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Live from Abu Dhabi Connect the World takes you on a journey across continents, investigating the stories that are changing our world.
Connector of the day – Maria Shriver
Married to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Maria Shriver is the first lady of California, an award-winning journalist, best-selling author and social campaigner.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/10/26/art.shriver.jpg caption="Maria Shriver is known as the First Lady of California."]
Distinguished by her family background, she is a member of the prominent Kennedy clan - daughter of the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargeant Shriver, the niece of President John F. Kennedy.
While she supports her Republican husband in most of his political endeavors, Shriver publicly endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama during the U.S. elections.
Unfortunately she made the news for the wrong reasons this month when she was caught using her cell phone whilst driving. The gossip columns did not miss the fact that it was her own husband’s law that she was violating!
On a more positive note, Shriver will be talking to CNN Tuesday about her latest project – hosting the annual Women’s Conference in California, a forum to “inspire, empower and educate women to be the architects of change,” according to its Web site.
One of the main issues on the agenda is climate change and how women can be at the forefront of initiatives to combat this critical issue.
She is also the founder of the We Connect campaign which aims to help working families of California become more financially secure by connecting them to programs and resources across the state.
If you have a question for Maria about the conference, her career in journalism, her social causes, or what it’s like to be married to Arnie, comment below and we’ll put the best of them to her in the show.
Was there any challenges from your rebuplican husbaund when you endorsed Obama during the election?
Can we say that you have elected Barack Obama becouse you are from Kennedy family, who normaly vote for democratic?
Netherlands
HOW WILL MARIA SHRIVER, CONNECTOR OF THE DAY, CONDUCT THE 'WOMEN'S CONFERENCE' IN CALIFORNIA THE MOMENT THE TOPIC OF THE DAY WILL FOCUS THE DESPERATE SITUATION OF MUSLIM WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD?
I HOPE THAT WE WILL ALL BE ABLE TO HEAR SOME CLEAR-CUT STATEMENTS REPLACING THE USUAL POLITICALLY CORRECT WORDING THAT COVERS UP THE INCONVENIENT TRUTH SOME PEOPLE SIMPLY CANNOT BEAR TO UTTER AND MUCH LESS TO CONDEMN.
I ALSO HOPE THAT NO PARTICIPANTS WILL CLAIM THAT THE SLAVERY UNDER WHICH ALL MUSLIM WOMEN ROT IS HIGHLY PRIZED BY THE VICTIMS THEMSELVES. AFTER ALL, EVEN CYNICISM MUST HAVE A LIMIT IMPOSED UPON IT BY THE ETHICS OF A FREE SOCIETY AND ESPECIALLY BY THOSE WITH A "DISTINGUISHED FAMILY BACKGROUND". OR AM I WRONG?
Dear LADY,
PLEASE HELP AUNG SAN SU KYI OF BURMA AND INNOCENT WOMEN AND GIRLS WHO ARE UNDER THE MERCY OF RUTHLESS MILITARY JUNTA OF BURMA. THANK FOR YOUR TIME
BEST REGARDS, AND SINCERE UNIVERSLA LOVE,
SHWE
When would you start your real political career like what Hillary Clinton is doing now?
GOOD MORNING MARIA:
BRENDA HERE IN OWEN SOUND, ONTARIO; CANADA .
2 1/2 HOURS NORTH OF TORONTO. BEAUTIFUL SCENIC CITY
ON GEORGIAN BAY.
CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK WITH THE LADIES
CONFERENCE COMING UP. YOU WILL MAKE GOOD HEADLINES
THERE. AND BENEFIT A LOT OF FAMILIES IN GENERAL. ABOUT THE OTHER SAY HI TO ARNOLD FOR US AND THAT YOU WILL BE USING HANDS FREE.
OUR CONDOLENCES FOR YOUR LOSS OF EUNICE AND TED.
TWO WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND WILL BE DEARLY MISSED ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
ENJOY YOUR BUSY DAY. OUR HEARTS AND PRAYERS ARE
WITH OUR FRIENDS IN CALIFORNIA AS YOU WORK THE CLEAN
UP OF THE TERRIBLE FIRES.
TELL ARNOLD THAT SOME DAY THERE WILL BE TRUE LOVE,
UNITY AND PEACE. IN THE MEANTIME KEEP UP THE EXCELLENT
WORK. WE LOVE YOU BOTH
BT.
Good Morning
Is there some sort of exit to the conflict in the middle east? after a non stop parade of political leaders dancing around its kind of odd to hear every year the same rethoric just change different faces.
After the Shoah its been a non stop violence day a night. When a couple buy a house and built a house and has kids . Its normal to secure the dwelling and if violent neighboors or outsiders are against our presence in this part of the world, What should we tell them?
As a women what is your vision about this delicate issue?
David Minero
Paris , France
YOU ONCE SAID YOU WOULD NOT RETURN TO WORK AS A NEWS JOURNALIST AFTER THE EXCESSIVE COVERAGE OF THE DEATH OF ANNA NICOLE SMITH – ARE YOU STANDING BY THAT PLEDGE? IT SEEMS THAT YOUR ROLE AS FIRST LADY OF CALIFORNIA AND ALL THE SOCIAL AND WELFARE CAUSES YOU SUPPORT AS PART OF THAT MUST MEAN YOU HAVE LESS TIME FOR JOURNALISTIC ENDEAVOUR ANYWAY?
