42-year-old Michael Jacques is in a Vermont prison, suspected of murdering his 12-year-old niece Brooke Bennett. Jacques allegedly kidnapped Brooke in order to force the young girl to engage in sex with adult males. John was joined by FNC anchor Megyn Kelly, who reported the latest on the case. "The big question," Kelly began, "is whether there was some massive sex ring involving children in Vermont. At this point the answer is no. It appears that Michael Jacques convinced another young child, not Brooke, that there was a sex ring. For five years this young child had sex with Jacques, and now he decided to target Brooke Bennett." Kelly elaborated on Jacques' criminal history. "He was convicted of rape and kidnapping and was sentenced to six years in prison in 1993, of which he served four-and-a-half years. Is that enough for rape and kidnapping? I certainly don't think so. Then he was abusing this young girl while he was being 'supervised' by the state of Vermont." John was visibly shaken by the grisly details of Michael Jacques' crimes. "The lawmakers in Vermont just don't seem to get it, it's clear that the laws there are not protecting children from sexual predators. The last resort in Vermont is the faith community, and I would ask that as you attend your house of worship, please take up this issue so the children of Vermont can be protected."

John McCain has been under fire for running a passive race, and John spoke about the situation with Democratic strategist Bob Beckel and conservative columnist Deroy Murdoch. "People are concerned that McCain is not aggressive enough," Murdoch said. "On foreign policy and certainly on taxes and spending he can make very clear contrasts and point out that Barack Obama wants to continue the massive spending we've seen over the last eight years. McCain should talk about his fiscal conservative credentials." Beckel agreed that McCain seems to be floundering at the moment. "There's a very disjointed message. I don't understand why John McCain decided to go to Colombia and Mexico. The Mexico trip brings up the whole issue of immigration, where he doesn't do well with conservatives. The fact that Obama's ahead in the Catholic vote tells me McCain has a real problem."

How can Americans thrive in the current environment of rising prices and a tumbling stock market? John welcomed Certified Financial Planner Pat Powell, who offered a few common sense tips. "Almost everybody," Powell asserted, "has at least ten percent excess in their budget. You look for it in small ways that can add up. If you're buying a bottle of water a day, at the end of the year that's the same as four or five tanks of gas. If you must eat out, consider having the appetizer at home. You can have the joy of going out to eat and at the same time save a little money. As for driving, inflate your tires properly and get your car tuned up." John, a self-described "cheapskate," added that people should "drink lower-priced coffee" and "find a financial advisor you trust."

Prior to Denver's "State of the City" address this week, jazz singer Rene Marie performed the Star-Spangled Banner, but substituted lyrics from "Lift Every Voice and Sing," sometimes called the "Black National Anthem." John spoke about the controversy with Denver City Councilman Charlie Brown. "She was invited to sing the National Anthem," Brown said, "which is an honor and a privilege. She abused that privilege and I thought it was disgraceful. She made herself more important than the event, and everyone in the room was offended by it." But professor Marc Lamont Hill defended the singer. "As a matter of professionalism, she should have told the city she was going to sing a different song. But if she had sung 'God Bless America' or 'You're a Grand Old Flag,' no one would be outraged. Because she sang 'Lift Every Voice and Sing' it became something bigger. Let's not blow this out of proportion." John pointed out that Marie previously said she "didn't feel like an American."

John introduced a previously aired segment in which Bill spoke with paleontologist Terry Gates about dinosaurs and their demise. "There were five times in Earth's history," Gates said, "when massive amounts of animal life went extinct. Right now the leading theory as to why is an asteroid, but it seems to me there had to be many other factors. The climate was much warmer than it is today, there were no permanent ice poles, and climate change may have contributed to dinosaur extinction." Bill summarized that "the bottom line is that no one knows what caused the dinosaurs to disappear."

At the salacious divorce trial of model Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook, Brinkley broke down when she spoke of Cook's affair with an 18-year old woman. FNC's Jill Dobson reported on the trial from the Long Island courthouse. "We saw her sobbing several times," Dobson said. "She's seeking this divorce on the grounds of adultery, Cook's use of Internet pornography, and cruel treatment. There seems to be sympathy in the courtroom for her, and he is really taking a beating from every angle. But he says he's the better parent and he wants custody." John pointed out that Peter Cook is emerging as the villain. "I don't know anybody who is on this guy's side. He appears to be a total loser."

Finally, John re-aired a segment about Burmese Pythons, which have become pervasive in the Florida Everglades. Python hunter James Peacock told Bill the snakes are extremely dangerous. "They can be life-threatening," Peacock warned, "and they're now being found in residential areas where small children or domesticated animals can easily be taken. The snakes do very well in our climate, and there is no predator to keep them in check." Bill blamed the problem on foolish people who purchase exotic pets. "They're here because irresponsible pet owners bought them and dumped them in the Everglades. If they've already captured 350 of them, you have to figure that there are thousands out there."