KCRW's To the Point Podcasts

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World Leaders Take on Climate Change On his first day at the United Nations, Barack Obama addressed a multitude of issues, starting with climate change. Can he help set the stage for international action? Is it already too late to prevent life-changing developments all over the world? Also, Obama urges Netanyahu and Abbas to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, and new rules for net neutrality.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare Reform: Is the President Doing It Right?or Not? Recent reports say healthcare reform is in trouble, but the American Medical Association has done an about face. After decades of opposition, why is Washington's most potent lobby running TV ads that favor a government overhaul? Can the doctors get the public on board? Also, an urgentneed for more troops in Afghanistan, and three arrests in what might or might not be a terrorist plot linked to Al Qaeda. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Russia, Iran and Missile Defense in Europe Vladimir Putin calls it "right and brave."  John McCain says it is "seriously misguided."  President Obama's decision not to locate a missile shield in Eastern Europe.  What are the military consequences?  What about Iran?  Is it time for a "new beginning" for relations with Russia? Also, The soft sell of First Lady Michelle Obama, and the flap over ACORN. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Incivility, Racial Hostility and Dissent in America Attacks on America's first black President and his proposals have inflamed America's ongoing controversy about race and politics at a time of economic anxiety. We look at the possible consequences. Also, the US drops the proposed missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, and public lands and public trust during the Bush Administration.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website One Year after the Wall Street Meltdown It's been a year now since Lehman Brothers was allowed to go bankrupt, and the financial meltdown really got under way. Since Barack Obama took over, has there been more continuity than change? Could it happen all over again? Also, Senator Max Baucus releases his long-awaited healthcare bill, and mysterious "double eagles" have turned up again. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics in America and Reality in Afghanistan Despite fading support from the public and Congress, President Obama will likely be asked for another increase in troops for Afghanistan.  We look at some difficult options, on the battlefield and on Capitol Hill. Also, the White House proposes tougher fuel standards, and a federal judge rakes Wall Street and federal regulators over the coals.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Capital Punishment, Due Process and the Constitution The US Supreme Court says a defendant proven guilty after a fair trail does not have the same rights as a free man. Does that mean a condemned man should be put to death, even if new evidence shows he was innocent? We hear about capital punishment, due process and the Constitution.  Also,  President Obama today made the case for regulatory reform, and the rules of civility have been violated in Congress, at the US Tennis Open and at the MTV Music Awards.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Islamist Terrorism: Eight Years Later Eight years after September 11, the UK may be at greater risk than the US from Islamic extremists. Why are young British Muslims so ripe for radicalization? Did the US jeopardize British efforts to foil a plot that could have been more deadly than 9/11? Also, the media mistakes a Coast Guard training exercise for the real thing, and global warming and open seas. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Pitch Is History, Did He Make the Sale? Last night's address to Congress was called a "make or break" moment for the presidency of Barack Obama, but it's one part of an ongoing process. We look at the speech, the immediate reaction and what might happen next. Also, Sarah Palin, death panels and Afghanistan. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Big Money and the Right to Free Speech An attack film calledHillary: The Movieis at the heart of a case that could change the way political campaigns have been financed for more than 100 years. We hear about today's extraordinary session of the US Supreme Court, the first for the new Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Also, the capture of a New York Times Reporter illustrates the escalating danger in Afghanistan. On Reporter's Notebook, can the US afford human exploration in space?  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The August Recess Is Finally Over Congress is back after the August recess, faced with the same problems it failed to address in July. We hear about healthcare, global warming, finance reform ? partisan Republicans and divided Democrats. Also, President Obama speaks to America's school children, and an official finding of widespread "fraud" in Afghanistan's presidential election. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Medical Miracle with Conflicting Consequences Eighty million baby boomers are reaching their late 50's. Will an aging population burden the young or use the wisdom that comes from experience to create a better society? On this archived edition ofTo the Point, originally broadcast in April of this year, we look at the pros and cons of an aging America. Also, an update on healthcare reform, and a status report on the labor movement in 2009.Programming note: This program will be not air on KCRW as it will be pre-empted by special Lab ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Convicted Bomber Released but Lockerbie Case Far from Over Scotland has released the only man convicted of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. Critics claim the British government was motivated by interest in Libya's oil reserves. Meantime, some observers still question the 2001 conviction of Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi, who's now being treated in Libya for terminal prostate cancer. How much will ever be known about the actual Lockerbie incident and the release of theman sentenced to life in prison for the deaths of 270 people?Sara Terryguest ho ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare Reform 2.0: Obama Prepares to Re-charge the Debate Barack Obama is attempting to regain control of the debate on healthcare reform. His proposals drew criticism from conservatives at a series of town hall meetings in August, and Republican senators, once considered potential partners in bi-partisanship, have openly attacked the plan. Guest hostSara Terryconsiders the prospects for reform, the President's strategy in his speech to Congress next week, and whose support he'll need to win. Also, Iran's parliament approves President Ahmadinejad' ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Are Hearts and Minds Being Won or Lost in Afghanistan? The latest US strategy against the Taliban calls for winning the hearts and minds of the Afghan people. But complaints of election fraud threaten the credibility of President Hamid Karzai, and contractors guarding the US embassy, have shocked Afghan sensibilities. We update developments as support in the US is on the decline for what?s called "Barack Obama's war." Also, Pfizer is fined $2.3 billion for illegal marketing of drugs, and reassessing piracy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Too Big to Fail - and Still Growing Banks that were "too big to fail" were rescued from the consequences of bad decisions with taxpayer money.  