text:
Mecca, Saudi Arabia (CNN)  -- The Hajj, an obligatory pilgrimage for Muslims, began this year on Wednesday with two twists: thinner crowds and heavy rain.

A rare rainstorm inundated pilgrims in the city of Mina, flooding tents and making conditions miserable for the 2.5 million pilgrims performing the ancient rituals, according to Isha Sesay, CNN's correspondent there.

The tents, where pilgrims plan to spend the night in prayer and contemplation, were leaking and flooding, giving rise to fears of disease, Sesay reported.

She said, however, that the several hours of rain was not likely to stop any of the pilgrims from performing the rituals.

"They've saved for years to get here," Sesay reported. "This is a blessing. They're not going to let rain get in the way."

iReporter witnesses heavy rain near his home

She said no incidents had been reported among the dimished number of pilgrims.

Officials said the swine flu could be keeping pilgrims from the fifth pillar of Islam, which requires devotees to journey to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

Saudi's Hajj Ministry said Wednesday that 40 percent fewer Saudi pilgrims are participating in the ancient rituals this year, largely due to fears of disease, though a greater number of international visitors had come.

"Concerns about the spread of H1N1 may have affected the turnout but we are confident of all measures in place to increase monitoring of cases and awareness about how one can protect himself or herself," said Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabbeeah, the Saudi health minister.

A teenager and three elderly people have died of the H1N1 flu virus at the Hajj.

The victims were a 17-year-old Nigerian female and a Sudanese man, an Indian man and a Moroccan woman who each were 75 years old.

Many of the 2 million pilgrims have been arriving days and weeks ahead of the Hajj, which coincides with flu season. The rituals of the five-day event began Wednesday.

But with fewer visitors, businesses are feeling the pinch this year.

Shopkeeper Fahmi al-Rashidi said he has slashed prices of the gold he sells in Mecca's Al-Ghaza market.

"Business is lower than last year," he said. "I think swine flu fears combined with high gold prices are turning people away from spending."

Another merchant, Fahd al-Qraishi, said a normal 20 percent profit has dropped to 5 percent.

Hajj observed in Second Life

The Hajj Ministry reported, however, a 17 percent increase in the number of international pilgrims, some of whom are enjoying discounted rates at hotels including the Hilton Makkah.

Then there was the real damper.

Mecca resident Khaled Nemary said he had not seen so much rain in a quarter-century.

And the forecast? Showers through Friday.

CNN's Amir Ahmed and Daniela Deane contributed to this report.

text: Mecca

text: Saudi

text: Arabia

text: CNN

text: The

text: Hajj

text: an

text: obligatory

text: pilgrimage

text: for

text: Muslims

text: began

text: this

text: year

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: with

text: two

text: twists

text: thinner

text: crowds

text: and

text: heavy

text: rain

text: A

text: rare

text: rainstorm

text: inundated

text: pilgrims

text: in

text: the

text: city

text: of

text: Mina

text: flooding

text: tents

text: and

text: making

text: conditions

text: miserable

text: for

text: the

text: million

text: pilgrims

text: performing

text: the

text: ancient

text: rituals

text: according

text: to

text: Isha

text: Sesay

text: CNN

text: 's

text: correspondent

text: there

text: The

text: tents

text: where

text: pilgrims

text: plan

text: to

text: spend

text: the

text: night

text: in

text: prayer

text: and

text: contemplation

text: were

text: leaking

text: and

text: flooding

text: giving

text: rise

text: to

text: fears

text: of

text: disease

text: Sesay

text: reported

text: She

text: said

text: however

text: that

text: the

text: several

text: hours

text: of

text: rain

text: was

text: not

text: likely

text: to

text: stop

text: any

text: of

text: the

text: pilgrims

text: from

text: performing

text: the

text: rituals

text: They

text: 've

text: saved

text: for

text: years

text: to

text: get

text: here

text: Sesay

text: reported

text: This

text: is

text: a

text: blessing

text: They

text: 're

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: let

text: rain

text: get

text: in

text: the

text: way

text: iReporter

text: witnesses

text: heavy

text: rain

text: near

text: his

text: home

text: She

text: said

text: no

text: incidents

text: had

text: been

text: reported

text: among

text: the

text: dimished

text: number

text: of

text: pilgrims

text: Officials

text: said

text: the

text: swine

text: flu

text: could

text: be

text: keeping

text: pilgrims

text: from

text: the

text: fifth

text: pillar

text: of

text: Islam

text: which

text: requires

text: devotees

text: to

text: journey

text: to

text: the

text: holy

text: city

text: of

text: Mecca

text: at

text: least

text: once

text: in

text: their

text: lifetime

text: Saudi

text: 's

text: Hajj

text: Ministry

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: percent

text: fewer

text: Saudi

text: pilgrims

text: are

text: participating

text: in

text: the

text: ancient

text: rituals

text: this

text: year

text: largely

text: due

text: to

text: fears

text: of

text: disease

text: though

text: a

text: greater

text: number

text: of

text: international

text: visitors

text: had

text: come

text: Concerns

text: about

text: the

text: spread

text: of

text: may

text: have

text: affected

text: the

text: turnout

text: but

text: we

text: are

text: confident

text: of

text: all

text: measures

text: in

text: place

text: to

text: increase

text: monitoring

text: of

text: cases

text: and

text: awareness

text: about

text: how

text: one

text: can

text: protect

text: himself

text: or

text: herself

text: said

text: Dr.

text: Abdullah

text: Al

text: Rabbeeah

text: the

text: Saudi

text: health

text: minister

text: A

text: teenager

text: and

text: three

text: elderly

text: people

text: have

text: died

text: of

text: the

text: flu

text: virus

text: at

text: the

text: Hajj

text: The

text: victims

text: were

text: a

text: old

text: Nigerian

text: female

text: and

text: a

text: Sudanese

text: man

text: an

text: Indian

text: man

text: and

text: a

text: Moroccan

text: woman

text: who

text: each

text: were

text: years

text: old

text: Many

text: of

text: the

text: million

text: pilgrims

text: have

text: been

text: arriving

text: days

text: and

text: weeks

text: ahead

text: of

text: the

text: Hajj

text: which

text: coincides

text: with

text: flu

text: season

text: The

text: rituals

text: of

text: the

text: five

text: day

text: event

text: began

text: Wednesday

text: But

text: with

text: fewer

text: visitors

text: businesses

text: are

text: feeling

text: the

text: pinch

text: this

text: year

text: Shopkeeper

text: Fahmi

text: al

text: Rashidi

text: said

text: he

text: has

text: slashed

text: prices

text: of

text: the

text: gold

text: he

text: sells

text: in

text: Mecca

text: 's

text: Al

text: Ghaza

text: market

text: Business

text: is

text: lower

text: than

text: last

text: year

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: swine

text: flu

text: fears

text: combined

text: with

text: high

text: gold

text: prices

text: are

text: turning

text: people

text: away

text: from

text: spending

text: Another

text: merchant

text: Fahd

text: al

text: Qraishi

text: said

text: a

text: normal

text: percent

text: profit

text: has

text: dropped

text: to

text: percent

text: Hajj

text: observed

text: in

text: Second

text: Life

text: The

text: Hajj

text: Ministry

text: reported

text: however

text: a

text: percent

text: increase

text: in

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: international

text: pilgrims

text: some

text: of

text: whom

text: are

text: enjoying

text: discounted

text: rates

text: at

text: hotels

text: including

text: the

text: Hilton

text: Makkah

text: Then

text: there

text: was

text: the

text: real

text: damper

text: Mecca

text: resident

text: Khaled

text: Nemary

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: not

text: seen

text: so

text: much

text: rain

text: in

text: a

text: quarter

text: century

text: And

text: the

text: forecast

text: Showers

text: through

text: Friday

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Amir

text: Ahmed

text: and

text: Daniela

text: Deane

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Where were the downpours?

answer: city of Mina,

text: city of Mina,

question: Did Pilgrims report any incidents?

answer: no

text: no

question: What incidents were reported ?

answer: leaking and flooding, giving rise to fears of disease,

text: leaking and flooding, giving rise to fears of disease,

question: What did the fewer Saudi pilgrims do?

answer: are participating in the ancient rituals this year,

text: are participating in the ancient rituals this year,

question: What percentage fewer Saudi pilgrams are there this year?

answer: 40 percent

text: 40 percent

question: What did the downpours flood?

answer: tents

text: tents


text:
Editor's Note: David Hawkins is Director of Public Policy and Research for the National Association for College Admission Counseling, a nonprofit organization that represents more than 11,000 high school counselors and college admission officers from across the country. He was the author of a report last month by the organization's commission on the use of standardized tests.

David Hawkins says test scores shouldn't be used to rank college quality

ARLINGTON, Virginia (CNN) -- A recent controversy at Baylor University has brought new attention to the widespread misuse of standardized college admission tests to rank the quality of America's colleges and universities.

The SAT and ACT have achieved nearly iconic status in America and throughout the world. As the late author and scholar Stephen Jay Gould noted, the tests are viewed by many as "abstruse and mysterious," with powerful effects on public policy, social mobility, and even individual identity.

Misuse of test scores as college ranking criteria creates undue pressure on admission offices to pursue increasingly high test scores and fuels the tests' disproportionate influence.

Last June, Baylor University encouraged its already admitted first-year students to retake the SAT. The reward for students who retook the test was $300 in bookstore credits. Students who increased their score by more than 50 points got a $1,000 merit aid scholarship. If enough students retook the SAT and increased their scores, the gains might be enough to move Baylor up the rankings list.

The scarce financial resources allocated for this plan are too badly needed elsewhere, particularly among low-income students in rural and urban areas around the country, to spend on an effort to raise a college's SAT profile. A Baylor spokesman told The Associated Press Thursday that the university "goofed" and would likely end the incentives.

It's critical to understand that high SAT and ACT scores alone do not equate to merit. Last month, our organization's Commission on the Use of Standardized Tests in Undergraduate Admission issued a report calling for change in the way everyone involved in college admissions uses the tests.

