Hayworth's 'free money grant' infomercial surfaces
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.hayworthgi.jpg caption="J.D. Hayworth appeared in a 2007 infomercial that promised billions of dollars in free government grants."]Washington (CNN) – Former congressman J.D. Hayworth has used several ads as part of his bid to oust Sen. John McCain in Arizona's Republican primary. But in 2007, Hayworth was appearing in a different kind of ad: an infomercial that promised billions of dollars in free government grants.
The television ad promises free information about "hundreds of billions of dollars in government funding" to individuals who attend a conference on the topic.
The company behind the meetings – National Grants Conferences – has been criticized by the attorneys general of multiple states for deceptive marketing. A simple internet search brings back legions of complaints about the company.
Hayworth appears in the infomercial as part of a panel discussion on the availability of government grants that don't require repayment. Also on the panel are Mike and Irene Milin, the company's co-founders.
After introducing Hayworth as a former congressman, the infomercial's host says, "Forgive me if I sound like a skeptic, because that is a lot of money. It sounds too good to be true." The host then asks of Hayworth, "Congressman, is it for real?"
"It is for real," Hayworth responds. "Now look, I understand the skepticism in part because President Reagan used to say, 'The greatest contradiction ever uttered is, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help,'" Hayworth added.
Coburn declines to criticize Obama admin., Limbaugh
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.coburn.cnn.jpg caption="Sen. Tom Coburn declined to criticize Rush Limbaugh for his insistence that the administration's pressure on BP amounted to a 'shakedown'."]Washington (CNN) - A respected conservative senator, who is often critical of the Obama administration, declined Monday to criticize the administration's pressuring BP to establish a $20 billion escrow fund to help victims of the oil spill.
At the same time, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, declined to criticize Rush Limbaugh for his insistence that the administration's pressure on BP amounted to a "shakedown."
Coburn spoke to CNN Chief National Correspondent John King during an interview that aired on John King, USA.
Coburn was asked about Limbaugh's repeating that the $20 billion fund was a "shakedown." The conservative talk-radio host took aim at Republican leaders for rushing to demand that Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, retract his controversial apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward during last week's congressional hearing.
Haley earned $42,500 for consulting work while in legislature
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.haley.nh.jpg caption="Nikki Haley earned more than $40,000 in 2007 and 2008 consulting for one of South Carolina's largest engineering firms."]Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) - Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley earned more than $40,000 in 2007 and 2008 consulting for one of South Carolina's largest engineering firms, according to tax records from those years released by her campaign on Monday.
Haley's work for the firm, Wilbur Smith Associates, was first revealed last week when the campaign allowed reporters to view her 2009 tax records. The records showed that Haley collected $2,000 from the company, money she did not disclose on state ethics filings.
According to the additional records released Monday afternoon, just hours before she faces Rep. Gresham Barrett in a runoff election for the GOP nomination, Haley earned $30,000 from the company in 2007 and $10,500 in 2008. She was first elected to the state legislature in 2004.
Robert Ferrell, the firm's southeast region business development manager, told CNN last week that he hired Haley because she was "a connected person who had access to a lot of folks and information."
South Carolina GOP hopeful Haley supports off-shore drilling
Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) – As oil continues to gush from the worst environmental disaster in the nation's history, South Carolina Republican gubernatorial hopeful Nikki Haley said on Monday that she would support oil drilling off her state's coast as governor.
"But before we go forward I think we need to be very careful going forward that we know exactly what we're walking into and how we're going to do that," she added.
The rising conservative star is widely expected to win Tuesday's run-off with Republican congressman Gresham Barrett. Joined by her husband at a brief campaign stop in Florence, Haley referred to the barrage of personal attacks against her during the campaign.
"It has been a brutal few weeks leading up to the primary. We have had a lot to go through," Haley said. The 38-year-old has denied two separate allegations of extra-marital affairs. She's also faced ethnic slurs and questions about her religion. Haley, who is Indian-American, converted to Christianity in her 20's after growing up in the Sikh faith.
In an interview with CNN, Haley said she wouldn't wish accusations of infidelity on "her worst enemy." But in light of the sex scandal that nearly brought down current South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Haley said the public had a right to answers about her marriage.
Obama prods fathers, gives nod to gay dads
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.obama.fathers.gi.jpg caption="President Obama's Father's Day Proclamation openly acknowledges gay parents, noting that some children have two dads."]Washington (CNN) - One day after Father's Day, President Obama used his bully pulpit to stress the importance of fatherhood for the nation's youth. "Fathers are our first teachers and coaches…they're our mentors, our role models," the President told a gathering of local students, families and women's advocates.
But it was the President's message, in his official Father's Day Proclamation, that has generated controversy. In it the President openly acknowledges gay parents, noting that some children have two dads.