As a mother, you can certainly understand the challenges of motherhood, and that some times teenagers can do stupid things and end up being at the wrong place at the wrong time. One such individual is Brandon Hein who, at the age of 18, was at the wrong place at the wrong time . . . and is now spending life in prison in California for a crime nobody says he committed, but because he was at the wrong place at the wrong time when another kid stabbed the son of an LAPD officer. This could have been your child. Can you use your role as first lady of California to influence correcting these kinds of injustices? What would you say to Brandon Hein? Ref: http://www.brandonhein.com
California is avant gard in the energy field. Could it be possible California approaches Puerto Rico republican governor to share and make advancements both ways in this matter?
Maria ,as a MA resident I say get Arnold here ,also ditch Your cell(i'm thinking maybe $50 fine will be enough,God bless You AC
Maria,
As a journalist and writer of books, I would love to see you write about your beautiful ,example of a true Christian,mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver. I have a nephew in law that participates in the Special Olympics every year in Illinois. He seems to manage to get several gold medals in swimming. He is a wonderful person. Thanks to Eunice founding the Special Olympics and a vocal supporter of the pro-life movement, she has blessed and helped so many fine men and women. I would like to see you write a book on your life from childhood to present. You would give it a special touch. Thank you,Fred
I just read about the school gang rape in Richmond CA that lasted for 2 hours. I have a young daughter who is still far from high school age, but would like to know how and when to start educating her about violence against women issues. I do not have a son, but maybe it should be the education should be taken in school for both sexes, or is would that be considered too much government involvement?
Worried Parent
Often American women ignore the triumphs made by ordinary, poor and illiterate refugee women. Women who fight for their basic human right such as education and struggle to overcome the hardship war brings about. For example 75% of Somali have no formal education but that does not stop them to their struggle to provide fight against female genital mutilation, child bride, and domestic violence. Unfortunately the only people who is news worthy are the war lords and fanatics.
So my question is will you be recognizing their effort at your conference or it will be just another group of American middle class women patting on each others back telling each other how great they are?
who did your children vote for in the general election?
writing to you from India.
I just saw the news about the gang-rape of a 15 year old girl in California. The gang-rape went on for two hours. What is most shocking is that fifteen young males kept standing watching the incident. I am sure a strict action will be taken against those who
raped the girl. But could you please ensure that an equally a strict
punishment is given to those who kept watching.
Best wishes, pragya shukla, India
When will you become a positive role model instead of an embarrassment ? Driving while holding a cell phone; parking in a red zone; THAT'S what my daughter sees you doing on TV! As you know, it's difficult enough raising a teenager but when she can throw back at me the "the First Lady doesn't go by the rules!" it's not helpful. There's ALWAYS a camera watching; there's ALWAYS an open mike. That's the life you've chosen for yourself. Don't make our lives more difficult by ignoring those truths. Thank you.
Good Morning
Do you believe that there is a solution to the conflict in the Middle East? We have had years of meetings and discussions between the protagonists and there hasn't been one step forward, we have never even been close to a solution. Throughout these years and these meetings, the Palestinians' land has shrunk smaller than ever.
When Israelis decide to build a house on someone else's land, It's normal that we have violence. What can we tell the Palestinians that have had their lands stolen, houses destroyed, livelihood up in smoke about their future?
As a women what is your vision about this delicate issue?
Why are you exempt from California's traffic regulations?
Dear Respected Madam First Lady,
I am most sincerely very proud of You, and wish You ALL THE BEST with the conference and beyond.
Does Jane Goddall attend the conference, by the way?
Elisabeth S. Stage
M.Sc., B.Sc.
Dear Ms. Shriver,
I want to say that I think your Uncles’ Ted, Bobby and John are in the blessed Union of Light with Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Gandhi, San Su Khy and others. I have lived in Thailand as an expat for 10 yrs. The Thai government is in a similar situation to the US Congress. There is a divide between the dark and corrupt right wing Pue Thai party and the reformer Democratic Party. Why it is that corruption and religious extremism are alive and well in a just society, setting the world back hundreds of years, seemingly wanting to erase years of racial progress and justice? I don’t expect you to answer that, but I know your family has fought the good fight against those dark forces for years.
Stop using your cell phone in the car and parking in illegal parking spaces. Its sets a poor example. You are not immune to the laws that all of us obey, don't you agree?
Don't you think these recently exposed errors regarding driving (with cell, parking illegally etc) also come part and parcel with a sense of entitlement you may have, coming from a powerful political family, married to the governor/ex movie star, and did you ever think that perhaps this comes out in other ways as well that contradict your (probably) legitimate beneficent actions in politics and social activism? In other words, do you admit that you have this contradiction between what you believe and how you behave on a day to day, personal level? I personally know of shopkeepers in Santa Monica who have felt badly treated by you in the past, having seen you treat them as underlings, and worthless. Did you ever question your own behavior? Wouldn't it be useful to do, given what you truly believe, politically and socially? Sometimes our behavior belies the things we profess to believe in. Too much luck in life can make it hard to arrive at this self-examination. Maybe you could use a dose.
Dear Maria,
Next emergency call, pls.pull off the road for safety of all and know we
need you around for a long time. You have so much to share with us, am wishing you perseverance to overcome failures, joy in your successful endeavours and good health to keep you going. The moral fortitude of
your prestigious family will guide you. Cheers to all the good work!
Maria-How wonderful that you are affecting the lives of so many women, here and in the world...I know these last weeks have been challenging at a personal level, but at the passing of a parent, we carry their light. Her light will now shine through you, and you will expand it in new ways. Blessings to you & your work
Maria, What do you feel when you and your husband support different parties, Haw your husband feel your bottle against Republican
Amsterdam
I would like to know if you find it frustrating that it is still so hard to get people to see that climate change is real and that action is needed immediately. Thank you for putting this issue, which is critical to all of our and our children, at the forefront of your conference.
Dear Maria,
Thank you for being a beautiful person. You shine!
My question: How do you do it day after day?