Test misuses feed the public perception that the scores are the most influential factor in college admission. For the past 15 years, National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) research has shown that students' grades in high school, particularly grades in college preparatory courses, are by far the most important consideration in college admission decisions.

One of the most pressing problems regarding the SAT and ACT scores is their misuse in the U.S. News and World Report college rankings formula.

The SAT and ACT were designed to provide information about a student to colleges and universities and were never meant to be measures of college quality. Accordingly, the commission encouraged U.S. News and World Report to eliminate test scores as a measure of institutional quality.

The U.S. News ranking formula includes a "student selectivity" score that constitutes 15 percent of a college's overall rank. SAT or ACT scores of enrollees make up 50 percent of the student selectivity score.

In response to the NACAC report, U.S. News and World Report said, "As long as standardized tests play an integral role in the college admissions process, U.S. News will use them as part of our ranking methodology."

The situation at Baylor is a reminder of the inflated value assigned to the SAT and ACT in higher education. The fervor surrounding the rankings, as well as the lengths to which colleges go to increase them, are unfortunate distractions in higher education and admissions.

The impression students and families get from the rankings is that higher test scores mean higher quality colleges. To borrow a phrase familiar to admission deans, many colleges recruit great students and then graduate great students. Is that because of the institution, or the students?

Some credit undoubtedly should go to both. But is a college of lower quality because its students' SAT scores are lower than those of students at another college?

Generally speaking, the ability of admission tests to predict success in higher education is much more limited than most people think. Colleges most often determine the utility of admission test scores by assessing how well they predict first-year grades.

Colleges are wrong to place so much emphasis on test scores as measurements of their institutional worth when admission offices across the board consider the scores to be one among many indicators of a student's merit.

As influential as the rankings have been with students and families, is it any wonder that colleges whose stakeholders often demand higher ranks go to such lengths to influence their position in the rankings?

Misuse of test scores has real ramifications for students and families. For every student able to afford test-performance tutoring and fees for taking the test many times, there are many qualified students from under-served backgrounds who become discouraged that they will be unable to compete.

For every college that raises its SAT or ACT profile for rankings purposes, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of qualified students who will never apply because artificially inflated test scores signal yet another barrier to higher education.

It is critical to re-evaluate the varied uses of admission tests, and protect against their misuse in all forms.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Hawkins.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: Note

text: David

text: Hawkins

text: is

text: Director

text: of

text: Public

text: Policy

text: and

text: Research

text: for

text: the

text: National

text: Association

text: for

text: College

text: Admission

text: Counseling

text: a

text: nonprofit

text: organization

text: that

text: represents

text: more

text: than

text: high

text: school

text: counselors

text: and

text: college

text: admission

text: officers

text: from

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: He

text: was

text: the

text: author

text: of

text: a

text: report

text: last

text: month

text: by

text: the

text: organization

text: 's

text: commission

text: on

text: the

text: use

text: of

text: standardized

text: tests

text: David

text: Hawkins

text: says

text: test

text: scores

text: should

text: n't

text: be

text: used

text: to

text: rank

text: college

text: quality

text: ARLINGTON

text: Virginia

text: CNN

text: A

text: recent

text: controversy

text: at

text: Baylor

text: University

text: has

text: brought

text: new

text: attention

text: to

text: the

text: widespread

text: misuse

text: of

text: standardized

text: college

text: admission

text: tests

text: to

text: rank

text: the

text: quality

text: of

text: America

text: 's

text: colleges

text: and

text: universities

text: The

text: SAT

text: and

text: ACT

text: have

text: achieved

text: nearly

text: iconic

text: status

text: in

text: America

text: and

text: throughout

text: the

text: world

text: As

text: the

text: late

text: author

text: and

text: scholar

text: Stephen

text: Jay

text: Gould

text: noted

text: the

text: tests

text: are

text: viewed

text: by

text: many

text: as

text: abstruse

text: and

text: mysterious

text: with

text: powerful

text: effects

text: on

text: public

text: policy

text: social

text: mobility

text: and

text: even

text: individual

text: identity

text: Misuse

text: of

text: test

text: scores

text: as

text: college

text: ranking

text: criteria

text: creates

text: undue

text: pressure

text: on

text: admission

text: offices

text: to

text: pursue

text: increasingly

text: high

text: test

text: scores

text: and

text: fuels

text: the

text: tests

text: disproportionate

text: influence

text: Last

text: June

text: Baylor

text: University

text: encouraged

text: its

text: already

text: admitted

text: first

text: year

text: students

text: to

text: retake

text: the

text: SAT

text: The

text: reward

text: for

text: students

text: who

text: retook

text: the

text: test

text: was

text: in

text: bookstore

text: credits

text: Students

text: who

text: increased

text: their

text: score

text: by

text: more

text: than

text: points

text: got

text: a

text: merit

text: aid

text: scholarship

text: If

text: enough

text: students

text: retook

text: the

text: SAT

text: and

text: increased

text: their

text: scores

text: the

text: gains

text: might

text: be

text: enough

text: to

text: move

text: Baylor

text: up

text: the

text: rankings

text: list

text: The

text: scarce

text: financial

text: resources

text: allocated

text: for

text: this

text: plan

text: are

text: too

text: badly

text: needed

text: elsewhere

text: particularly

text: among

text: low

text: income

text: students

text: in

text: rural

text: and

text: urban

text: areas

text: around

text: the

text: country

text: to

text: spend

text: on

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: raise

text: a

text: college

text: 's

text: SAT

text: profile

text: A

text: Baylor

text: spokesman

text: told

text: The

text: Associated

text: Press

text: Thursday

text: that

text: the

text: university

text: goofed

text: and

text: would

text: likely

text: end

text: the

text: incentives

text: It

text: 's

text: critical

text: to

text: understand

text: that

text: high

text: SAT

text: and

text: ACT

text: scores

text: alone

text: do

text: not

text: equate

text: to

text: merit

text: Last

text: month

text: our

text: organization

text: 's

text: Commission

text: on

text: the

text: Use

text: of

text: Standardized

text: Tests

text: in

text: Undergraduate

text: Admission

text: issued

text: a

text: report

text: calling

text: for

text: change

text: in

text: the

text: way

text: everyone

text: involved

text: in

text: college

text: admissions

text: uses

text: the

text: tests

text: Test

text: misuses

text: feed

text: the

text: public

text: perception

text: that

text: the

text: scores

text: are

text: the

text: most

text: influential

text: factor

text: in

text: college

text: admission

text: For

text: the

text: past

text: years

text: National

text: Association

text: for

text: College

text: Admission

text: Counseling

text: NACAC

text: research

text: has

text: shown

text: that

text: students

text: grades

text: in

text: high

text: school

text: particularly

text: grades

text: in

text: college

text: preparatory

text: courses

text: are

text: by

text: far

text: the

text: most

text: important

text: consideration

text: in

text: college

text: admission

text: decisions

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: pressing

text: problems

text: regarding

text: the

text: SAT

text: and

text: ACT

text: scores

text: is

text: their

text: misuse

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: News

text: and

text: World

text: Report

text: college

text: rankings

text: formula

text: The

text: SAT

text: and

text: ACT

text: were

text: designed

text: to

text: provide

text: information

text: about

text: a

text: student

text: to

text: colleges

text: and

text: universities

text: and

text: were

text: never

text: meant

text: to

text: be

text: measures

text: of

text: college

text: quality

text: Accordingly

text: the

text: commission

text: encouraged

text: U.S.

text: News

text: and

text: World

text: Report

text: to

text: eliminate

text: test

text: scores

text: as

text: a

text: measure

text: of

text: institutional

text: quality

text: The

text: U.S.

text: News

text: ranking

text: formula

text: includes

text: a

text: student

text: selectivity

text: score

text: that

text: constitutes

text: percent

text: of

text: a

text: college

text: 's

text: overall

text: rank

text: SAT

text: or

text: ACT

text: scores

text: of

text: enrollees

text: make

text: up

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: student

text: selectivity

text: score

text: In

text: response

text: to

text: the

text: NACAC

text: report

text: U.S.

text: News

text: and

text: World

text: Report

text: said

text: As

text: long

text: as

text: standardized

text: tests

text: play

text: an

text: integral

text: role

text: in

text: the

text: college

text: admissions

text: process

text: U.S.