The proclamation states, "nurturing families come in many forms, and children may be raised by a father and mother, a single father, two fathers, a step-father, a grandfather, or caring guardian."
Tony Perkins, from the conservative Family Research Council, called the President out. In a pointed statement he said "…proving that nothing is sacred - not even fatherhood - the President couldn't resist a shout-out to his homosexual base, marring what should have been a powerful acknowledgment of the family's importance in American life."
While not directly responding to Perkin's comments, White House Deputy Spokesman Bill Burton said the President was "just trying to be inclusive of all sorts of families, just like he was on the Mother's Day proclamation."
For Maryland State Sen. Rich Madaleno, the President's message is a welcome change. Madaleno, an openly gay white father who married his partner in 2001, adopted two African-American boys at birth.
CNN Poll: US views of Britain take hit in wake of spill
Washington (CNN) - Americans' views of Great Britain have taken a hit in the wake of the massive BP-caused oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a new national poll.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday indicates that 28 percent of the public holds a "very favorable" view of Great Britain, down 12 points from last year.
That doesn't mean that Americans dislike Britain - only 13 percent feel that way, up a bit since 2009. Most of the change comes from Americans moving from the "very favorable" category to a "mostly favorable" view.
"Although the company is no longer named 'British Petroleum,' the occasional use of that name - and the British accent of embattled BP chief Tony Hayward - have likely left a lingering impression in the minds of many Americans," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.
Haley voted to cut funding for site of election night party
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.haley.youtube.jpg caption="Nikki Haley voted to cut funding for election night site."]Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) - South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley's election night party on Tuesday won't be at the members-only club where she celebrated her big Republican primary win on June 8.
Instead, she and her supporters will gather at the South Carolina State Museum in downtown Columbia.
But Democrats are pointing out that Haley - a state representative and foe of government spending - actually voted to chop the museum's budget just last week.
On June 16, during a special session to consider a slate of Gov. Mark Sanford's budget vetoes, Haley voted to sustain the governor's veto of $1.64 million in operating expenses for the museum.
The state museum had campaigned against the budget cut, enlisting their supporters and patrons to call state legislators and urge them to override the veto.
Obama and Kyl: He said, he said
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.jonkyl.gi.jpg caption="Sen. Jon Kyl and President Obama differ on what was said in their one-on-one Oval Office meeting."]Washington (CNN) –There's no White House transcript or tape to veryify what was said in a private Oval Office meeting with President Obama, but White House Deputy Spokesman Bill Burton calls Republican Senator Jon Kyl's version of a one-on-one discussion on immigration reform, "not true."
Last Friday, at a Tea Party town hall in Arizona, the Republican Senate Whip said the President told him, "if we secure the border, then you all won't have any reason to support comprehensive immigration reform." Senator Kyl was suggesting that border security was being held hostage for political reasons.
The White House fired back on its blog, on Twitter and in the daily briefing. "The president didn't say that," Burton insisted, adding, "what everybody knows, because the president has made it perfectly clear, is that what we need to do is everything that we can to bring about comprehensive immigration reform. And that includes not just securing the border, but doing a lot of different other things."
So what was said?
Limbaugh bashes GOP for Barton response
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/21/art.getty.rush.limbaugh.jpg caption="Rush Limbaugh defended Rep. Joe Barton Monday."]
(CNN) – Conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh is taking aim at Republican leaders for rushing to demand Texas Rep. Joe Barton retract his controversial apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward during last week's congressional hearing.
On his radio show Monday, Limbaugh suggested the GOP leadership likely agrees with Barton's sentiments, but are driven by recent national polls which suggest the majority of Americans support President Barack Obama's push for BP to set aside $20 billion for future liability claims.
"It was a shakedown pure and simple," said Limbaugh, echoing the words for which Barton later apologized. "And somebody had the audacity to call it what it was and now everybody's running for the hills."
"All you have to do is look at the polling," Limbaugh continued. "We're talking about Republicans inside the beltway. All you have to do is look at the polling data and media coverage and find out what they are going to do."
Barton, the ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, quickly faced fire from both the right and the left after apologizing to Hayward during the BP chairman's appearance before his committee Thursday. Hours later – amid threats he would lose his leadership post – Barton retracted the comments.
"Let's just slither away under the rock here," Limbaugh said, mocking the Republicans' approach to Barton. "We'll let Joe Barton get eaten by the Democrat lizards on this to protect ourselves. This is politics and this is the reason why true believers have such a problem with politics. It's just that simple and no more complicated than that."
- CNN's Natalie Novak contributed this report
CNN/Opinion Research Poll – June 16 – Opinion of Britain, Other Countries
TOPICS: Opinion of Great Britain, Israel, Mexico, India, Pakistan, Iran, North Korea
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