorsed him, primarily because of his evangelical Christian beliefs.

Shortly after the introduction, Jeffress said to reporters: "Every true, born-again follower of Christ ought to embrace a Christian over a non-Christian." Jeffress called Mormonism a "cult," and asked by a reporter if he believed Gov. Mitt Romney is a Christian, answered, "No." Romney, of course, is Mormon.

Jeffress' words echoed what he said in 2008 about Romney, when he told the Religion Newswriters Association at its annual meeting: "The value of electing a Christian goes beyond public policies ... It is worse to legitimize a faith that would lead people to a separation from God." In essence, Jeffress implied that voting for Mitt Romney would give credibility to a cult.

After hearing Jeffress' remarks, I decided to respond when I spoke at the same summit on Saturday. The Romney campaign contacted me before my speech about another speaker, Bryan Fischer, who has a history of controversial remarks concerning Mormonism. But Romney's campaign had no say in my words to Jeffress.

I said to Jeffress, along with everyone else, "Do not give voice to bigotry. Remember George Washington, his manly advice to us, to despise all forms of racial and religious bigotry. He who was first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen, counseled, 'We should give to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance.'

"Let's follow him. And I would say to Pastor Jeffress, you stepped on and obscured the words of Perry and Santorum and Cain and Bachmann and everyone else who has spoken here. You did Rick Perry no good, sir, in what you had to say."

I agree that there are serious theological differences between evangelical Christianity and Mormonism. But those should be settled in churches, in homes, and in religious gatherings, not in front of a national political event. Pastor Jeffress says his words were merely theological. He, pastor of a successful mega-church, should know full well the fine line between religion and politics. His words were clearly political, as evidenced by the damaging effect it had on the Republican presidential candidates and the national debate.

Gov. Perry immediately had to distance himself from Jeffress' words. Gov. Romney quickly went on the defensive. And the other candidates, instantly grilled by the national media about their view of Mormonism, were thrown into a controversy they wanted no part of. Jeffress' words were an inappropriate and deleterious distraction.

Article Six of the Constitution states that "no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States." The purpose of a political gathering like the Values Voters Summit is to build consensus around a candidate by examining positions and records. Yes, religion plays an essential role in those decisions, but one person's faith should never be a disqualifying factor, whether that person is Jewish, Christian, Catholic, Muslim, Mormon, or of any other faith.

To the right and left alike, we are in the middle of a grueling presidential campaign season. It behooves us to despise and reject all forms of religious, and racial, bigotry. Politics are about policy and deciding whether a candidate shares your views of the founding principles of this country -- life, liberty, and the rule of law -- which men and women of all different faiths can agree upon.

When Abraham Lincoln spoke in 1838 to the Young Men's Lyceum of Springfield, Illinois, concerning the "perpetuation of our political institutions," he admonished participants: "Let reverence for the laws ... become the political religion of the nation."

We do not need, nor should we have, a religious test for public office. Should we choose to hold someone's faith against him or her, we hurt only ourselves. Our chances of winning the 2012 presidential election depend on building the broadest coalition we can, not breaking it down.

I do not question the theological knowledge of Pastor Jeffress, and, to his credit, he has said that he would vote for Romney should he win the nomination. Nevertheless, his comments were ill-timed and of poor taste.

Again, the timeless wisdom of George Washington comes to mind. In a letter to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Rhode Island, Washington wrote, "May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants, while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."

The opinions in this commentary are solely those of William Bennett.

text: CNN

text: The

text: presidential

text: race

text: has

text: been

text: dominated

text: by

text: one

text: issue

text: the

text: economy

text: Americans

text: are

text: desperately

text: looking

text: for

text: a

text: leader

text: who

text: can

text: steer

text: the

text: country

text: into

text: full

text: recovery

text: anything

text: else

text: is

text: peripheral

text: at

text: this

text: point

text: This

text: past

text: weekend

text: however

text: the

text: presidential

text: race

text: was

text: harmfully

text: thrown

text: off

text: course

text: I

text: 'm

text: referring

text: to

text: the

text: words

text: of

text: Pastor

text: Robert

text: Jeffress

text: of

text: the

text: First

text: Baptist

text: Church

text: of

text: Dallas

text: Texas

text: Jeffress

text: introduced

text: Texas

text: Gov.