text: News

text: will

text: use

text: them

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: our

text: ranking

text: methodology

text: The

text: situation

text: at

text: Baylor

text: is

text: a

text: reminder

text: of

text: the

text: inflated

text: value

text: assigned

text: to

text: the

text: SAT

text: and

text: ACT

text: in

text: higher

text: education

text: The

text: fervor

text: surrounding

text: the

text: rankings

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: the

text: lengths

text: to

text: which

text: colleges

text: go

text: to

text: increase

text: them

text: are

text: unfortunate

text: distractions

text: in

text: higher

text: education

text: and

text: admissions

text: The

text: impression

text: students

text: and

text: families

text: get

text: from

text: the

text: rankings

text: is

text: that

text: higher

text: test

text: scores

text: mean

text: higher

text: quality

text: colleges

text: To

text: borrow

text: a

text: phrase

text: familiar

text: to

text: admission

text: deans

text: many

text: colleges

text: recruit

text: great

text: students

text: and

text: then

text: graduate

text: great

text: students

text: Is

text: that

text: because

text: of

text: the

text: institution

text: or

text: the

text: students

text: Some

text: credit

text: undoubtedly

text: should

text: go

text: to

text: both

text: But

text: is

text: a

text: college

text: of

text: lower

text: quality

text: because

text: its

text: students

text: SAT

text: scores

text: are

text: lower

text: than

text: those

text: of

text: students

text: at

text: another

text: college

text: Generally

text: speaking

text: the

text: ability

text: of

text: admission

text: tests

text: to

text: predict

text: success

text: in

text: higher

text: education

text: is

text: much

text: more

text: limited

text: than

text: most

text: people

text: think

text: Colleges

text: most

text: often

text: determine

text: the

text: utility

text: of

text: admission

text: test

text: scores

text: by

text: assessing

text: how

text: well

text: they

text: predict

text: first

text: year

text: grades

text: Colleges

text: are

text: wrong

text: to

text: place

text: so

text: much

text: emphasis

text: on

text: test

text: scores

text: as

text: measurements

text: of

text: their

text: institutional

text: worth

text: when

text: admission

text: offices

text: across

text: the

text: board

text: consider

text: the

text: scores

text: to

text: be

text: one

text: among

text: many

text: indicators

text: of

text: a

text: student

text: 's

text: merit

text: As

text: influential

text: as

text: the

text: rankings

text: have

text: been

text: with

text: students

text: and

text: families

text: is

text: it

text: any

text: wonder

text: that

text: colleges

text: whose

text: stakeholders

text: often

text: demand

text: higher

text: ranks

text: go

text: to

text: such

text: lengths

text: to

text: influence

text: their

text: position

text: in

text: the

text: rankings

text: Misuse

text: of

text: test

text: scores

text: has

text: real

text: ramifications

text: for

text: students

text: and

text: families

text: For

text: every

text: student

text: able

text: to

text: afford

text: test

text: performance

text: tutoring

text: and

text: fees

text: for

text: taking

text: the

text: test

text: many

text: times

text: there

text: are

text: many

text: qualified

text: students

text: from

text: under

text: served

text: backgrounds

text: who

text: become

text: discouraged

text: that

text: they

text: will

text: be

text: unable

text: to

text: compete

text: For

text: every

text: college

text: that

text: raises

text: its

text: SAT

text: or

text: ACT

text: profile

text: for

text: rankings

text: purposes

text: there

text: are

text: hundreds

text: if

text: not

text: thousands

text: of

text: qualified

text: students

text: who

text: will

text: never

text: apply

text: because

text: artificially

text: inflated

text: test

text: scores

text: signal

text: yet

text: another

text: barrier

text: to

text: higher

text: education

text: It

text: is

text: critical

text: to

text: re

text: evaluate

text: the

text: varied

text: uses

text: of

text: admission

text: tests

text: and

text: protect

text: against

text: their

text: misuse

text: in

text: all

text: forms

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: David

text: Hawkins

question: what about the importance of grades

answer: in college preparatory courses, are by far the most important consideration in college admission decisions.

text: in college preparatory courses, are by far the most important consideration in college admission decisions.

question: what did hawkins say

answer: test scores shouldn't be used to rank college quality

text: test scores shouldn't be used to rank college quality


text:
(CNN)  -- The head of Pakistan's ruling coalition announced Thursday that the government will move to impeach President Pervez Musharraf.

President Pervez Musharraf took control of Pakistan in a military coup in 1999.

"The coalition reaffirmed the resolve of democracy and democratic forces will work jointly to make a transition to genuine democracy," the head of Pakistan People's Party Asif Ali Zardari said, reading a joint communique with his coalition partners.

Before pursuing impeachment proceedings, Pakistani lawmakers will demand Musharraf take a vote of confidence in the newly elected parliament, which he had vowed to do last year, Zardari said.

"The people of Pakistan gave a clear mandate in favor of democracy and democratic forces and voted for the change to oust Gen. Musharraf by defeating his ... party," Zardari added.

"In spite of his clear commitment that if his party was defeated in the election he would resign, he continues to cling to the office of the president."  Watch an expert talk about the impact of a possible impeachment Â»

If Musharraf does not request a vote of confidence, the National Assembly will meet on Monday to consider impeachment proceedings, PPP spokesman Capt. Wasif Syed told CNN. Speaking a short time before Thursday's announcement, Syed said there are enough votes in parliament right now to impeach the president.

But Musharraf may still have one card up his sleeve: he could move to dissolve parliament and dismiss the prime minister.

Amid the political upheaval, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani will replace Musharraf at the opening ceremony of the Olympics on Friday in Beijing, Pakistan's state-run news agency reported.

Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 bloodless military coup, has seen his power erode significantly since he stepped down as the country's military ruler last year and since the opposition parties' victory in February's parliamentary elections.

The new civilian government is under a lot of pressure to control Taliban and al Qaeda militants in its tribal region along the Afghan border. The CIA recently accused Pakistan's intelligence service of providing support for the militants who bombed India's embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan last month.

Fighting on Thursday between Pakistani paramilitary troops and Taliban forces killed 25 Taliban and five soldiers along the Afghan border, an army spokesman told CNN.

Asked about the situation, Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmad -- an Islamabad-based political analyst -- told CNN on Wednesday that he believes Musharraf "will fight back" against any attempt to remove him from power.

"Before they impeach the president, he might pre-empt them by using article 58(2b)," he said, referring to the constitutional article that gives the president power to dissolve parliament and dismiss the prime minister.

Ahmad, a professor of international relations at Islamabad's Quaid-i-Azam University, said any attempt to remove Musharraf would be a "next to an impossible task" because the president still has support.

"The army doesn't want him to be eliminated. The Americans are still favoring him," he noted.

CNN's Reza Sayah contributed to this report

text: CNN

text: The

text: head

text: of

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: ruling

text: coalition

text: announced

text: Thursday

text: that

text: the

text: government

text: will

text: move

text: to

text: impeach

text: President

text: Pervez

text: Musharraf

text: President

text: Pervez

text: Musharraf

text: took

text: control

text: of

text: Pakistan

text: in

text: a

text: military

text: coup

text: in

text: The

text: coalition

text: reaffirmed

text: the

text: resolve

text: of

text: democracy

text: and

text: democratic

text: forces

text: will

text: work

text: jointly

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: transition

text: to

text: genuine

text: democracy

text: the

text: head

text: of

text: Pakistan

text: People

text: 's

text: Party

text: Asif

text: Ali

text: Zardari

text: said

text: reading

text: a

text: joint

text: communique

text: with

text: his

text: coalition

text: partners

text: Before

text: pursuing

text: impeachment

text: proceedings

text: Pakistani

text: lawmakers

text: will

text: demand

text: Musharraf

text: take

text: a

text: vote

text: of

text: confidence

text: in

text: the

text: newly

text: elected

text: parliament

text: which

text: he

text: had

text: vowed

text: to

text: do

text: last

text: year

text: Zardari

text: said

text: The

text: people

text: of

text: Pakistan

text: gave

text: a

text: clear

text: mandate

text: in

text: favor

text: of

text: democracy

text: and

text: democratic

text: forces

text: and

text: voted

text: for

text: the

text: change

text: to

text: oust

text: Gen.

text: Musharraf

text: by

text: defeating

text: his

text: party

text: Zardari

text: added

text: In

text: spite

text: of

text: his

text: clear

text: commitment

text: that

text: if

text: his

text: party

text: was

text: defeated

text: in

text: the

text: election

text: he

text: would

text: resign

text: he

text: continues

text: to

text: cling

text: to

text: the

text: office

text: of

text: the

text: president

text: Watch

text: an

text: expert

text: talk

text: about

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: a

text: possible

text: impeachment

text: Â

text: If

text: Musharraf

text: does

text: not

text: request

text: a

text: vote

text: of

text: confidence

text: the

text: National

text: Assembly

text: will

text: meet

text: on

text: Monday

text: to

text: consider

text: impeachment

text: proceedings

text: PPP

text: spokesman

text: Capt

text: Wasif

text: Syed

text: told

text: CNN

text: Speaking

text: a

text: short

text: time

text: before

text: Thursday

text: 's

text: announcement

text: Syed

text: said

text: there

text: are

text: enough

text: votes

text: in

text: parliament

text: right

text: now

text: to

text: impeach

text: the

text: president

text: But

text: Musharraf

text: may

text: still

text: have

text: one

text: card

text: up

text: his

text: sleeve

text: he

text: could

text: move

text: to

text: dissolve

text: parliament

text: and

text: dismiss

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: Amid

text: the

text: political

text: upheaval

text: Prime

text: Minister

text: Yousaf

text: Raza

text: Gilani

text: will

text: replace

text: Musharraf

text: at

text: the

text: opening

text: ceremony

text: of

text: the

text: Olympics

text: on

text: Friday

text: in

text: Beijing

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: state

text: run

text: news

text: agency

text: reported

text: Musharraf

text: who

text: seized

text: power

text: in

text: a

text: bloodless

text: military

text: coup

text: has

text: seen

text: his

text: power

text: erode

text: significantly

text: since

text: he

text: stepped

text: down

text: as

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: military

text: ruler

text: last

text: year

text: and

text: since

text: the

text: opposition

text: parties

text: victory

text: in

text: February

text: 's

text: parliamentary

text: elections

text: The

text: new

text: civilian

text: government

text: is

text: under

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: pressure

text: to

text: control

text: Taliban

text: and

text: al

text: Qaeda

text: militants

text: in

text: its

text: tribal

text: region

text: along

text: the

text: Afghan

text: border

text: The

text: CIA

text: recently

text: accused

text: Pakistan

text: 's

text: intelligence

text: service

text: of

text: providing

text: support

text: for

text: the

text: militants

text: who

text: bombed

text: India

text: 's

text: embassy

text: in

text: Kabul

text: Afghanistan

text: last

text: month

text: Fighting

text: on

text: Thursday

text: between

text: Pakistani

text: paramilitary

text: troops

text: and

text: Taliban

text: forces

text: killed

text: Taliban

text: and

text: five

text: soldiers

text: along

text: the

text: Afghan

text: border

text: an

text: army

text: spokesman

text: told

text: CNN

text: Asked

text: about

text: the

text: situation

text: Dr.

