The film starts with a brief pre-title clip from presenter Greg Palast s aborted interview with Florida Director of Elections Clayton Roberts , who walks out . Palast introduces George W. Bush with particular reference to his popular image as a war hero cemented in the public mind by his landing on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln for the 2003 Mission Accomplished Speech . However Palast alleges that Bush used his father s influence to gain a draft-dodging placement with the Texas Air National Guard Which he subsequently failed to serve . Palast picks up the story with Bush s 2000 US Presidential Election campaign where he claims Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris used their influence to purge and discount the ballots of predominantly Gore-supporting black voters through the fake felons list compiled by private company DBT/ChoicePoint for US$ 4 million . Palast goes on to examine the corporate donors to Bush s election campaign , such as Enron CEO Ken Lay , who as members of Bush s pioneer network contributed huge sums through family and friends , and who he claims subsequently profited from the Bush presidency with senior government appointments , no-bid contracts , executive orders and deregulation . Palast outlines what he refers to as the Bush-cycle , where Bush family members use money to gain political office and then use the office to gain even more money , dating back to Senator Prescott Bush who funded the family s entry into the oil business , citing the example of Bush s Harken Energy winning a contract to drill in the Persian Gulf thanks he alleges to Bush Snr s presidency .

What methods does Palast claim Bush used during his election campaign?

(CNN) -- Cuba will pardon more than 2,900 prisoners, the government said Friday, though U.S. subcontractor Alan Gross is not among those who will be freed. The decision to release the prisoners follows "numerous requests" from their family members and religious institutions, and is a humanitarian gesture, said Cuban President Raul Castro. Among those who might be freed are prisoners over the age of 60, along with those who are sick, female or young with no previous criminal record. With some exceptions, prisoners convicted of spying, terrorism, murder and drug trafficking will not be released. Those who will be freed have already served a "important" part of their sentences and exhibited good behavior, according to an official statement published on the state-run website Cubadebate. The jailed American, Gross, will not be among those pardoned, the Cuban Interests Section in Washington said. Gross was jailed in December 2009, when he was working as a subcontractor on a U.S. Agency for International Development project aimed at spreading democracy. Castro has accused him of importing satellite equipment to connect dissidents to the Internet, and this year Cuba's highest court upheld the 15-year sentence imposed on Gross for committing crimes against the security of the state. He has maintained his innocence and said he was trying to help connect the Jewish community to the Internet. Castro, speaking to the National Assembly, said that 86 prisoners from 25 countries would be among those released in coming days. He cited the upcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI as one of the motivations behind the move, which he said showed the "generosity and strength of the revolution." The pope has said he plans to visit Mexico and Cuba before Easter.

Which historical event was compared to releasing prisoners from Cuba?

First of America Bank Corp. said it completed its acquisition of Midwest Financial Group Inc. for about $250 million. First of America, which now has 45 banks and $12.5 billion in assets, announced an agreement to acquire the Peoria, Ill., bank holding company in January. Midwest Financial has $2.3 billion in assets and eight banks. The Midwest Financial subsidiary banks will continue to operate under their current names until early 1990, when each will adopt the First of America name. Kalamazoo, Mich.-based First of America said it will eliminate the 13 management positions of the former Midwest Financial parent company. First of America said some of the managers will take other jobs with First of America. But it said that severance payments to those executives not staying with the company will reduce First of America's operating results for 1989 by $3 million to $4 million, or 15 cents to 20 cents a share.
Where is Midwest Financial Group Located?