text: Rick

text: Perry

text: at

text: the

text: Values

text: Voters

text: Summit

text: in

text: Washington

text: D.C.

text: on

text: Friday

text: and

text: strongly

text: endorsed

text: him

text: primarily

text: because

text: of

text: his

text: evangelical

text: Christian

text: beliefs

text: Shortly

text: after

text: the

text: introduction

text: Jeffress

text: said

text: to

text: reporters

text: Every

text: true

text: born

text: again

text: follower

text: of

text: Christ

text: ought

text: to

text: embrace

text: a

text: Christian

text: over

text: a

text: non

text: Christian

text: Jeffress

text: called

text: Mormonism

text: a

text: cult

text: and

text: asked

text: by

text: a

text: reporter

text: if

text: he

text: believed

text: Gov.

text: Mitt

text: Romney

text: is

text: a

text: Christian

text: answered

text: No

text: Romney

text: of

text: course

text: is

text: Mormon

text: Jeffress

text: words

text: echoed

text: what

text: he

text: said

text: in

text: about

text: Romney

text: when

text: he

text: told

text: the

text: Religion

text: Newswriters

text: Association

text: at

text: its

text: annual

text: meeting

text: The

text: value

text: of

text: electing

text: a

text: Christian

text: goes

text: beyond

text: public

text: policies

text: It

text: is

text: worse

text: to

text: legitimize

text: a

text: faith

text: that

text: would

text: lead

text: people

text: to

text: a

text: separation

text: from

text: God

text: In

text: essence

text: Jeffress

text: implied

text: that

text: voting

text: for

text: Mitt

text: Romney

text: would

text: give

text: credibility

text: to

text: a

text: cult

text: After

text: hearing

text: Jeffress

text: remarks

text: I

text: decided

text: to

text: respond

text: when

text: I

text: spoke

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: summit

text: on

text: Saturday

text: The

text: Romney

text: campaign

text: contacted

text: me

text: before

text: my

text: speech

text: about

text: another

text: speaker

text: Bryan

text: Fischer

text: who

text: has

text: a

text: history

text: of

text: controversial

text: remarks

text: concerning

text: Mormonism

text: But

text: Romney

text: 's

text: campaign

text: had

text: no

text: say

text: in

text: my

text: words

text: to

text: Jeffress

text: I

text: said

text: to

text: Jeffress

text: along

text: with

text: everyone

text: else

text: Do

text: not

text: give

text: voice

text: to

text: bigotry

text: Remember

text: George

text: Washington

text: his

text: manly

text: advice

text: to

text: us

text: to

text: despise

text: all

text: forms

text: of

text: racial

text: and

text: religious

text: bigotry

text: He

text: who

text: was

text: first

text: in

text: war

text: first

text: in

text: peace

text: and

text: first

text: in

text: the

text: hearts

text: of

text: his

text: countrymen

text: counseled

text: We

text: should

text: give

text: to

text: bigotry

text: no

text: sanction

text: to

text: persecution

text: no

text: assistance

text: Let

text: 's

text: follow

text: him

text: And

text: I

text: would

text: say

text: to

text: Pastor

text: Jeffress

text: you

text: stepped

text: on

text: and

text: obscured

text: the

text: words

text: of

text: Perry

text: and

text: Santorum

text: and

text: Cain

text: and

text: Bachmann

text: and

text: everyone

text: else

text: who

text: has

text: spoken

text: here

text: You

text: did

text: Rick

text: Perry

text: no

text: good

text: sir

text: in

text: what

text: you

text: had

text: to

text: say

text: I

text: agree

text: that

text: there

text: are

text: serious

text: theological

text: differences

text: between

text: evangelical

text: Christianity

text: and

text: Mormonism

text: But

text: those

text: should

text: be

text: settled

text: in

text: churches

text: in

text: homes

text: and

text: in

text: religious

text: gatherings

text: not

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: a

text: national

text: political

text: event

text: Pastor

text: Jeffress

text: says

text: his

text: words

text: were

text: merely

text: theological

text: He

text: pastor

text: of

text: a

text: successful

text: mega

text: church

text: should

text: know

text: full

text: well

text: the

text: fine

text: line

text: between

text: religion

text: and

text: politics

text: His

text: words

text: were

text: clearly

text: political

text: as

text: evidenced

text: by

text: the

text: damaging

text: effect

text: it

text: had

text: on

text: the

text: Republican

text: presidential

text: candidates

text: and

text: the

text: national

text: debate

text: Gov.