text: Ishtiaq

text: Ahmad

text: an

text: Islamabad

text: based

text: political

text: analyst

text: told

text: CNN

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: he

text: believes

text: Musharraf

text: will

text: fight

text: back

text: against

text: any

text: attempt

text: to

text: remove

text: him

text: from

text: power

text: Before

text: they

text: impeach

text: the

text: president

text: he

text: might

text: pre

text: empt

text: them

text: by

text: using

text: article

text: he

text: said

text: referring

text: to

text: the

text: constitutional

text: article

text: that

text: gives

text: the

text: president

text: power

text: to

text: dissolve

text: parliament

text: and

text: dismiss

text: the

text: prime

text: minister

text: Ahmad

text: a

text: professor

text: of

text: international

text: relations

text: at

text: Islamabad

text: 's

text: Quaid

text: i

text: Azam

text: University

text: said

text: any

text: attempt

text: to

text: remove

text: Musharraf

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: next

text: to

text: an

text: impossible

text: task

text: because

text: the

text: president

text: still

text: has

text: support

text: The

text: army

text: does

text: n't

text: want

text: him

text: to

text: be

text: eliminated

text: The

text: Americans

text: are

text: still

text: favoring

text: him

text: he

text: noted

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Reza

text: Sayah

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who does Pakistan move to impeach?

answer: President Pervez Musharraf.

text: President Pervez Musharraf.

question: What year of military coup did Musharraf seize power in?

answer: 1999.

question: Who will be impeached?

answer: President Pervez Musharraf.

text: President Pervez Musharraf.

question: Who will the Pakistan government impeach?

answer: President Pervez Musharraf.

text: President Pervez Musharraf.

question: When did Musharraf seize power?

answer: 1999.

question: Who will replace Musharraf at the Olympic opening?

answer: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani

text: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani

question: What will Musharraf do?

answer: "will fight back"

text: "will fight back"

question: Who is being impeached?

answer: President Pervez Musharraf.

text: President Pervez Musharraf.

question: Who will replace Musharraf?

answer: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani

text: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani

question: Who is involved?

answer: Pakistan's ruling coalition

text: Pakistan's ruling coalition

question: What is the political move?

answer: impeach President Pervez Musharraf.

text: impeach President Pervez Musharraf.


text:
Editor's Note: This story details how two members of the CNN Special Investigations Unit reported a story about controversial plans to spend $31 million to enhance two remote crossings on the border between the United States and Canada.

The road to the border was so quiet it was safe for Drew Griffin to sit in the middle of it.

SCOBEY, Montana (CNN) -- We were driving through some of the most remote country in the United States, chasing a story that seemed hard to believe.

The Department of Homeland Security had announced it was spending $31 million to enhance and upgrade two remote border crossings -- just 12 miles apart -- on the border between Montana and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. The spending was lauded by Montana's two senators, even though only an average of 22 cars a day traveled through these border posts.

We hopped a plane from Atlanta, Georgia, to Billings, Montana, and then headed to Scobey and Whitetail. The six-hour drive took us through some of this nation's most beautiful country into the high plains of the Missouri River Region. It was a drive punctuated with glimpses of cows and antelopes, but few people.

In fact, Burl Bowler, editor of the Daniels County Leader newspaper, which serves the border towns, advised us where to stop for gas en route, so we wouldn't run out and then really be in trouble.

Besides seeing a part of the country where Lt. Col. George Custer took his last stand, there was the added benefit (sorry CNN management) of having no phone or Blackberry access. In that respect, it was a peaceful drive.

When we got to Scobey, the few people we encountered couldn't have been nicer. Everyone we passed stopped, said hello, or waved. But encountering people was the problem -- and in fact, the story: We just didn't encounter that many. Certainly not at the border, where we stood and even sat in the middle of the road to show viewers how few people travel to and from Canada here.  Watch just how quiet the border crossing was Â»

The Scobey border crossing itself seemed perfectly adequate. But the Department of Homeland Security had warned its agents not to allow us inside, so we don't know what the interior is like. If we came in, we would be too disruptive, one government spokesman had informed us. In Scobey, that claim seemed a little far-fetched, since there wasn't anything going on here -- disruptive or otherwise.

On the Canadian side, farmer Marc Chabot, a U.S. citizen whose family has farmed the area on both sides of the border for generations, said he was grateful for the money his senators -- Democrats Max Baucus and Jon Tester -- steered to northeast Montana. But, he said, like others in the community, he gasped when he learned of the plan to spend $31 million expanding two border crossings that are rarely used.

"It would be wiser spent on something more useful to the public generally," he told us, adding that come winter, the average of 20 cars crossing a day in Scobey drops to almost none.

Editor Burl Bowler told us the area could certainly use stimulus money for jobs, but not at the border. We asked both Bowler and Chabot about the possibility of terrorists creeping across the frontier.

Both said that after the attacks of September 11, 2001, everyone needed to be more mindful of the porous border. But Chabot said the government had the area fairly well covered. "Trust me, they know we are here right now," he said.

And a massive new building costing more than $15 million in Scobey, Montana, wasn't exactly a deterrence to someone set on harming the United States, he added. Chabot joked that any stranger in the area certainly would not be a stranger long, since everyone knew everyone -- a point echoed by Bowler, who pointed out that while he hadn't told many people that CNN was coming to town, everyone seemed to know it anyway.

In Whitetail, it was even quieter. The town has grain elevators and a post office. Bureau of Transportation statistics show only about two people a day cross the border there, and the agents' building seemed in good shape, save for maybe needing a paint job.

The DHS planned to spend $15 million on the outpost. That would buy a lot more paint than the building seemed to need. So why did these two areas get so much money? Locals and critics suspect politics might have played a role.

Baucus is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee; Tester is on the Senate's Homeland Security Committee. Both took credit for convincing the DHS to give these towns millions for border crossings, bragging in a joint press release that they pressured the agency.

"This is good news for all of Montana and especially communities across the northern tier," Baucus said in the statement. Tester said the spending would "pay off for generations to come by creating new jobs and opportunity that will benefit all of Montana." As late as Wednesday, his spokesman reiterated Tester's support of the spending, saying that it would seal security gaps on the border.

So, the nagging question: Did politics, rather than security, guide the DHS? Especially when a border town like Laredo, Texas, which sees 66,000 crossings a day, was getting not one dime of the $400 million in DHS border stimulus funds. Montana, in total, was to receive $77 million.

In an interview Wednesday with CNN, Trent Frazier, the director of port modernization for the Department of Homeland Security, denied that politics played any role.

"We feel that these ports, like all ports of entry, are a vital part of the network of security that we have established across the border apparatus that we employ across the borders, and the investments we are going to do along these borders are a critical step in ensuring we can perform our mission," Frazier said.

But if Frazier did not believe politics factored in the decisions, it appeared to play a big role by Wednesday afternoon. Fellow Democrat Sen. Byron Dorgan, from the neighboring state of North Dakota, sent out a news release urging DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to suspend the stimulus program. He said that spending the money on such remote ports -- including the nine in his state -- was "just nuts." Dorgan said the plan "just defied common sense."

Within hours, Napolitano announced she was ordering a 30-day review to see if the money was being spent appropriately. In her letter to Dorgan, Napolitano said 39 of the 43 Custom and Border Protection posts were located in the northern United States. She said most of the Southern ports were owned by the General Services Administration, and the money directed by Congress was earmarked for the Custom and Border Protection properties and required to be spent within 24 months.

"Nonetheless," she wrote, "in order to ensure even further transparency in this process, I am ordering a 30 day review" of all port construction decisions by officials who did not make the initial allocation decisions.

So, for now, if you want to travel to Canada through Scobey or Whitetail, the agents who inspect your vehicles will be using the buildings now in place -- and according to the locals, you will be adequately served.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: Note

