When Stimulus Becomes a Dirty Word
PHILLIPS: Controlling the message. CNN.com columnist LZ Granderson says Republicans are doing a masterful job of dictating the conversation in Washington. The latest example, he says, is the word "stimulus." A word, according to LZ that President Obama is just afraid to use as he pushes his latest jobs plan. LZ, make your case. What are you talking about?</s>LZ GRANDERSON, CNN.COM CONTRIBUTOR: Did you hear the word during president's speech? I mean, I didn't --</s>PHILLIPS: No.</s>GRANDERSON: -- hear the word stimulus, but let's face it. I mean, it is a stimulus package, right? It another stimulus package and he has to find a way to get people to not feel bad about hearing that word because Republicans are going to use that word and relate it to his jobs plan.</s>PHILLIPS: So you're saying it's giving Republicans credibility.</s>GRANDERSON: Well, I mean, absolutely. Every single time that he does not say that word or does that correlate the fact that the two packages are similar, and in the fact that they are stimulus packages. What he is basically doing is somewhat saying, you know what, maybe the first one didn't work or maybe the Republicans are right. And if they have that doubt, if voters have that doubt that the first one was a complete failure, then where is the confidence with the second one? He's got to take control of the message and he can do that by using that word.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, do you think Republicans have boxed him in?</s>GRANDERSON: Well, you know, I think that Republicans always have done a masterful job of boxing him in. They control the message. They've been controlling the message now for much of his administration. But I think he's at a critical juncture right now because this is pretty much is going to be his last big shot to tell voters that he is the person to get the economy back on track. And if he can't now step up and control this message and control that word, and get people to believe in his job's plan package, his chances of getting re-elected gets a lot slimmer.</s>PHILLIPS: LZ, great talking to you this morning. Thanks for weighing in.</s>GRANDERSON: You, too.</s>PHILLIPS: You bet, you can weigh in with LZ. Read his entire column at CNN.com/Opinion. If you like, you can join the conversation. LZ would love to get into it with you. All right, stories across the country now. Wildfires threatening homes in California in Kern County just north of LA. Residents are being urged to evacuate. Three groups of fires there are burning across 87 square miles.</s>PHILLIPS: And no school today for students in Tacoma, Washington. Teachers there voted to strike. It's the second time Tacoma teachers have voted to strike after contract talks fell through. And hospice nurses in Colorado went above and beyond to take care of a patient. 55-year-old Tom Driscoll is dying of brain cancer. He is a life-long Denver Broncos fan and really wanted to go to last night's home opener against The Raiders. Well, as you can see, he went. His nurses actually called The Broncos' organization and managed to get him one of the coveted tickets. Well, it was easy for Bobby Bowden to talk about football when he coached at Florida state, but he couldn't talk about cancer. Why did he wait so long to reveal it? Coach joins me next -- live.