text: Perry

text: immediately

text: had

text: to

text: distance

text: himself

text: from

text: Jeffress

text: words

text: Gov.

text: Romney

text: quickly

text: went

text: on

text: the

text: defensive

text: And

text: the

text: other

text: candidates

text: instantly

text: grilled

text: by

text: the

text: national

text: media

text: about

text: their

text: view

text: of

text: Mormonism

text: were

text: thrown

text: into

text: a

text: controversy

text: they

text: wanted

text: no

text: part

text: of

text: Jeffress

text: words

text: were

text: an

text: inappropriate

text: and

text: deleterious

text: distraction

text: Article

text: Six

text: of

text: the

text: Constitution

text: states

text: that

text: no

text: religious

text: test

text: shall

text: ever

text: be

text: required

text: as

text: a

text: qualification

text: to

text: any

text: office

text: or

text: public

text: trust

text: under

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: The

text: purpose

text: of

text: a

text: political

text: gathering

text: like

text: the

text: Values

text: Voters

text: Summit

text: is

text: to

text: build

text: consensus

text: around

text: a

text: candidate

text: by

text: examining

text: positions

text: and

text: records

text: Yes

text: religion

text: plays

text: an

text: essential

text: role

text: in

text: those

text: decisions

text: but

text: one

text: person

text: 's

text: faith

text: should

text: never

text: be

text: a

text: disqualifying

text: factor

text: whether

text: that

text: person

text: is

text: Jewish

text: Christian

text: Catholic

text: Muslim

text: Mormon

text: or

text: of

text: any

text: other

text: faith

text: To

text: the

text: right

text: and

text: left

text: alike

text: we

text: are

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: a

text: grueling

text: presidential

text: campaign

text: season

text: It

text: behooves

text: us

text: to

text: despise

text: and

text: reject

text: all

text: forms

text: of

text: religious

text: and

text: racial

text: bigotry

text: Politics

text: are

text: about

text: policy

text: and

text: deciding

text: whether

text: a

text: candidate

text: shares

text: your

text: views

text: of

text: the

text: founding

text: principles

text: of

text: this

text: country

text: life

text: liberty

text: and

text: the

text: rule

text: of

text: law

text: which

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: of

text: all

text: different

text: faiths

text: can

text: agree

text: upon

text: When

text: Abraham

text: Lincoln

text: spoke

text: in

text: to

text: the

text: Young

text: Men

text: 's

text: Lyceum

text: of

text: Springfield

text: Illinois

text: concerning

text: the

text: perpetuation

text: of

text: our

text: political

text: institutions

text: he

text: admonished

text: participants

text: Let

text: reverence

text: for

text: the

text: laws

text: become

text: the

text: political

text: religion

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: We

text: do

text: not

text: need

text: nor

text: should

text: we

text: have

text: a

text: religious

text: test

text: for

text: public

text: office

text: Should

text: we

text: choose

text: to

text: hold

text: someone

text: 's

text: faith

text: against

text: him

text: or

text: her

text: we

text: hurt

text: only

text: ourselves

text: Our

text: chances

text: of

text: winning

text: the

text: presidential

text: election

text: depend

text: on

text: building

text: the

text: broadest

text: coalition

text: we

text: can

text: not

text: breaking

text: it

text: down

text: I

text: do

text: not

text: question

text: the

text: theological

text: knowledge

text: of

text: Pastor

text: Jeffress

text: and

text: to

text: his

text: credit

text: he

text: has

text: said

text: that

text: he

text: would

text: vote

text: for

text: Romney

text: should

text: he

text: win

text: the

text: nomination

text: Nevertheless

text: his

text: comments

text: were

text: ill

text: timed

text: and

text: of

text: poor

text: taste

text: Again

text: the

text: timeless

text: wisdom

text: of

text: George

text: Washington

text: comes

text: to

text: mind

text: In

text: a

text: letter

text: to

text: the

text: Hebrew

text: Congregation

text: of

text: Newport

text: Rhode

text: Island

text: Washington

text: wrote

text: May

text: the

text: Children

text: of

text: the

text: Stock

text: of

text: Abraham

text: who

text: dwell

text: in

text: this

text: land

text: continue

text: to

text: merit

text: and

text: enjoy

text: the

text: good

text: will

text: of

text: the

text: other

text: inhabitants

text: while

text: every

text: one

text: shall

text: sit

text: in

text: safety

text: under

text: his

text: own

text: vine

text: and

text: fig

text: tree

text: and

text: there

text: shall

text: be

text: to

text: make

text: him

text: afraid

text: The

text: opinions

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: William

text: Bennett

question: What hurt Romney's presidential race by Jeffress' commentsW?