text: This

text: story

text: details

text: how

text: two

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: CNN

text: Special

text: Investigations

text: Unit

text: reported

text: a

text: story

text: about

text: controversial

text: plans

text: to

text: spend

text: million

text: to

text: enhance

text: two

text: remote

text: crossings

text: on

text: the

text: border

text: between

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Canada

text: The

text: road

text: to

text: the

text: border

text: was

text: so

text: quiet

text: it

text: was

text: safe

text: for

text: Drew

text: Griffin

text: to

text: sit

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: it

text: SCOBEY

text: Montana

text: CNN

text: We

text: were

text: driving

text: through

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: remote

text: country

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: chasing

text: a

text: story

text: that

text: seemed

text: hard

text: to

text: believe

text: The

text: Department

text: of

text: Homeland

text: Security

text: had

text: announced

text: it

text: was

text: spending

text: million

text: to

text: enhance

text: and

text: upgrade

text: two

text: remote

text: border

text: crossings

text: just

text: miles

text: apart

text: on

text: the

text: border

text: between

text: Montana

text: and

text: the

text: Canadian

text: province

text: of

text: Saskatchewan

text: The

text: spending

text: was

text: lauded

text: by

text: Montana

text: 's

text: two

text: senators

text: even

text: though

text: only

text: an

text: average

text: of

text: cars

text: a

text: day

text: traveled

text: through

text: these

text: border

text: posts

text: We

text: hopped

text: a

text: plane

text: from

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: to

text: Billings

text: Montana

text: and

text: then

text: headed

text: to

text: Scobey

text: and

text: Whitetail

text: The

text: six

text: hour

text: drive

text: took

text: us

text: through

text: some

text: of

text: this

text: nation

text: 's

text: most

text: beautiful

text: country

text: into

text: the

text: high

text: plains

text: of

text: the

text: Missouri

text: River

text: Region

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: drive

text: punctuated

text: with

text: glimpses

text: of

text: cows

text: and

text: antelopes

text: but

text: few

text: people

text: In

text: fact

text: Burl

text: Bowler

text: editor

text: of

text: the

text: Daniels

text: County

text: Leader

text: newspaper

text: which

text: serves

text: the

text: border

text: towns

text: advised

text: us

text: where

text: to

text: stop

text: for

text: gas

text: en

text: route

text: so

text: we

text: would

text: n't

text: run

text: out

text: and

text: then

text: really

text: be

text: in

text: trouble

text: Besides

text: seeing

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: where

text: Lt

text: Col

text: George

text: Custer

text: took

text: his

text: last

text: stand

text: there

text: was

text: the

text: added

text: benefit

text: sorry

text: CNN

text: management

text: of

text: having

text: no

text: phone

text: or

text: Blackberry

text: access

text: In

text: that

text: respect

text: it

text: was

text: a

text: peaceful

text: drive

text: When

text: we

text: got

text: to

text: Scobey

text: the

text: few

text: people

text: we

text: encountered

text: could

text: n't

text: have

text: been

text: nicer

text: Everyone

text: we

text: passed

text: stopped

text: said

text: hello

text: or

text: waved

text: But

text: encountering

text: people

text: was

text: the

text: problem

text: and

text: in

text: fact

text: the

text: story

text: We

text: just

text: did

text: n't

text: encounter

text: that

text: many

text: Certainly

text: not

text: at

text: the

text: border

text: where

text: we

text: stood

text: and

text: even

text: sat

text: in

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: the

text: road

text: to

text: show

text: viewers

text: how

text: few

text: people

text: travel

text: to

text: and

text: from

text: Canada

text: here

text: Watch

text: just

text: how

text: quiet

text: the

text: border

text: crossing

text: was

text: Â

text: The

text: Scobey

text: border

text: crossing

text: itself

text: seemed

text: perfectly

text: adequate

text: But

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Homeland

text: Security

text: had

text: warned

text: its

text: agents

text: not

text: to

text: allow

text: us

text: inside

text: so

text: we

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: the

text: interior

text: is

text: like

text: If

text: we

text: came

text: in

text: we

text: would

text: be

text: too

text: disruptive

text: one

text: government

text: spokesman

text: had

text: informed

text: us

text: In

text: Scobey

text: that

text: claim

text: seemed

text: a

text: little

text: far

text: fetched

text: since

text: there

text: was

text: n't

text: anything

text: going

text: on

text: here

text: disruptive

text: or

text: otherwise

text: On

text: the

text: Canadian

text: side

text: farmer

text: Marc

text: Chabot

text: a

text: U.S.

text: citizen

text: whose

text: family

text: has

text: farmed

text: the

text: area

text: on

text: both

text: sides

text: of

text: the

text: border

text: for

text: generations

text: said

text: he

text: was

text: grateful

text: for

text: the

text: money

text: his

text: senators

text: Democrats

text: Max

text: Baucus

text: and

text: Jon

text: Tester

text: steered

text: to

text: northeast

text: Montana

text: But

text: he

text: said

text: like

text: others

text: in

text: the

text: community

text: he

text: gasped

text: when

text: he

text: learned

text: of

text: the

text: plan

text: to

text: spend

text: million

text: expanding

text: two

text: border

text: crossings

text: that

text: are

text: rarely

text: used

text: It

text: would

text: be

text: wiser

text: spent

text: on

text: something

text: more

text: useful

text: to

text: the

text: public

text: generally

text: he

text: told

text: us

text: adding

text: that

text: come

text: winter

text: the

text: average

text: of

text: cars

text: crossing

text: a

text: day

text: in

text: Scobey

text: drops

text: to

text: almost

text: Editor

text: Burl

text: Bowler

text: told

text: us

text: the

text: area

text: could

text: certainly

text: use

text: stimulus

text: money

text: for

text: jobs

text: but

text: not

text: at

text: the

text: border

text: We

text: asked

text: both

text: Bowler

text: and

text: Chabot

text: about

text: the

text: possibility

text: of

text: terrorists

text: creeping

text: across

text: the

text: frontier

text: Both

text: said

text: that

text: after

text: the

text: attacks

text: of

text: September

text: everyone

text: needed

text: to

text: be

text: more

text: mindful

text: of

text: the

text: porous

text: border

text: But

text: Chabot

text: said

text: the

text: government

text: had

text: the

text: area

text: fairly

text: well

text: covered

text: Trust

text: me

text: they

text: know

text: we

text: are

text: here

text: right

text: now

text: he

text: said

text: And

text: a

text: massive

text: new

text: building

text: costing

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: in

text: Scobey

text: Montana

text: was

text: n't

text: exactly

text: a

text: deterrence

text: to

text: someone

text: set

text: on

text: harming

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: he

text: added

text: Chabot

text: joked

text: that

text: any

text: stranger

text: in

text: the

text: area

text: certainly

text: would

text: not

text: be

text: a

text: stranger

text: long

text: since

text: everyone

text: knew

text: everyone

text: a

text: point

text: echoed

text: by

text: Bowler

text: who

text: pointed

text: out

text: that

text: while

text: he

text: had

text: n't

text: told

text: many

text: people

text: that

text: CNN

text: was

text: coming

text: to

text: town

text: everyone

text: seemed

text: to

text: know

text: it

text: anyway

text: In

text: Whitetail

text: it

text: was

text: even

text: quieter

text: The

text: town

text: has

text: grain

text: elevators

text: and

text: a

text: post

text: office

text: Bureau

text: of

text: Transportation

text: statistics

text: show

text: only

text: about

text: two

text: people

text: a

text: day

text: cross

text: the

text: border

text: there

text: and

text: the

text: agents

text: building

text: seemed

text: in

text: good

text: shape

text: save

text: for

text: maybe

text: needing

text: a

text: paint

text: job

text: The

text: DHS

text: planned

text: to

text: spend

text: million

text: on

text: the

text: outpost

text: That

text: would

text: buy

text: a

text: lot

text: more

text: paint

text: than

text: the

text: building

text: seemed

text: to

text: need

text: So

text: why

text: did

text: these

text: two

text: areas

text: get

text: so

text: much

text: money

text: Locals

text: and

text: critics

text: suspect

text: politics

text: might

text: have

text: played

text: a

text: role

text: Baucus

text: is

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: Senate

text: Finance

text: Committee

text: Tester

text: is

text: on

text: the

text: Senate

text: 's

text: Homeland

text: Security

text: Committee

text: Both

text: took

text: credit

text: for

text: convincing

text: the

text: DHS

text: to

text: give

text: these

text: towns

text: millions

text: for

text: border

text: crossings

text: bragging

text: in

text: a

text: joint

text: press

text: release

text: that

text: they

text: pressured

text: the

text: agency

text: This

text: is

text: good

text: news

text: for

text: all

text: of

text: Montana

text: and

text: especially

text: communities

text: across

text: the

text: northern

text: tier

text: Baucus

text: said

text: in

text: the

text: statement

text: Tester

text: said

text: the

text: spending

text: would

text: pay

text: off

text: for

text: generations

text: to

text: come

text: by

text: creating

text: new

text: jobs

text: and

text: opportunity

text: that

text: will

text: benefit

text: all

text: of

text: Montana

text: As

text: late

text: as

text: Wednesday

text: his

text: spokesman

text: reiterated

text: Tester

text: 's

text: support

text: of

text: the

text: spending

text: saying

text: that

text: it

text: would

text: seal

text: security

text: gaps

text: on

text: the

text: border

text: So

text: the

text: nagging

text: question

text: Did

text: politics

text: rather

text: than

text: security

text: guide

text: the

text: DHS

text: Especially

text: when

text: a

text: border

text: town

text: like

text: Laredo

text: Texas

text: which

text: sees

text: crossings

text: a

text: day

text: was

text: getting

text: not

text: one

text: dime

text: of

text: the

text: million

text: in

text: DHS

text: border

text: stimulus

text: funds

text: Montana

text: in

text: total

text: was

text: to

text: receive

text: million

text: In

text: an

text: interview

text: Wednesday

text: with

text: CNN

text: Trent

text: Frazier

text: the

text: director

text: of

text: port

text: modernization

text: for

text: the

text: Department

text: of

text: Homeland

text: Security

text: denied

text: that

text: politics

text: played

text: any

text: role

text: We

text: feel

text: that

text: these

text: ports

text: like

text: all

text: ports

text: of

text: entry

text: are

text: a

text: vital

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: network

text: of

text: security

text: that

text: we

text: have

text: established

text: across

text: the

text: border

text: apparatus

text: that

text: we

text: employ

text: across

text: the

text: borders

text: and

text: the

text: investments

text: we

text: are

text: going

text: to

text: do

text: along

text: these

text: borders

text: are

text: a

text: critical

text: step

text: in

text: ensuring

text: we

text: can

text: perform

text: our

text: mission

text: Frazier

text: said

text: But

text: if

text: Frazier

text: did

text: not

text: believe

text: politics

text: factored

text: in

text: the

text: decisions

text: it

text: appeared

text: to

text: play

text: a

text: big

text: role

text: by

text: Wednesday

text: afternoon

text: Fellow

text: Democrat

text: Sen.

text: Byron

text: Dorgan

text: from

text: the

text: neighboring

text: state

text: of

text: North

text: Dakota

text: sent

text: out

text: a

text: news

text: release

text: urging

text: DHS

text: Secretary

text: Janet

text: Napolitano

text: to

text: suspend

text: the

text: stimulus

text: program

text: He

text: said

text: that

text: spending

text: the

text: money

text: on

text: such

text: remote

text: ports

text: including

text: the

text: nine

text: in

text: his

text: state

text: was

text: just

text: nuts

text: Dorgan

text: said

text: the

text: plan

text: just

text: defied

text: common

text: sense

text: Within

text: hours

text: Napolitano

text: announced

text: she

text: was

text: ordering

text: a

text: review

text: to

text: see

text: if

text: the

text: money

text: was

text: being

text: spent

text: appropriately

text: In

text: her

text: letter

text: to

text: Dorgan

text: Napolitano

text: said

text: of

text: the

text: Custom

text: and

text: Border

text: Protection

text: posts

text: were

text: located

text: in

text: the

text: northern

text: United

text: States

text: She

text: said

text: most

text: of

text: the

text: Southern

text: ports

text: were

text: owned

text: by

text: the

text: General

text: Services

text: Administration

text: and

text: the

text: money

text: directed

text: by

text: Congress

text: was

text: earmarked

text: for

text: the

text: Custom

text: and

text: Border

text: Protection

text: properties

text: and

text: required

text: to

text: be

text: spent

text: within

text: months

text: Nonetheless

text: she

text: wrote

text: in

text: order

text: to

text: ensure

text: even

text: further

text: transparency

text: in

text: this

text: process

text: I

text: am

text: ordering

text: a

text: day

text: review

text: of

text: all

text: port

text: construction

text: decisions

text: by

text: officials

text: who

text: did

text: not

text: make

text: the

text: initial

text: allocation

text: decisions

text: So

text: for

text: now

text: if

text: you

text: want

text: to

text: travel

text: to

text: Canada

text: through

text: Scobey

text: or

text: Whitetail

text: the

text: agents

text: who

text: inspect

text: your

text: vehicles

text: will

text: be

text: using

text: the

text: buildings

text: now

text: in

text: place

text: and

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: locals

text: you

text: will

text: be

text: adequately

text: served

question: Which city gets 66000 crossings a day?

answer: Laredo, Texas,

text: Laredo, Texas,

question: What distance are the crossings apart from each other?

answer: 12 miles

text: 12 miles

question: What is the total of the stimulus funds?

answer: $400 million

text: $400 million

question: How much is DHS planning to spend?

answer: $31 million

text: $31 million

question: What amount did DHS plan to spend?

answer: $31 million

text: $31 million

question: By comparison how many crossing a day gets Laredo, Texas?

answer: 66,000

question: What has been DHS plan to spend on remote border crossing?

answer: $31 million

text: $31 million


text:
Perugia, Italy (CNN) -- A lawyer for Amanda Knox said Thursday the only option for the jury considering her murder appeal in Italy is to clear her of guilt.

