It’s Wednesday, but our work week has just begun. Here’s a few things we’re talking about today. News changes fast though, so don’t count on us talking about everything here on Sunday
President Obama is back from vacation and Congress’ August recess is almost over; the focus is once again turning to jobs. GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman revealed his jobs plan this afternoon; the largest labor union in the country, the AFL-CIO, published its plan this morning; and President Obama has asked to address a joint session of Congress on September 7 so he can roll out his proposals before the American people.
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One week after a quarter of the country endured both an earthquake and a hurricane, there’s fresh debate over whether funding for FEMA’s relief efforts ought to be offset by cuts elsewhere in the federal budget. House Majority Whip Eric Cantor advocates for that position. Texas Rep. Ron Paul, a GOP presidential candidate, thinks we should just eliminate FEMA from the budget all together.
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September is home to three Republican presidential debates and many of the candidates have begun to shown their willingness to criticize their opponents. You won’t see most of them spending time anywhere other than the first three states to pick a candidate – Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
There’s a lot happening this week, and we’re working to pull it all together for you. Add a comment below and let us know what you think. We’ll have a guest list for you on Friday.
(CNN)-We are here to bring you the latest on Hurricane Irene, state-by-state.
Be sure to watch State of the Union for interviews for the very latest from FEMA, the National Hurricane Center, and the governors of Connecticut and New Jersey. We'll also get analysis from former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.
(Updated 6:05 a.m. ET, Sunday)
We’ll have complete coverage of Hurricane Irene as it bears down on the Eastern seaboard.
CNN has deployed unparalleled resources up and down the East Coast to keep you abreast of the storm’s movement and the damage left in its wake.
THIS SUNDAY, our guests will include:
– Bill Read, Director of the National Hurricane Center
– Michael Chertoff, former secretary of homeland security
– New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
– Craig Fugate, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
– New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly
– Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy
**UPDATE** The MLK Memorial Dedication has been canceled, and State of the Union will now be providing you live coverage of Hurricane Irene this Sunday from 9am-1pm ET.
You can watch part 2 of the interview here
On this week's "Getting to Know" we learn about the governor's love of music and who makes the rulings in his house.
(CNN)-It's early, and State of the Union is bringing you the best of the morning headlines to go with your cup of coffee.
On our radar this morning: Vice President Biden making assurances in China, 2012 candidates making a splash, and rebels taking a stand in Libya.
Check out what we're reading, and make sure to watch our interview with Obama senior campaign strategist David Axelrod at 9am/12pm ET.
At the end of a three-day Midwest bus tour touting his focus on the economy, jobs and the middle class, the White House announces the President’s plan to unveil a new jobs proposal in a September speech. Does the bus tour offer a glimpse of Obama’s re-election strategy? Will the new jobs plan be enough to encourage a wary and frustrated American public? We’ll ask David Axelrod, Senior Strategist of the Obama re-election campaign.
Turning to state politics, we’ll hear from two governors of states trying to adjust to the economic downturn. What effect does the bickering in Washington have on their states and what does it mean for the 2012 campaign? Candy talks to Governors Bob McDonnell of Virginia and Martin O'Malley of Maryland, chairs of their party’s governors associations.
Then the Congressional Black Caucus embarks on a jobs tour with job fairs and town halls in cities across the country after leveling criticism at the President for failing to do enough to create jobs for the African-American community. Plus Florida Republican Rep. Allen West stirs up controversy over his “plantation” comments about African-American voters and the Democratic Party. We’ll hear from Congressional Black Caucus member Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland.
Finally, a rocky week for the stock market as the Dow plummets in response to concerns in the global economy. Will the American economy be able to recover with continuing instability overseas? Insights from U.S. economic editor of The Economist Greg Ip and Editor of Thomson Reuters Digital Chrystia Freeland.
Candy reports on the rise and fall of Tim Pawlenty's presidential campaign.