answer: words of Pastor Robert

text: words of Pastor Robert

question: When did this happen?

answer: past weekend,

text: past weekend,

question: What Jeffress said about Mormonism?

answer: "cult,"

text: "cult,"

question: What politics are about according to Bennett?

answer: policy and deciding whether a candidate shares your views

text: policy and deciding whether a candidate shares your views

question: What did he say?

answer: "Every true, born-again follower of Christ ought to embrace a Christian over a non-Christian."

text: "Every true, born-again follower of Christ ought to embrace a Christian over a non-Christian."


text:
(CNN) -- New Mexico authorities have identified seven of 11 slain women whose remains were discovered several months ago in shallow graves in west Albuquerque, but have yet to identify a suspect in their killings, police told CNN on Thursday.

The bodies of Candelaria, Chavez, Elks, Marquez, Nieto, Romero and Valdez were all ID'd by New Mexico police.

A dozen victims -- 11 women and the unborn child of one of them -- were found on a 92-acre parcel west of the city in February, police said.

Albuquerque police spokesman John Walsh said Thursday that police were considering all the deaths homicides, and believe they are linked because of the proximity of where the bodies were buried and how they were buried.

"It's ... likely that the same individual committed the same crimes," he said, "But we have to leave all possibilities open."

The victims were linked through drugs and prostitution, he said.

Police identified the women as Victoria Chavez, Michelle Valdez, Veronica Romero, Cinnamon Elks, Julie Nieto, Doreen Marquez and Monica Diana Candelaria.

Walsh said authorities estimate that the killings occurred somewhere between 2001 and 2004.

"We have to leave it wide at this point," Walsh said of the time frame.

In February, a woman walking her dog on the property -- which had been graded in preparation for development -- discovered a bone, police said. The office of the medical investigator determined that it was human.

The bodies were discovered afterward.

The killings have been featured on "America's Most Wanted," Walsh said. A task force in Albuquerque has been assigned to the cases, he added.

text: CNN

text: New

text: Mexico

text: authorities

text: have

text: identified

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text: of

text: slain

text: women

text: whose

text: remains

text: were

text: discovered

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text: months

text: ago

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text: west

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text: but

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text: yet

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text: identify

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text: suspect

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text: their

text: killings

text: police

text: told

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text: on

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text: The

text: bodies

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text: Candelaria

text: Chavez

text: Elks

text: Marquez

text: Nieto

text: Romero

text: and

text: Valdez

text: were

text: all

text: ID'd

text: by

text: New

text: Mexico

text: police

text: A

text: dozen

text: victims

text: women

text: and

text: the

text: unborn

text: child

text: of

text: one

text: of

text: them

text: were

text: found

text: on

text: a

text: parcel

text: west

text: of

text: the

text: city

text: in

text: February

text: police

text: said

text: Albuquerque

text: police

text: spokesman

text: John

text: Walsh

text: said

text: Thursday

text: that

text: police

text: were

text: considering

text: all

text: the

text: deaths

text: homicides

text: and

text: believe

text: they

text: are

text: linked

text: because

text: of

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text: proximity

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text: where

text: the

text: bodies

text: were

text: buried

text: and

text: how

text: they

text: were

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text: 's

text: likely

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text: the

text: same

text: individual

text: committed

text: the

text: same

text: crimes

text: he

text: said

text: But

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: leave

text: all

text: possibilities

text: open

text: The

text: victims

text: were

text: linked

text: through

text: drugs

text: and

text: prostitution

text: he

text: said

text: Police

text: identified

text: the

text: women

text: as

text: Victoria

text: Chavez

text: Michelle

text: Valdez

text: Veronica

text: Romero

text: Cinnamon

text: Elks

text: Julie

text: Nieto

text: Doreen

text: Marquez

text: and

text: Monica

text: Diana

text: Candelaria

text: Walsh

text: said

text: authorities

text: estimate

text: that

text: the

text: killings

text: occurred

text: somewhere

text: between

text: and

text: We

text: have

text: to

text: leave

text: it

text: wide

text: at

text: this

text: point

text: Walsh

text: said

text: of

text: the

text: time

text: frame

text: In

text: February

text: a

text: woman

text: walking

text: her

text: dog

text: on

text: the

text: property

text: which

text: had

text: been

text: graded

text: in

text: preparation

text: for

text: development

text: discovered

text: a

text: bone

text: police

text: said

text: The

text: office

text: of

text: the

text: medical

text: investigator

text: determined

text: that

text: it

text: was

text: human

text: The

text: bodies

text: were

text: discovered

text: afterward

text: The

text: killings

text: have

text: been

text: featured

text: on

text: America

text: 's

text: Most

text: Wanted

text: Walsh

text: said

text: A

text: task

text: force

text: in

text: Albuquerque

text: has

text: been

text: assigned

text: to

text: the

text: cases

text: he

text: added

question: In which month were the bodies found?

answer: February,

text: February,

question: Where were the bodies found?

answer: in shallow graves in west Albuquerque,

text: in shallow graves in west Albuquerque,

question: In what years did the murders take place?

answer: somewhere between 2001 and 2004.

text: somewhere between 2001 and 2004.

question: What number of bodies were found?

answer: 11

question: What linked the victims?

answer: drugs and prostitution,

text: drugs and prostitution,

question: What number have been identified?

answer: 11

question: How many victims have been identified?

answer: seven

text: seven

question: How many bodies were found?

answer: 11 women

text: 11 women

question: Are there any suspects yet?

answer: to identify a

text: to identify a


text:
(CNN) -- Greg Cannom. Remember that name.

The late Heath Ledger is expected to win best supporting actor for playing the Joker in "The Dark Knight."

It's not a household name, for sure. But this two-time Academy Award winner (for "Bram Stoker's Dracula" and "Mrs. Doubtfire") is the red-hot favorite to win the Oscar in the best makeup category, for his work taking Brad Pitt from decrepitude to infancy in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button."

His colleagues in the visual effects department are likely to join him, along with the art direction team and possibly costume designer Jacqueline West, taking "Button's" tally to four awards.

But my hunch is that this will prove the outer limit of the Academy's love for David Fincher's epic. Not a good return on 13 nominations.  Watch which films, stars are up for top honors Â»

On the other hand, I predict that "Slumdog Millionaire" will reap the rewards, with as many as seven Oscars from 10 nominations, including best picture and best director for Danny Boyle. (A full sweep is impossible, as composer A.R. Rahman has been nominated against himself in the best song category. "Slumdog" will also probably miss out for sound editing and sound mixing, two categories that favor big-budget films.)  Watch how "Slumdog" is getting mixed reviews in India Â»

If I'm right, it will be a fairy-tale ending for what is in many respects a fairy tale of a movie, albeit a fairy tale punctuated with sometimes distressingly grim episodes of violence and poverty.

Still, upsets do happen. Four years ago, all the pundits (including this one) had "Brokeback Mountain" pegged for best picture. Instead, a left-field movie that had been kicking around for months surged from behind and "Crash"-ed the party. EW's Dave Karger makes his predictions

It could happen again, but this year "Slumdog" is -- or at least began as -- the left-field movie. The surprise came when American audiences embraced the energy and passion (the underdog spirit, if you will) of Boyle's film.

After all, this was a film that Warner Bros. almost consigned straight to DVD until Fox Searchlight stepped up and obtained U.S. theatrical rights. North American box office receipts will probably reach the $100 million mark soon, making the $15 million film easily the most profitable of the best picture contenders. ("Benjamin Button" has grossed more, but with a budget estimated at $150 million, it cost 10 times as much to make.)  Vote for your favorite nominees in major categories Â»

Best actor

The "Slumdog" wave won't affect the acting categories, not because the Academy struggles to recognize Indian excellence but because the lead roles in the film are split between three generations of young actors.

Similar considerations will weigh against Brad Pitt's chances for best actor, despite his outstanding performance as "Benjamin Button's" lead. No one seems entirely clear where Pitt leaves off and the makeup, the CGI and the four other actors credited with playing the part take over.