Knox's lawyers gave their final arguments in Perugia Thursday in an effort to counter prosecutors' portrayal of her as a cunning "femme fatale."

Lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova told the jury 'that the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox," as he wrapped up his closing argument.

He said the court had already seen "there is not trace of Amanda Knox in the room where murder took place."

Knox and her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito are fighting to overturn their 2009 convictions for the murder of Meredith Kercher, Knox's British housemate who was found with her throat slashed two years earlier.

The judge said there will be no ruling in the case until after defendant statements on Monday.

The second of Knox's lawyers to speak, Luciano Ghirga, said Knox was "very afraid but her heart is full of hope and she hopes to return to freedom."

Her "image was massacred" by the media and the attacks on her character started before the trial, he said, adding that he considered her as a daughter.

Concluding an emotional appearance, he appealed to the jury to put themselves in the shoes of Knox's family -- a counterpoise to the words of appeals court prosecutor Giancarlo Costagliola, who asked the jury to put themselves in the shoes of Kercher's family at the start of the closing arguments a week ago.

The "clan Knox" -- as Knox's family have been referred to -- are not part of some rumored U.S. conspiracy to put pressure on the Italian courts to release her, Ghirga said. Rather, "they are parents and they deserve respect."

The lawyer also praised the court's work, saying he felt Knox's rights had finally been respected.

Urging the jury not to let innocent people stay in jail, Vedova earlier detailed what he called many "mistakes" made in the investigation into Kercher's death.

When Knox was arrested and interrogated, she was not allowed a translator and was discouraged from getting a lawyer, Vedova said.

"'That night Amanda Knox's right to defend herself was denied," he said. "She was just a young girl, first time out of the country. She didn't speak Italian."

Vedova argued that some of the DNA evidence presented by the prosecution should be thrown out.

He said some material was contaminated as a result of poor practice by police, including supposed traces of mixed blood in the bathroom sink shared by the two girls. The prosecution's use of alleged bloody footprints in their case was also wrong, he said.

As for the knife used to kill Kercher, a key piece of evidence, Vedova told the court there was a "concentration of nothingness, a fantasy" in the prosecution's arguments.

He ridiculed a theory that Sollecito had not disposed of the knife because he was concerned his landlady would notice it was missing, asking: "What kind of a killer would think about this after committing a murder?"

Vedova claimed forensics experts who examined computers belonging to Knox and Sollecito had destroyed the machines and with them evidence that was certain to be favorable to the defendants.

This included photographs of Knox and Kercher together that demonstrated they were friends, he said.

Showing the court panoramic pictures of the villa Knox shared with Kercher, Vedova rejected the prosecution claim that a fake robbery had been staged by someone inside the house to try to cover up what had happened.

He also suggested the original court had taken sides over some of the evidence, choosing to accept as credible some witnesses whose testimony went against Knox and rejecting others who were in her favor.

Knox's attorneys' statements follow arguments presented this week by the lawyer of her co-defendant.

Lawyer Giulia Bongiorno said Tuesday that Knox is not the character the media has painted her to be, and urged a jury to acquit Knox and Sollecito of murdering Kercher.

Bongiorno compared Knox to the voluptuous cartoon character Jessica Rabbit, who protests, "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way," in the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?"

Bongiorno said the whole trial was based on DNA evidence "on which mistakes were made," and urged the jury to "abandon imagined fantasies" and acquit the pair.

Knox and Sollecito were convicted in 2009. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison, while Sollecito got 25.

In her closing arguments, Bongiorno said there was no physical trace of Knox or Sollecito in the room where Kercher was found murdered.

"The room speaks only of Rudy" Guede, the other man convicted separately of killing Kercher, Bongiorno told the jury.

Knox and Sollecito's defense teams have suggested Guede, who is already serving a 16-year sentence for the murder, could have been the sole killer.

Evidence that Guede was in the room shows that "no one could enter that room and not leave any trace," Bongiorno said.

And she hammered home attacks on DNA evidence that has been a key part of the appeal.

She, too, said police could have contaminated the crime scene or the evidence, playing video from the police investigation to make her point.

Knox and Sollecito are appealing the convictions together, having been convicted in a joint trial.

CNN's Hada Messia contributed to this report.

text: Perugia

text: Italy

text: CNN

text: A

text: lawyer

text: for

text: Amanda

text: Knox

text: said

text: Thursday

text: the

text: only

text: option

text: for

text: the

text: jury

text: considering

text: her

text: murder

text: appeal

text: in

text: Italy

text: is

text: to

text: clear

text: her

text: of

text: guilt

text: Knox

text: 's

text: lawyers

text: gave

text: their

text: final

text: arguments

text: in

text: Perugia

text: Thursday

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: counter

text: prosecutors

text: portrayal

text: of

text: her

text: as

text: a

text: cunning

text: femme

text: fatale

text: Lawyer

text: Carlo

text: Dalla

text: Vedova

text: told

text: the

text: jury

text: that

text: the

text: only

text: possible

text: decision

text: to

text: take

text: is

text: that

text: of

text: absolving

text: Amanda

text: Knox

text: as

text: he

text: wrapped

text: up

text: his

text: closing

text: argument

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: court

text: had

text: already

text: seen

text: there

text: is

text: not

text: trace

text: of

text: Amanda

text: Knox

text: in

text: the

text: room

text: where

text: murder

text: took

text: place

text: Knox

text: and

text: her

text: former

text: boyfriend

text: Raffaele

text: Sollecito

text: are

text: fighting

text: to

text: overturn

text: their

text: convictions

text: for

text: the

text: murder

text: of

text: Meredith

text: Kercher

text: Knox

text: 's

text: British

text: housemate

text: who

text: was

text: found

text: with

text: her

text: throat

text: slashed

text: two

text: years

text: earlier

text: The

text: judge

text: said

text: there

text: will

text: be

text: no

text: ruling

text: in

text: the

text: case

text: until

text: after

text: defendant

text: statements

text: on

text: Monday

text: The

text: second

text: of

text: Knox

text: 's

text: lawyers

text: to

text: speak

text: Luciano

text: Ghirga

text: said

text: Knox

text: was

text: very

text: afraid

text: but

text: her

text: heart

text: is

text: full

text: of

text: hope

text: and

text: she

text: hopes

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: freedom

text: Her

text: image

text: was

text: massacred

text: by

text: the

text: media

text: and

text: the

text: attacks

text: on

text: her

text: character

text: started

text: before

text: the

text: trial

text: he

text: said

text: adding

text: that

text: he

text: considered

text: her

text: as

text: a

text: daughter

text: Concluding

text: an

text: emotional

text: appearance

text: he

text: appealed

text: to

text: the

text: jury

text: to

text: put

text: themselves

text: in

text: the

text: shoes

text: of

text: Knox

text: 's

text: family

text: a

text: counterpoise

text: to

text: the

text: words

text: of

text: appeals

text: court

text: prosecutor

text: Giancarlo

text: Costagliola

text: who

text: asked

text: the

text: jury

text: to

text: put

text: themselves

text: in

text: the

text: shoes

text: of

text: Kercher

text: 's

text: family

text: at

text: the

text: start

text: of

text: the

text: closing

text: arguments

text: a

text: week

text: ago

text: The

text: clan

text: Knox

text: as

text: Knox

text: 's

text: family

text: have

text: been

text: referred

text: to

text: are

text: not

text: part

text: of

text: some

text: rumored

text: U.S.

