"South Africa's moral conscience" speaks out on AIDS funding holdup

Speaking on a conference call with reporters, South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu known as "South Africa's moral conscience" pleaded that members of the United States Senate vote to triple the bipartisan funding of $50 billion for HIV/AIDS funding in Africa. Tutu believes that the United States has a responsibility to work towards increasing the HIV/AIDS funding and that if it does so "other countries will follow."

Currently, throughout Africa, an estimated 22.5 million people have HIV/AIDS as of 2007 with an additional 1.7 million becoming infected that year alone. Tutu and others in the HIV/AIDS community believe that tripling the funding will increase treatment for 3 million people.

Tutu added that all too often people are unwilling to take a statistic regarding HIV/AIDS and put a face and name to it. "these statistics represent someone's loved one," Tutu added, "if we are able to put a face and name to someone we will recognize that we are talking about people's flesh and blood."

The urgency of Tutu's remarks come as Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) as well as 6 social conservative senators are holding up the legislation unless a provision is added that would place a greater emphasis on treatment rather than prevention. Coburn believes “the vast majority of the money is going to get consumed by those wanting to help people with HIV, rather than [by] people with HIV.”

Meeting the press

I sat down with my mom last December, I looked at her seriously, and told her of my one ultimate goal for covering Iowa caucuses. "I just want to get a picture with Tim Russert."

I'm not going to say I idolize people just because they are on TV. I am not going to spout off hero worship. I wanted that picture because the NBC Washington Bureau Chief was the real deal. Tim Russert had a unique style, he was a great writer, and he was one of the few TV people who did journalism. He was tough with everyone. He was a great host of Meet the Press. He did his research. He checked his facts. He was prepared.

If more television journalists did the simple fundamental things Tim Russert did, I would watch more TV news.

Bush says freedom is universal

President George W. Bush speaks at the groundbreaking of the United States Institute of Peace headquarters today. Bush stated that freedom is universal and the birthrights of every man woman and child and the USIP is working to create freedom throughout the world. (0:34)

Obama campaign offers relief

The Obama campaign held a conference call advocating the creation of a National Catastrophic Insurance Fund. The call focused on describing Senator Obama’s support for such a fund, as well as the way Obama’s opponent for the presidency, Republican John McCain, has sided with current president George Bush in “letting the market work itself out” instead of helping people in need of governmental assistance.

Obama’s supporters described a system which the people in the states most in need of affordable disaster insurance could acquire it, with particular attention being paid to Florida (being that they are the most susceptible to being effected by a natural disaster). The call hosts noted that the money needed to lower insurance costs would come from private funding, and they mentioned that this would help make certain that states unwilling to pay for the insurance of people in other states would not have to do so.

Obama’s campaign painted the picture of McCain siding with insurance companies instead of helping out needy Americans. They said McCain initially supported such an insurance plan, but changed his mind after realizing President Bush opposed government intervention between citizens and insurance companies. Also, they said McCain’s belief that FEMA could help solve disaster relief problems was illogical.

UN Talk Radio Day

Every year, the Talk Radio News Service produces Talk Radio Day at the United Nations. The annual event precedes TRNS's annual talk radio conference and features high-profile guests. Previous guests have included personalities such as Al Sharpton and Alan Colmes, as well as high-level UN ambassadors and representatives. Talk Radio hosts have included Marc Bernier, Jack Rice, Lars Larson, Michael Medved, Thom Hartmann, Doug Stephan and Joe Madison.



We'll continue to update pictures, video, and audio through the day.

More pictures from TRNS 3rd Annual United Nations Talk Radio Day