The pundits have decided that this category is a straight choice between Sean Penn ("Milk") and Mickey Rourke ("The Wrestler"), and although I wouldn't rule out Frank Langella for his strangely sympathetic portrait of the disgraced president in "Frost/Nixon," I have to agree that Penn and Rourke are both compelling choices, and either would be a worthy winner. Given the soft love the Academy has shown "The Wrestler" (two nominations) compared with "Milk" (eight, including best picture), Penn is the smart choice. But my heart goes with Rourke. Penn transforms himself to play Harvey Milk, but Rourke does something more difficult; he reveals himself.  Watch how Rourke made a comeback to get Oscar nomination Â»

Best actress

This category, like best actor, seems to come down to a choice between two: Meryl Streep (who overpowers the ethical uncertainties of "Doubt") and Kate Winslet (who contrives to make a mass murderer sexy and sympathetic in "The Reader"). These are two ostentatious, technically demanding performances of the kind that Oscar voters appreciate; Melissa Leo's understated naturalism in the little-seen "Frozen River" would stand at the opposite end of the spectrum, well out of the limelight.

It's astonishing that Streep -- by common consent our finest actress -- hasn't won an Academy Award since "Sophie's Choice" (1982), a losing streak that runs through 10 nominations (and counting). But at least she already has a couple of Oscars on her mantel, which is more than you can say for Kate Winslet, hoping it will be sixth-time lucky on Sunday. In this critic's opinion, she's been nominated for the wrong performance and the wrong film ("Revolutionary Road" would have been my choice), but I've had more arguments about "The Reader" than any of the other contenders this year, and I suspect that there is enough support out there for a Winslet win. iReport.com: iReporter sees Streep winning

Supporting actress

I think we'll see Penelope Cruz triumph for her fabulously funny bilingual artist in Woody Allen's "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." She's already won a BAFTA and an honor from the National Board of Review. But the Academy likes surprises in this category, and a first-time such as Taraji P. Henson could take it. iReport.com: Who do you think will win?

Supporting actor

The idea that Heath Ledger won't win for "The Dark Knight" is so unthinkable, I can only imagine mass walk-outs at the ceremony and riots breaking out across the country if it doesn't come to pass.

text: CNN

text: Greg

text: Cannom

text: Remember

text: that

text: name

text: The

text: late

text: Heath

text: Ledger

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: win

text: best

text: supporting

text: actor

text: for

text: playing

text: the

text: Joker

text: in

text: The

text: Dark

text: Knight

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: a

text: household

text: name

text: for

text: sure

text: But

text: this

text: two

text: time

text: Academy

text: Award

text: winner

text: for

text: Bram

text: Stoker

text: 's

text: Dracula

text: and

text: Mrs.

text: Doubtfire

text: is

text: the

text: red

text: hot

text: favorite

text: to

text: win

text: the

text: Oscar

text: in

text: the

text: best

text: makeup

text: category

text: for

text: his

text: work

text: taking

text: Brad

text: Pitt

text: from

text: decrepitude

text: to

text: infancy

text: in

text: The

text: Curious

text: Case

text: of

text: Benjamin

text: Button

text: His

text: colleagues

text: in

text: the

text: visual

text: effects

text: department

text: are

text: likely

text: to

text: join

text: him

text: along

text: with

text: the

text: art

text: direction

text: team

text: and

text: possibly

text: costume

text: designer

text: Jacqueline

text: West

text: taking

text: Button

text: 's

text: tally

text: to

text: four

text: awards

text: But

text: my

text: hunch

text: is

text: that

text: this

text: will

text: prove

text: the

text: outer

text: limit

text: of

text: the

text: Academy

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text: love

text: for

text: David

text: Fincher

text: 's

text: epic

text: Not

text: a

text: good

text: return

text: on

text: nominations

text: Watch

text: which

text: films

text: stars

text: are

text: up

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text: top

text: honors

text: Â

text: On

text: the

text: other

text: hand

text: I

text: predict

text: that

text: Slumdog

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text: will

text: reap

text: the

text: rewards

text: with

text: as

text: many

text: as

text: seven

text: Oscars

text: from

text: nominations

text: including

text: best

text: picture

text: and

text: best

text: director

text: for

text: Danny

text: Boyle

text: A

text: full

text: sweep

text: is

text: impossible

text: as

text: composer

text: A.R.

text: Rahman

text: has

text: been

text: nominated

text: against

text: himself

text: in

text: the

text: best

text: song

text: category

text: Slumdog

text: will

text: also

text: probably

text: miss

text: out

text: for

text: sound

text: editing

text: and

text: sound

text: mixing

text: two

text: categories

text: that

text: favor

text: big

text: budget

text: films

text: Watch

text: how

text: Slumdog

text: is

text: getting

text: mixed

text: reviews

text: in

text: India

text: Â

text: If

text: I

text: 'm

text: right

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: fairy

text: tale

text: ending

text: for

text: what

text: is

text: in

text: many

text: respects

text: a

text: fairy

text: tale

text: of

text: a

text: movie

text: albeit

text: a

text: fairy

text: tale

text: punctuated

text: with

text: sometimes

text: distressingly

text: grim

text: episodes

text: of

text: violence

text: and

text: poverty

text: Still

text: upsets

text: do

text: happen

text: Four

text: years

text: ago

text: all

text: the

text: pundits

text: including

text: this

text: one

text: had

text: Brokeback

text: Mountain

text: pegged

text: for

text: best

text: picture

text: Instead

text: a

text: left

text: field

text: movie

text: that

text: had

text: been

text: kicking

text: around

text: for

text: months

text: surged

text: from

text: behind

text: and

text: Crash

text: ed

text: the

text: party

text: EW

text: 's

text: Dave

text: Karger

text: makes

text: his

text: predictions

text: It

text: could

text: happen

text: again

text: but

text: this

text: year

text: Slumdog

text: is

text: or

text: at

text: least

text: began

text: as

text: the

text: left

text: field

text: movie

text: The

text: surprise

text: came

text: when

text: American

text: audiences

text: embraced

text: the

text: energy

text: and

text: passion

text: the

text: underdog

text: spirit

text: if

text: you

text: will

text: of

text: Boyle

text: 's

text: film

text: After

text: all

text: this

text: was

text: a

text: film

text: that

text: Warner

text: Bros.

text: almost

text: consigned

text: straight

text: to

text: DVD

text: until

text: Fox

text: Searchlight

text: stepped

text: up

text: and

text: obtained

text: U.S.

