Robert O'Neill, the Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden has gone public, upsetting military personnel in the process. Should individuals gain recognition for missions they completed in secret? Also, House Speaker John Boehner and Obama face off on immigration reform. Then, we look at what films are getting all of the buzz at AFI Fest 2014.
Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden goes public
Almost 10 years after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Osama bin Laden was killed by SEAL Team Six in Pakistan. More than three years after the operation, details continue to come to light. This week, the Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden has gone public with his identity. Robert O’Neill, 38, told the Washington Post that he fired the two shots that hit bin Laden.
The Navy is not happy with his disclosure. SEALS do not discuss operation specifics, and they do not seek recognition for their actions. The reasoning behind this modus operandi is to prevent soldiers from acting in ways that benefit themselves more than the mission. By keeping low profiles, soldiers emphasize team cohesion and the vital role of everyone involved. In addition, active SEALS consider it harmful and disrespectful to profit off of one’s previous service, particularly as certain disclosures could damage current and future missions.
To some degree, the killing of Osama bin Laden has been exposed to the public with the movie Zero Dark Thirty and the book No Easy Day. The former was written in close collaboration with senior Pentagon and CIA officials, while the latter was written by Matt Bissonnette (who wrote it under the pseudonym “Mark Owen”), another member of the SEAL Team Six. However, Robert O’Neill is finding special recognition as the man behind those two bullets.
Do you think individuals should gain recognition for missions they completed in secret?
Guests:
Hal Kempfer, retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and CEO of KIPP knowledge and intelligence program professionals
Marcus Weisgerber, Global Business Reporter, Defense One, Atlantic Media’s defense and national security publication
Immigration Battle Heats Up
It's only been three days since midterm elections wrapped up, and we're already seeing tensions rise on Capitol Hill. In his post-election news conference on Wednesday, President Obama said he planned to move forward with immigration reform on his own before the end of the year, potentially giving amnesty to several million illegal immigrants who are already in the U.S. Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner made it clear that if President Obama does move unilaterally on immigration reform, he would "poison the well" and ruin any chances for cooperation with the new Republican-controlled Congress.
Immigration is an issue that has been the subject of a lot of talk and very little action throughout President Obama's tenure in office. According to the Wall St. Journal, President Obama and Speaker Boehner had started talking privately about immigration reform after the 2012 election, but that discussion reportedly ended this summer without a solution. The White House is confident the president will act on immigration, but the question that remains is just how sweeping his action will be. If the President does decide to act, it would almost certainly ruin any chances for compromise on other issues where there would have otherwise been common ground.
Do you think President Obama will "poison the well" and ruin any shot at finding common ground on other issues if he acts on immigration? What do you think is the best course of action for the White House now that Speaker Boehner has made his intentions clear?
Guests:
James Aldrete, a democratic consultant based in Texas. He worked on Obama’s campaign in 2008 and 2012 and is heavily focused on outreach to the Latino community.
Jon Fleischman, Republican strategist, founder and publisher of FlashReport.org, and former vice chairman of the California Republican Party
Obamacare vs. SCOTUS: Round 2
The battle over the Affordable Care Act continues as the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a new challenge to President Obama's healthcare law. SCOTUS announced Friday that they would decide whether or not it is legal for the government to subsidize health insurance for low and middle-income Americans in about two-thirds of the states.
Those who are challenging the law argue that the subsidies that help people buy health insurance can only be paid in the states that have already set up their own healthcare exchanges. So far, not many states have done this. If the Supreme Court ruled against the law, it would severely undercut this central part of the law and limit the amount of money available to help people buy health insurance.
This will be the second time that an issue involving Obamacare will make it to the Supreme Court. In 2012, SCOTUS upheld the heart of the law, which designated the Affordable Care Act as a tax, not a mandate, with a 5-4 decision.
Do you think this part of the Affordable Care Act should be upheld?
Guests:
Greg Stohr, Supreme Court reporter, Bloomberg News
Lisa McElroy, a supreme court scholar and Associate Professor of Law at Drexel University School of Law
Filmweek: 'Interstellar,' 'Big Hero 6,' 'The Theory of Everything' and more
Larry Mantle and KPCC film critics Claudia Puig, Wade Major and Charles Solomon review this week’s releases, including “Interstellar,” “Big Hero 6,” “The Theory of Everything" and more - TGI Filmweek!
Ranker - Lists About Everything
Guests:
Claudia Puig, film critic for KPCC and USA today
Wade Major, film critic for KPCC and host for IGN’s DigiGods.com
Charles Solomon, film critic for KPCC and Animation Scoop and Animation Magazine
AFI Fest: American Film Institute’s dazzling line-up for its annual film festival
The AFI Fest brought to LA by the American Film Institute kicked off last night. It opened with the buzzy "A Most Violent Year" - starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain. And it closes with the equally anticipated "Foxcatcher" - starring Steve Carell in a dramatic role alongside Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave and Sienna Miller at the Dolby Theatre on November 13. The Fest is LA's longest running, starting as FILMEX in 1971.
This years' program includes 118 films (73 features, 45 shorts), representing 39 countries. The director, Jacqueline Lyanga, has headed it up for a few years.
The fest runs Nov 6 -13. All tickets are free - at AFI.com
Guest:
Jacqueline Lyanga, Director, American Film Institute Festival
Filmmaker brothers, the Dardennes, on ‘Two Days, One Night’ starring Marion Cotillard
The new film starring Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night - will have special screenings during the AFI Fest including one tonight at the Egyptian. It's a film by a renowned pair of Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. While the Dardennes are hugely respected and have won the Palme d'Or twice at the Cannes Film Fest, this their first film to star an international name. Once again, the Dardennes use a starkly realistic and emotional film to reveal working-class struggles using vulnerable, socially conscious characters. What is the backstory of casting Cotillard? How has the filmmakers extensive experience with documentaries informed their latest work?
Sundance Selects will release the film in New York and Los Angeles on Wednesday, December 24, with a national rollout to follow.
Guests:
Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Director, Writer, Producer, "Two Days, One Night” (“Deux Jours, Une Nuit”) - Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival
Luc Dardenne, Director, Writer, Producer, "Two Days, One Night” (“Deux Jours, Une Nuit”) - Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival