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April 02, 2014 | | COMEUPPANCE In an exclusive clip from Errol Morris's hotly anticipated new documentary on Donald Rumsfeld, the famously feisty ex-secretary of defense says he never meant to imply that Saddam was behind the 9/11 attacks— despite the implications that the Iraqi dictator and al Qaeda were in cahoots. In the clip, Rumsfeld says, "It was very clear that the direct planning for 9/11 was done by Osama bin Laden's people, al Qaeda, and in Afghanistan. I don't think the American people were confused about that." DEAL WITH IT Speaking in the Rose Garden on Tuesday, President Obama announced that 7.1 million Americans have signed up for health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act, hitting its target for enrollment this period. (That number doesn't include those who signed up through state exchanges in the past few days.) While Obama admitted "the law is not perfect, he said that is what change looks like in a democracy." He denounced critics who attacked the legislation, saying "why are people working so hard for people not to have health insurance?" Above all, he made it clear that reaching the 7 million target was a definitive victory. "The debate over repealing this law is over," he said." The Affordable Care act is here to stay."
TRYING TOO HARD Facing down Wendy Davis, Texas GOP gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott had a women problem. So, he brought in a new super PAC called RedState Women to help cut down on the gender gap. Unfortunately, reports Michelle Cottle, the group has only made Abbott's problems worse by completely botching the issue of equal pay. PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH According to an internal document given to U.S. congressional investigators, in 2005 General Motors did not change the ignition switch in cars that have been linked to at least 13 deaths, because it would have added roughly a dollar to the cost of each car. In response to questions at a congressional hearing, newly minted GM CEO Mary Barra said that the findings were "very disturbing. That is not the way we do business in the new GM." In the emails, an engineer named John Henler reportedly said to continue using the switch from Delphi Automotive even though Delphi told GM it did not meet GM performance specifications.
SHAKY GROUND An earthquake with a magnitude of 8.2 struck the coast of Chile Tuesday with reports form the U.S. Geological Survey indicating that it was centered 62 miles north of Iquique at a depth of 6.2 miles. The quake subsequently generated a tsunami with six-foot waves, and tsunami warnings were in effect for not only Chile, but also Peru and Ecuador. So far, six people have reportedly died, tens of thousands evacuated, and roughly 300 prisoners escaped from the port city of Iquique. The earthquake also triggered some small landslides and affected power in some areas.
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