text: conspiracy

text: to

text: put

text: pressure

text: on

text: the

text: Italian

text: courts

text: to

text: release

text: her

text: Ghirga

text: said

text: Rather

text: they

text: are

text: parents

text: and

text: they

text: deserve

text: respect

text: The

text: lawyer

text: also

text: praised

text: the

text: court

text: 's

text: work

text: saying

text: he

text: felt

text: Knox

text: 's

text: rights

text: had

text: finally

text: been

text: respected

text: Urging

text: the

text: jury

text: not

text: to

text: let

text: innocent

text: people

text: stay

text: in

text: jail

text: Vedova

text: earlier

text: detailed

text: what

text: he

text: called

text: many

text: mistakes

text: made

text: in

text: the

text: investigation

text: into

text: Kercher

text: 's

text: death

text: When

text: Knox

text: was

text: arrested

text: and

text: interrogated

text: she

text: was

text: not

text: allowed

text: a

text: translator

text: and

text: was

text: discouraged

text: from

text: getting

text: a

text: lawyer

text: Vedova

text: said

text: That

text: night

text: Amanda

text: Knox

text: 's

text: right

text: to

text: defend

text: herself

text: was

text: denied

text: he

text: said

text: She

text: was

text: just

text: a

text: young

text: girl

text: first

text: time

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: She

text: did

text: n't

text: speak

text: Italian

text: Vedova

text: argued

text: that

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: DNA

text: evidence

text: presented

text: by

text: the

text: prosecution

text: should

text: be

text: thrown

text: out

text: He

text: said

text: some

text: material

text: was

text: contaminated

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: poor

text: practice

text: by

text: police

text: including

text: supposed

text: traces

text: of

text: mixed

text: blood

text: in

text: the

text: bathroom

text: sink

text: shared

text: by

text: the

text: two

text: girls

text: The

text: prosecution

text: 's

text: use

text: of

text: alleged

text: bloody

text: footprints

text: in

text: their

text: case

text: was

text: also

text: wrong

text: he

text: said

text: As

text: for

text: the

text: knife

text: used

text: to

text: kill

text: Kercher

text: a

text: key

text: piece

text: of

text: evidence

text: Vedova

text: told

text: the

text: court

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: concentration

text: of

text: nothingness

text: a

text: fantasy

text: in

text: the

text: prosecution

text: 's

text: arguments

text: He

text: ridiculed

text: a

text: theory

text: that

text: Sollecito

text: had

text: not

text: disposed

text: of

text: the

text: knife

text: because

text: he

text: was

text: concerned

text: his

text: landlady

text: would

text: notice

text: it

text: was

text: missing

text: asking

text: What

text: kind

text: of

text: a

text: killer

text: would

text: think

text: about

text: this

text: after

text: committing

text: a

text: murder

text: Vedova

text: claimed

text: forensics

text: experts

text: who

text: examined

text: computers

text: belonging

text: to

text: Knox

text: and

text: Sollecito

text: had

text: destroyed

text: the

text: machines

text: and

text: with

text: them

text: evidence

text: that

text: was

text: certain

text: to

text: be

text: favorable

text: to

text: the

text: defendants

text: This

text: included

text: photographs

text: of

text: Knox

text: and

text: Kercher

text: together

text: that

text: demonstrated

text: they

text: were

text: friends

text: he

text: said

text: Showing

text: the

text: court

text: panoramic

text: pictures

text: of

text: the

text: villa

text: Knox

text: shared

text: with

text: Kercher

text: Vedova

text: rejected

text: the

text: prosecution

text: claim

text: that

text: a

text: fake

text: robbery

text: had

text: been

text: staged

text: by

text: someone

text: inside

text: the

text: house

text: to

text: try

text: to

text: cover

text: up

text: what

text: had

text: happened

text: He

text: also

text: suggested

text: the

text: original

text: court

text: had

text: taken

text: sides

text: over

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: evidence

text: choosing

text: to

text: accept

text: as

text: credible

text: some

text: witnesses

text: whose

text: testimony

text: went

text: against

text: Knox

text: and

text: rejecting

text: others

text: who

text: were

text: in

text: her

text: favor

text: Knox

text: 's

text: attorneys

text: statements

text: follow

text: arguments

text: presented

text: this

text: week

text: by

text: the

text: lawyer

text: of

text: her

text: co

text: defendant

text: Lawyer

text: Giulia

text: Bongiorno

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: that

text: Knox

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: character

text: the

text: media

text: has

text: painted

text: her

text: to

text: be

text: and

text: urged

text: a

text: jury

text: to

text: acquit

text: Knox

text: and

text: Sollecito

text: of

text: murdering

text: Kercher

text: Bongiorno

text: compared

text: Knox

text: to

text: the

text: voluptuous

text: cartoon

text: character

text: Jessica

text: Rabbit

text: who

text: protests

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: bad

text: I

text: 'm

text: just

text: drawn

text: that

text: way

text: in

text: the

text: movie

text: Who

text: Framed

text: Roger

text: Rabbit

text: Bongiorno

text: said

text: the

text: whole

text: trial

text: was

text: based

text: on

text: DNA

text: evidence

text: on

text: which

text: mistakes

text: were

text: made

text: and

text: urged

text: the

text: jury

text: to

text: abandon

text: imagined

text: fantasies

text: and

text: acquit

text: the

text: pair

text: Knox

text: and

text: Sollecito

text: were

text: convicted

text: in

text: Knox

text: was

text: sentenced

text: to

text: years

text: in

text: prison

text: while

text: Sollecito

text: got

text: In

text: her

text: closing

text: arguments

text: Bongiorno

text: said

text: there

text: was

text: no

text: physical

text: trace

text: of

text: Knox

text: or

text: Sollecito

text: in

text: the

text: room

text: where

text: Kercher

text: was

text: found

text: murdered

text: The

text: room

text: speaks

text: only

text: of

text: Rudy

text: Guede

text: the

text: other

text: man

text: convicted

text: separately

text: of

text: killing

text: Kercher

text: Bongiorno

text: told

text: the

text: jury

text: Knox

text: and

text: Sollecito

text: 's

text: defense

text: teams

text: have

text: suggested

text: Guede

text: who

text: is

text: already

text: serving

text: a

text: sentence

text: for

text: the

text: murder

text: could

text: have

text: been

text: the

text: sole

text: killer

text: Evidence

text: that

text: Guede

text: was

text: in

text: the

text: room

text: shows

text: that

text: no

text: one

text: could

text: enter

text: that

text: room

text: and

text: not

text: leave

text: any

text: trace

text: Bongiorno

text: said

text: And

text: she

text: hammered

text: home

text: attacks

text: on

text: DNA

text: evidence

text: that

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: key

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: appeal

text: She

text: too

text: said

text: police

text: could

text: have

text: contaminated

text: the

text: crime

text: scene

text: or

text: the

text: evidence

text: playing

text: video

text: from

text: the

text: police

text: investigation

text: to

text: make

text: her

text: point

text: Knox

text: and

text: Sollecito

text: are

text: appealing

text: the

text: convictions

text: together

text: having

text: been

text: convicted

text: in

text: a

text: joint

text: trial

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Hada

text: Messia

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: When were they convicted?

answer: 2009

question: What did the lawyer said?

answer: 'that the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox,"

text: 'that the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox,"

question: What did the judge said?

answer: there will be no ruling in the case until after defendant statements on Monday.

text: there will be no ruling in the case until after defendant statements on Monday.

question: What does the lawyer say?

answer: 'that the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox,"

text: 'that the only possible decision to take is that of absolving Amanda Knox,"


text:
(CNN) -- John McCain tried to make Barack Obama's celebrity status a campaign issue last summer, but there's no debate about the president-elect's ability to draw famous and talented Americans to his inauguration.

Bruce Springsteen campaigns for Barack Obama in Cleveland, Ohio, on November 2, 2008.

Dozens of major celebrities will perform on several nationally televised shows, as well as 10 inaugural balls the evening after Obama is sworn in as the 44th U.S. president.

The celebration will open Sunday evening on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial with a free concert so star-studded it's hard to choose a headliner.

Beyonce, Bono and Bruce Springsteen are on the list.

Other musical performers include Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, James Taylor, will.i.am, and Stevie Wonder.

In addition, Jamie Foxx, Martin Luther King III, Queen Latifah and Denzel Washington will take the stage to deliver historical readings. More performers will likely be named.

Executive Producer George Stevens Jr. said the intention is "to root the event in history, celebrating the moments when our nation has united to face great challenges and prevail."  See how inaugurations have changed over the years Â»

Don Mischer, who directed the opening ceremony of the 1996 Olympics and ` recent Super Bowl half-time shows, is directing this event.

"We will have the statue of Abraham Lincoln looking down on our stage and a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people lining the mall -- a tableau any director would relish," Mischer said.

Admission will be free, but security will be tight. Check out an interactive map of Washington

Five gates leading into the area, including one around the Reflecting Pool at the base of the Lincoln Memorial, open at 8 a.m. ET Sunday. Performances start at 2:30 p.m.

HBO paid for exclusive rights to televise Sunday's show, but its feed will be free to all cable and satellite viewers from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. ET. It cannot be seen through local broadcast television stations.

The Disney Channel will carry Monday night's big event -- "Kids' Inaugural: We Are The Future" -- from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. ET. Those who don't have cable will be able to hear it live on Radio Disney or watch it online later at Disney.com.

Musical performers will include the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato and Bow Wow.

Singer-actress Keke Palmer -- star of Nickelodeon's "True Jackson, VP" -- is one of the hosts for the show, which will be staged in Washington's Verizon Center.

Palmer, 15, hopes to meet Obama's daughters Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, backstage Monday night.

Palmer said she moved from Chicago to Los Angeles when she was about the same age as Malia is now, and Obama's election is "very special for my family and me, being from Chicago and all."

"I also feel like I know what Sasha and Malia are experiencing in terms of leaving Chicago at an early age, having to attend a brand new school, a new house, just new everything," Palmer said. "It's not easy, but as long as you have great parents, which we all three have, then it turns out OK."

There should be plenty of celebrity sightings at the swearing-in ceremony at noon ET Tuesday or in the parade starting at 2:30 p.m. Viewers will have no trouble finding a television broadcast of those events.

Palmer said she will likely view the inaugural parade from a viewing stand at the Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women.

"Hey, either way I'm so happy to be a part of it no matter how small," she said. "This is historic!"

While inaugural ball tickets are tough to get, one of the 10 balls Tuesday evening will be shown live on ABC television from 8 to 10 p.m. ET. "The Neighborhood Ball: An Inauguration Celebration" is billed by planners as "the premier event of the inauguration evening."

Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Faith Hill, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Shakira, Stevie Wonder and others yet to be announced will perform live at the ball.

The Neighborhood Ball will take place in a hall at the Washington Convention Center, the venue for four other balls.  Take a quiz about first ladies' inaugural gowns Â»

A Youth Ball -- aimed at partygoers ages 18 to 35 -- will take place at the Hilton Washington. Ball planners have not released the entertainment line-up for this ball, but said whoever is there won't stop playing until 2:30 a.m.