text: theatrical

text: rights

text: North

text: American

text: box

text: office

text: receipts

text: will

text: probably

text: reach

text: the

text: million

text: mark

text: soon

text: making

text: the

text: million

text: film

text: easily

text: the

text: most

text: profitable

text: of

text: the

text: best

text: picture

text: contenders

text: Benjamin

text: Button

text: has

text: grossed

text: more

text: but

text: with

text: a

text: budget

text: estimated

text: at

text: million

text: it

text: cost

text: times

text: as

text: much

text: to

text: make

text: Vote

text: for

text: your

text: favorite

text: nominees

text: in

text: major

text: categories

text: Â

text: Best

text: actor

text: The

text: Slumdog

text: wave

text: wo

text: n't

text: affect

text: the

text: acting

text: categories

text: not

text: because

text: the

text: Academy

text: struggles

text: to

text: recognize

text: Indian

text: excellence

text: but

text: because

text: the

text: lead

text: roles

text: in

text: the

text: film

text: are

text: split

text: between

text: three

text: generations

text: of

text: young

text: actors

text: Similar

text: considerations

text: will

text: weigh

text: against

text: Brad

text: Pitt

text: 's

text: chances

text: for

text: best

text: actor

text: despite

text: his

text: outstanding

text: performance

text: as

text: Benjamin

text: Button

text: 's

text: lead

text: No

text: one

text: seems

text: entirely

text: clear

text: where

text: Pitt

text: leaves

text: off

text: and

text: the

text: makeup

text: the

text: CGI

text: and

text: the

text: four

text: other

text: actors

text: credited

text: with

text: playing

text: the

text: part

text: take

text: over

text: The

text: pundits

text: have

text: decided

text: that

text: this

text: category

text: is

text: a

text: straight

text: choice

text: between

text: Sean

text: Penn

text: Milk

text: and

text: Mickey

text: Rourke

text: The

text: Wrestler

text: and

text: although

text: I

text: would

text: n't

text: rule

text: out

text: Frank

text: Langella

text: for

text: his

text: strangely

text: sympathetic

text: portrait

text: of

text: the

text: disgraced

text: president

text: in

text: Frost

text: Nixon

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: agree

text: that

text: Penn

text: and

text: Rourke

text: are

text: both

text: compelling

text: choices

text: and

text: either

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: worthy

text: winner

text: Given

text: the

text: soft

text: love

text: the

text: Academy

text: has

text: shown

text: The

text: Wrestler

text: two

text: nominations

text: compared

text: with

text: Milk

text: eight

text: including

text: best

text: picture

text: Penn

text: is

text: the

text: smart

text: choice

text: But

text: my

text: heart

text: goes

text: with

text: Rourke

text: Penn

text: transforms

text: himself

text: to

text: play

text: Harvey

text: Milk

text: but

text: Rourke

text: does

text: something

text: more

text: difficult

text: he

text: reveals

text: himself

text: Watch

text: how

text: Rourke

text: made

text: a

text: comeback

text: to

text: get

text: Oscar

text: nomination

text: Â

text: Best

text: actress

text: This

text: category

text: like

text: best

text: actor

text: seems

text: to

text: come

text: down

text: to

text: a

text: choice

text: between

text: two

text: Meryl

text: Streep

text: who

text: overpowers

text: the

text: ethical

text: uncertainties

text: of

text: Doubt

text: and

text: Kate

text: Winslet

text: who

text: contrives

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: mass

text: murderer

text: sexy

text: and

text: sympathetic

text: in

text: The

text: Reader

text: These

text: are

text: two

text: ostentatious

text: technically

text: demanding

text: performances

text: of

text: the

text: kind

text: that

text: Oscar

text: voters

text: appreciate

text: Melissa

text: Leo

text: 's

text: understated

text: naturalism

text: in

text: the

text: little

text: seen

text: Frozen

text: River

text: would

text: stand

text: at

text: the

text: opposite

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: spectrum

text: well

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: limelight

text: It

text: 's

text: astonishing

text: that

text: Streep

text: by

text: common

text: consent

text: our

text: finest

text: actress

text: has

text: n't

text: won

text: an

text: Academy

text: Award

text: since

text: Sophie

text: 's

text: Choice

text: a

text: losing

text: streak

text: that

text: runs

text: through

text: nominations

text: and

text: counting

text: But

text: at

text: least

text: she

text: already

text: has

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: Oscars

text: on

text: her

text: mantel

text: which

text: is

text: more

text: than

text: you

text: can

text: say

text: for

text: Kate

text: Winslet

text: hoping

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: sixth

text: time

text: lucky

text: on

text: Sunday

text: In

text: this

text: critic

text: 's

text: opinion

text: she

text: 's

text: been

text: nominated

text: for

text: the

text: wrong

text: performance

text: and

text: the

text: wrong

text: film

text: Revolutionary

text: Road

text: would

text: have

text: been

text: my

text: choice

text: but

text: I

text: 've

text: had

text: more

text: arguments

text: about

text: The

text: Reader

text: than

text: any

text: of

text: the

text: other

text: contenders

text: this

text: year

text: and

text: I

text: suspect

text: that

text: there

text: is

text: enough

text: support

text: out

text: there

text: for

text: a

text: Winslet

text: win

text: iReport.com

text: iReporter

text: sees

text: Streep

text: winning

text: Supporting

text: actress

text: I

text: think

text: we

text: 'll

text: see

text: Penelope

text: Cruz

text: triumph

text: for

text: her

text: fabulously

text: funny

text: bilingual

text: artist

text: in

text: Woody

text: Allen

text: 's

text: Vicky

text: Cristina

text: Barcelona

text: She

text: 's

text: already

text: won

text: a

text: BAFTA

text: and

text: an

text: honor

text: from

text: the

text: National

text: Board

text: of

text: Review

text: But

text: the

text: Academy

text: likes

text: surprises

text: in

text: this

text: category

text: and

text: a

text: first

text: time

text: such

text: as

text: Taraji

text: P.

text: Henson

text: could

text: take

text: it

text: iReport.com

text: Who

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: will

text: win

text: Supporting

text: actor

text: The

text: idea

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text: Heath

text: Ledger

text: wo

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text: win

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text: Dark

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text: is

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text: breaking

text: out

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text: the

text: country

text: if

text: it

text: does

text: n't

text: come

text: to

text: pass

question: Who is Mickey Rourke?

answer: ke ("The Wrestler"

text: ke ("The Wrestler"