CNN 2009-08-15

I’m Reggie Aqui at the CNN center in Atlanta, Georgia. Here’s a look at what’s happening right NOW IN THE NEWS.

President Obama, in Montana, pushing his health care reform, as many polls show most Americans against his proposal, the president has been trying to strengthen his message across the country.
“We are held hostage at any given moment by health insurance companies that deny coverage 1, or drop coverage, or charge fees that people can’t afford at a time when they desperately 2 need care. It’s wrong. It’s bankrupting families. It’s bankrupting businesses. And we are going to fix it when we pass health insurance reform this year. We are going to fix it.”

Related to all this, a key group of senators has apparently 3 dropped an end-of-life counseling provision in the health care reform bill. Now that would’ve paid a doctor to spend time talking with their patients about advanced directives, like living wills, and hospice care options. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says the provision now is off the table, because it could have been misinterpreted and implemented 4 incorrectly. The provision remains 5 in the three House versions however.

Tempers flare 6 in Pennsylvania, the new home of controversial NFL player Michael Vick, the quarterback just signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after being released from prison.
“There are a lot more people that deserve that amount of money than he does.”
“Yes, ma’am, but…”
“And I'm sure you do too. Do you deserve that much money?”
“Yes, I do.”
“I do, too!”
“Yes, I would love to have that much money”
“I wanna knock those gates right now, and I will say sign us both up. We wanna play. We wanna get trained.”
“Yes, I do, I would come…”
“Yeah. But you know what? I didn’t do this. Vick did this. He can’t avoid this. Just because he is sorry, it doesn’t make consequences go away.”
“Yes, but…”
Remember Michael Vick was convicted of federal dogfighting charges. Others say that Vick’s served his jail time, and he should be able to move on with his life and his career.

Well, I will tell you now on the story at the Broward County, Florida, near Davie, where the Turnpike has been closed in both directions because of a traffic related shooting. The victim appears to be inside the Burgundy car which is a bit hard to see in this shot. What we know so far is that a person was shot and killed while driving alone in the car. The vehicle then crashed into two other cars.

That’s what we know right now. Please stick with us here at CNN for more on these stories and the other news of the day.