Pre-existing Condition

Yeah, health care reform isn’t exactly Michael’s purview, but I thought this was interesting:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the wake of news reports that a history of domestic violence is considered a “pre-existing condition” by many health insurers, today Consumer Watchdog released internal insurance company documents showing that firefighters, police officers, war correspondents, expectant fathers, pregnant women and patients with asthma, acne, allergies, and toenail fungus will often be denied health insurance policies.

Nice. Remember when we actually honored the heroes of 9/11, the cops and firefighters who ran into the Towers trying to save people. Yeah, now we won’t give even them health insurance.

And apparently, zero population growth is now the goal, because both parents are too expensive to cover.

Oh and the fact that I am allergic to grass and take Allegra? Whoops… apparently allergies are contagious or life-threatening, because that puts me on the list. Hell, since they seem to be equally dangerous, guess I might as well apply to CNN to work in Baghdad, huh?

Full article.

Back on the set

Michael is back in New York and appeared on AC360 tonight as part of a panel discussing Afghanistan.

Friday Finale

The final day of the special AC360 coverage gave us four more interview segments from Michael, but still no sign of the report promised yesterday (and today). So maybe we’ll get that in the days to come… (Or maybe it was really the Wednesday report they were describing. Hard to say.)

The “Inside the Battle Zone” special also had a new segment with Michael, so that’s five clips for Friday.

Another late posting of the clips, I’m afraid, but I hope to have them up tomorrow morning. (West Coast morning, that is!)

For the reports on NewsRoom and Campbell Brown, he was wearing a tshirt with a graphic on it — tough to see, but some kind of design with what looks like a crown at the top, surrounded by words. Above the design the words read “Freedom * Hope * Liberty” — can anyone identify it? This is the best grab I could get of it…

Thursday

Michael’s been on International a couple times today, and as soon as I get the ATC post done (and I am very, very late…!) I will start working on those.

Here’s the write-up for tonight’s 360:

All week Michael Ware has been reporting on the strength and resiliency of the Taliban. So can Afghan warlords become part of the solution? The U.S. and its allies admit this war in Afghanistan is unwinnable by bombs and bullets alone, so is it time to explore other options with tribal leaders? President Karzai’s brother calls for the creation of tribal militias – similar to some of the strategies used in Iraq. Could this ever work? Ware speaks to one of the most fearsome who, for now, is sitting on the sidelines. Is it possible to negotiate with the Taliban? Michael Ware will dig deeper into whether or not a peaceful future for Afghanistan could be found within its tribes.

Fareed Zakaria was on TSR today and said that this Sunday’s GPS will focus on Afghanistan and that Michael will be one of the guests.

Wednesday in Kabul

It already looks to be a quieter day today, with so much focus on the President’s speech tonight. Michael was on International Desk earlier, and will be on BackStory as well, and thanks to Délie, those clips will be coming soon to a computer near you!

The ‘Morning Buzz’ on tonight’s AC360 clip: Do you want to know how the war in Afghanistan is going? Michael Ware did. He went back to what was once his hometown of Kandahar. The city is the birthplace of the Taliban and is now the capital of what has become the fiercest combat zone in the country. Local commanders tell Ware there are few signs of improvement. Although the major U.S. military offensive in nearby Helmand is weakening the members of the Taliban, it still hasn’t damaged the group’s ability to wage war. As Michael Ware reports, the view from Kandahar is one of a war machine that shows few signs of abating. Sounds like the piece they were working on while Tommy filmed yesterday’s BackStory piece.

Tuesday, Kabul

Michael has been on a couple times this morning, on Domestic and International. There have also been a couple tweaks to the “Highway #1″ piece, and I will be uploading those, too. Nothing major; one just has new graphics, the other has a new intro.

There will also be a piece on BackStory, here is Michael Holmes’ Facebook note on it:
Tuesday Note From Michael

 Today at 12:02pm

It’s always good to hear from my old mate Tommy Evans. Not just because he’s a great guy and chief organiser of our Fantasy Football League (gridiron/NFL/American football, that is).

It’s also because he’s a top producer and just happens to be producing Mr Ware at the moment.

They’ve already filed some “RON” (run of net) material, but today we got their first BackStory, as they prepared to tape material in Kandahar.

Tommy does a fine job with the Flipcam as he explains some of the realities of working as a news crew in a city pretty much surrounded by elements of the Taliban. Also, the gals here think Tommy and the lads all look pretty sharp in a Kurta. Google it.

Yup, a Kurta. We saw Michael in one last night:

Looking forward to that clip… Délie is alllllll over it, believe me! I’ll get it posted ASAP. And maybe get a Tommy pic posted here, too!

Here you go, Tommy fans! (Second pic courtesy of Sharon):

And here’s tonight’s 360 rundown:
Michael Ware also went out with an Afghan police commander on patrol. He gets a firsthand look at what the police officer faces every night as he confronts the Taliban in his mission to secure the area.

Monday in Kabul?

Michael was on TSR this afternoon, and was introduced as being in Kabul, despite the AC360 blog post this morning that said Michael Ware reports from Kandahar on a road to Kabul that was built by U.S. forces. But things have gotten messy since the road was first constructed. More on who exactly controls the passage in his report tonight.

Wherever he is, clips will be forthcoming!

Afghanistan

Michael is already in Afghanistan and was just on AC360.

Clips are up on the site.