For those who somehow miss all of this -- or want more -- the Presidential Inaugural Committee is selling a CD-DVD with 18 music tracks from many of the inauguration performers. Eight key Obama speeches from the past two years also are included.

text: CNN

text: John

text: McCain

text: tried

text: to

text: make

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: 's

text: celebrity

text: status

text: a

text: campaign

text: issue

text: last

text: summer

text: but

text: there

text: 's

text: no

text: debate

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text: the

text: president

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text: 's

text: ability

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text: draw

text: famous

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text: Americans

text: to

text: his

text: inauguration

text: Bruce

text: Springsteen

text: campaigns

text: for

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: in

text: Cleveland

text: Ohio

text: on

text: November

text: Dozens

text: of

text: major

text: celebrities

text: will

text: perform

text: on

text: several

text: nationally

text: televised

text: shows

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: inaugural

text: balls

text: the

text: evening

text: after

text: Obama

text: is

text: sworn

text: in

text: as

text: the

text: U.S.

text: president

text: The

text: celebration

text: will

text: open

text: Sunday

text: evening

text: on

text: the

text: steps

text: of

text: the

text: Lincoln

text: Memorial

text: with

text: a

text: free

text: concert

text: so

text: star

text: studded

text: it

text: 's

text: hard

text: to

text: choose

text: a

text: headliner

text: Beyonce

text: Bono

text: and

text: Bruce

text: Springsteen

text: are

text: on

text: the

text: list

text: Other

text: musical

text: performers

text: include

text: Mary

text: J.

text: Blige

text: Garth

text: Brooks

text: Sheryl

text: Crow

text: Renee

text: Fleming

text: Josh

text: Groban

text: Herbie

text: Hancock

text: Heather

text: Headley

text: John

text: Legend

text: Jennifer

text: Nettles

text: John

text: Mellencamp

text: Usher

text: Raymond

text: IV

text: Shakira

text: James

text: Taylor

text: will.i.am

text: and

text: Stevie

text: Wonder

text: In

text: addition

text: Jamie

text: Foxx

text: Martin

text: Luther

text: King

text: III

text: Queen

text: Latifah

text: and

text: Denzel

text: Washington

text: will

text: take

text: the

text: stage

text: to

text: deliver

text: historical

text: readings

text: More

text: performers

text: will

text: likely

text: be

text: named

text: Executive

text: Producer

text: George

text: Stevens

text: Jr.

text: said

text: the

text: intention

text: is

text: to

text: root

text: the

text: event

text: in

text: history

text: celebrating

text: the

text: moments

text: when

text: our

text: nation

text: has

text: united

text: to

text: face

text: great

text: challenges

text: and

text: prevail

text: See

text: how

text: inaugurations

text: have

text: changed

text: over

text: the

text: years

text: Â

text: Don

text: Mischer

text: who

text: directed

text: the

text: opening

text: ceremony

text: of

text: the

text: Olympics

text: and

text: recent

text: Super

text: Bowl

text: half

text: time

text: shows

text: is

text: directing

text: this

text: event

text: We

text: will

text: have

text: the

text: statue

text: of

text: Abraham

text: Lincoln

text: looking

text: down

text: on

text: our

text: stage

text: and

text: a

text: crowd

text: of

text: hundreds

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: people

text: lining

text: the

text: mall

text: a

text: tableau

text: any

text: director

text: would

text: relish

text: Mischer

text: said

text: Admission

text: will

text: be

text: free

text: but

text: security

text: will

text: be

text: tight

text: Check

text: out

text: an

text: interactive

text: map

text: of

text: Washington

text: Five

text: gates

text: leading

text: into

text: the

text: area

text: including

text: one

text: around

text: the

text: Reflecting

text: Pool

text: at

text: the

text: base

text: of

text: the

text: Lincoln

text: Memorial

text: open

text: at

text: a.m.

text: ET

text: Sunday

text: Performances

text: start

text: at

text: p.m.

text: HBO

text: paid

text: for

text: exclusive

text: rights

text: to

text: televise

text: Sunday

text: 's

text: show

text: but

text: its

text: feed

text: will

text: be

text: free

text: to

text: all

text: cable

text: and

text: satellite

text: viewers

text: from

text: p.m.

text: to

text: p.m.

text: ET

text: It

text: can

text: not

text: be

text: seen

text: through

text: local

text: broadcast

text: television

text: stations

text: The

text: Disney

text: Channel

text: will

text: carry

text: Monday

text: night

text: 's

text: big

text: event

text: Kids

text: Inaugural

text: We

text: Are

text: The

text: Future

text: from

text: p.m.

text: to

text: p.m.

text: ET

text: Those

text: who

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: cable

text: will

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: hear

text: it

text: live

text: on

text: Radio

text: Disney

text: or

text: watch

text: it

text: online

text: later

text: at

text: Disney.com

text: Musical

text: performers

text: will

text: include

text: the

text: Jonas

text: Brothers

text: Miley

text: Cyrus

text: Demi

text: Lovato

text: and

text: Bow

text: Wow

text: Singer

text: actress

text: Keke

text: Palmer

text: star

text: of

text: Nickelodeon

text: 's

text: True

text: Jackson

text: VP

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: hosts

text: for

text: the

text: show

text: which

text: will

text: be

text: staged

text: in

text: Washington

text: 's

text: Verizon

text: Center

text: Palmer

text: hopes

text: to

text: meet

text: Obama

text: 's

text: daughters

text: Sasha

text: and

text: Malia

text: backstage

text: Monday

text: night

text: Palmer

text: said

text: she

text: moved

text: from

text: Chicago

text: to

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: when

text: she

text: was

text: about

text: the

text: same

text: age

text: as

text: Malia

text: is

text: now

text: and

text: Obama

text: 's

text: election

text: is

text: very

text: special

text: for

text: my

text: family

text: and

text: me

text: being

text: from

text: Chicago

text: and

text: all

text: I

text: also

text: feel

text: like

text: I

text: know

text: what

text: Sasha

text: and

text: Malia

text: are

text: experiencing

text: in

text: terms

text: of

text: leaving

text: Chicago

text: at

text: an

text: early

text: age

text: having

text: to

text: attend

text: a

text: brand

text: new

text: school

text: a

text: new

text: house

text: just

text: new

text: everything

text: Palmer

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: not

text: easy

text: but

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: you

text: have

text: great

text: parents

text: which

text: we

text: all

text: three

text: have

text: then

text: it

text: turns

text: out

text: OK

text: There

text: should

text: be

text: plenty

text: of

text: celebrity

text: sightings

text: at

text: the

text: swearing

text: in

text: ceremony

text: at

text: noon

text: ET

text: Tuesday

text: or

text: in

text: the

text: parade

text: starting

text: at

text: p.m.

text: Viewers

text: will

text: have

text: no

text: trouble

text: finding

text: a

text: television

text: broadcast

text: of

text: those

text: events

text: Palmer

text: said

text: she

text: will

text: likely

text: view

text: the

text: inaugural

text: parade

text: from

text: a

text: viewing

text: stand

text: at

text: the

text: Pennsylvania

text: Avenue

text: headquarters

text: of

text: the

text: National

text: Council

text: of

text: Negro

text: Women

text: Hey

text: either

text: way

text: I

text: 'm

text: so

text: happy

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: it

text: no

text: matter

text: how

text: small

text: she

text: said

text: This

text: is

text: historic

text: While

text: inaugural

text: ball

text: tickets

text: are

text: tough

text: to

text: get

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: balls

text: Tuesday

text: evening

text: will

text: be

text: shown

text: live

text: on

text: ABC

text: television

text: from

text: to

text: p.m.

text: ET

text: The

text: Neighborhood

text: Ball

text: An

text: Inauguration

text: Celebration

text: is

text: billed

text: by

text: planners

text: as

text: the

text: premier

text: event

text: of

text: the

text: inauguration

text: evening

text: Beyonce

text: Mary

text: J.

text: Blige

text: Mariah

text: Carey

text: Faith

text: Hill

text: Jay

text: Z

text: Alicia

text: Keys

text: Shakira

text: Stevie

text: Wonder

text: and

text: others

text: yet

text: to

text: be

text: announced

text: will

text: perform

text: live

text: at

text: the

text: ball

text: The

text: Neighborhood

text: Ball

text: will

text: take

text: place

text: in

text: a

text: hall

text: at

text: the

text: Washington

text: Convention

text: Center

text: the

text: venue

text: for

text: four

text: other

text: balls

text: Take

text: a

text: quiz

text: about

text: first

text: ladies

text: inaugural

text: gowns

text: Â

text: A

text: Youth

text: Ball

text: aimed

text: at

text: partygoers

text: ages

text: to

text: will

text: take

text: place

text: at

text: the

text: Hilton

text: Washington

text: Ball

text: planners

text: have

text: not

text: released

text: the

text: entertainment

text: line

text: up

text: for

text: this

text: ball

text: but

text: said

text: whoever

text: is

text: there

text: wo

text: n't

text: stop

text: playing

text: until

text: a.m.

text: For

text: those

text: who

text: somehow

text: miss

text: all

text: of

text: this

text: or

text: want

text: more

text: the

text: Presidential

text: Inaugural

text: Committee

text: is

text: selling

text: a

text: CD

text: DVD

text: with

text: music

text: tracks

text: from

text: many

text: of

text: the

text: inauguration

text: performers

text: Eight

text: key

text: Obama

text: speeches

text: from

text: the

text: past

text: two

text: years

text: also

text: are

text: included

question: When do celebrations open?

answer: Sunday

text: Sunday

question: Who will perform at the ball?

answer: Dozens of major celebrities

text: Dozens of major celebrities

question: Who will the inaugural show feature?

answer: Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, James Taylor, will.i.am,

text: Mary J. Blige, Garth Brooks, Sheryl Crow, Renee Fleming, Josh Groban, Herbie Hancock, Heather Headley, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles, John Mellencamp, Usher Raymond IV, Shakira, James Taylor, will.i.am,

question: Where will the celebrations be shown?

answer: Lincoln Memorial

text: Lincoln Memorial