Franki Benavidez

National Summary:

In Richardson, Texas, Sen. John McCain called himself a liberal just to be goofy infront of the people. McCain probably did this unnecessary act just to make the campaign a little less aggressive. Most people would say that he got a little ahead of himself as he contrasted himself with the Democratic candidates. McCain had said in a joking sense, "I’m a proud, conservative, liberal Republi- Hello! Easy there,” while he was laughing with his audience at Texas Instruments Inc. After he said this goofy line, he corrected himself immediately by saying, “Let me say this: I am a proud, conservative Republican, and both of my possible or likely opponents today are liberal Democrats.”

Opinion: I thought it was a little awkward what McCain had done in Texas. Yes, he was trying to make the whole campaign a little more positive which is good but I don't think by calling himself a liberal was entirely a good thing to do. What I am glad he did was that he corrected himself by calling himself a "conservative Republican." No one else would ever say those kind of things to make the campaign a little more positive so I have to give him props. Overall, he was just trying to be playful in his campaign but probably shouldn't do that anymore now that the campaign is getting tougher.

Summary:
Today was said that Sen. Hilary Clinton raised $35 million for the month of February, which was her biggest haul to date. The Ohio and Texas primaries March 4 are considered must-win for Clinton inside and outside the campaign. If the polls are still rising up for Clinton, she's still in the fight. Clinton had said in this fundraising coup, “It was incredibly gratifying to see people really coming forth with their vote of confidence by their contribution to my campaign." Later on she had added that after she lent $5 million to her own campaign, “it just set off a chain reaction across the country.”

Opinion: Even though Hilary Clinton had raised the most ever, I don't think it's going to take her anywhere. Yes, she has a whole lot of supporters trying to keep her in the campaign but it's not going to help. I thought it was kind of pathetic for her to lend $5 million to her own campaign. Obama has higher numbers in his campaign than what Clinton has. I honestly think that Obama has HIGHER chances of winning this campaign against Clinton. His debates against her are a lot stronger and he gives the impression that he'll win it all.

International Summary:
In Ahmadabad, India, a newborn baby girl fell through the toilet in a moving train and onto the tracks just moments after her mother prematurely gave birth surviving nearly two hours before being found. The child's mother was traveling with relatives on an overnight train when she went to the bathroom. Later while she was in the bathroom, she fell unconscious and the baby fell through the toilet. The baby was said to be on the rail track for an hour and a half while the guards and officials were looking for her on the tracks. The child was eight to 10 weeks premature and weighed only 3.22 pounds.

Opinion: I cannot believe this premature baby fell through the toilet! I couldn't imagine how the mother felt because that is just awful. I'm extremely happy that the people looking for the baby on the tracks found the baby. I was surprised that the baby was even still alive when they found the baby. I think what makes it worse is that the baby was premature but I'm glad that the baby survived.

Summary:
In Hallowell, Maine, Jonathan McCullum came back home 4 months later from being an U.S. exchange student in Eygpt weighing a mere 97 lbs. John was in perfect health when he left home last summer to spend the school year as an exchange student in Egypt. He was denied any food while staying with a family of Coptic Christians, who fast for more than 200 days a year, a regimen unmatched by other Christians. Friends and teachers along with him in Eygpt told him to change host families but he had said that if he did, he was told that the other home was in a dangerous neighborhood of Alexandria. After returning back to the U.S., he was hospitalized for 2 weeks and had regained 20 lbs.

Opinion: What kind of host family would make an U.S. exchange student fast with them? The kid could've just went back home but I don't understand why he didn't in the first place. When the kid was going back home, he struggled in carrying his baggage in the airport and also had trouble going up a flight of stairs. Doctors said that Jon was at risk for a heart attack. The student said that he didn't view the experience as a "culture lash." Instead he said, "It reflected mean and stingy treatment by my host family, whose broken English made it difficult to communicate."