They're beginning to pay it back but, at the same time, they've grown bigger than ever. What does that mean for consumers? Can government get the banks under control before they get reckless again? Also, an update on the fires that are ravaging southern California, and big change in Japan. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hurricane Katrina and Medical Choice in Extreme Emergencies The US is faced with a possible flu epidemic this fall, and plans are being made for extreme emergencies. If medical facilities are overwhelmed, who gets access first?  Who makes that decision? What can be learned from what happened in New Orleans after Katrina? Also, an update on deadly Los Angeles-area wildfires, and President Obama's commanding general assesses Afghanistan. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Offshore Wind Power: The Promises and the Realities Offshore wind is an alternative energy source touted by the Obama Administration. But plans may be delayed by controversy over a project planned for waters off Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, where the President's on vacation. We hear about green power and global warming, natural beauty and the tourist economy, and what's at stake for America's energy future.  Also, Iranian President Ahmadinejad wants opposition leaders prosecuted, and a kidnapping victim is found -- 18 years later. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Concierge Doctors: Primary Care and the Well-to-Do The concierge doctor is a relatively small but growing practice aimed at cutting out the middle man and delivering medicine directly to the patient?for a price. Meanwhile, the number of doctors going into family practice has dropped dramatically, even though healthcare analysts say general practitioners are essential as the backbone of an efficient and accessible national healthcare system. Guest hostJudy Mullerexamines  the disparity and wonders what Ted Kennedy would have thought. Al ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Iraq's Future: The Battle Continues Massive truck bombs in Baghdad last week dramatized sectarian differences, even as Prime Minister al-Maliki claimed to have security well in hand. Will political instability lead to civil war?  Will Iran extend its influence in Iraqi affairs? Should the US continue its troop withdrawal? Also, Senator Edward Kennedy, who died of brain cancer last night. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Prisoner Abuse and National Security The Inspector General's report describes CIA interrogators menacing suspects with guns and power drills and threatening to rape their wives and kill their children.  Did Bush White House officials authorize torture? What's next for the CIA, the FBI and efforts to protect America's national security? Also, President Obama nominates Fed Chair Bernanke to a second term, and Scotland, Libya and the Lockerbie bomber. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A New Look for America's Terrorism Interrogations President Obama has set up a new team to question terrorist suspects, with less authority for the CIA and more for the White House and the Justice Department. Meantime, more details are being revealed about past abuses, including the use of a gun and a power drill. Will a special prosecutor reopen investigations? Also, industrial agriculture produces huge quantities of meat and grain, but are they as cheap as they seem? Is there damage to land, water and even human health, including human o ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website How Much Does Vacation Matter? Hard as it is to get away from his job, President Obama is spending a week on Martha's Vineyard. But most American workers are cutting back on vacations this year. We hear what that could mean for both mental and physical health ? and the economy. Also, polls show rising opposition to healthcare reform, and athletic performance and gender determination. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Afghan Election: Democracy in Wartime The polls are closed and the vote count is under way in Afghanistan, where a national election has been held in the midst of bloody fighting. We look at the turnout, the possible outcomes and the potential consequences for US diplomacy and military commitments.  Also, the Lockerbie bomber is released, and Whole Foods and healthcare reform. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Piracy: The Legacy of a Failed State Four more ships have been seized by Somali pirates who threaten vengeance for those killed during hostage rescues. We hear how instability in the Horn of Africa has bred international lawlessness. Should the merchant nations resort to force or help the region solve economic and political problems? Also, President Obama speaks hard truths about the economy and opens a crack in the door to engagement with Cuba.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Piracy on the High Seas and Gun Control in America Despite a rash of mass killings, calls for increased gun control are falling on deaf ears.  Has the NRA prevailed in Washington and state capitols?  Will American guns continue to flow to Mexican drug cartels?  Also, the US resolves to do what's necessary to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Religion in the 'Modern' World Secularism is a defining characteristic of the "Modern" world.  So why is there such an increase in religious belief? With two major religions celebrating holidays, we look at faith in America and other parts of the world. Also, "glimmers of hope" for the economy, and America's electrical grid and cyberspies. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Behavioral Science and Political Change Scientists of human behavior helped Barack Obama get to the White House. Now they're helping him "nudge" Americans to make "better" choices.  We hear the pros and cons of a new form of leadership. Also, stocks continue rebound on good news about banks, and a proposal for small investors to get in on bank bailouts.  What are the benefits and the risks? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack Obama and Fidel Castro's Cuba In Latin America and in Washington there's pressure for changing the policy of isolating Fidel Castro's Cuba. As President Obama prepares for the Summit of the Americas, how far is he willing to go? Will he insist that Cuba change its repressive ways? Also, a hijacked crew retakes its ship from Somali pirates. On Reporter's Notebook, are Nevada politicians embarrassed to tax legal prostitution? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Wars of the Future and the Wars of the Past Defense Secretary Gates says cutting the F-22 jet fighter was "not even a close call,” but the project provides jobs in no less than 44 of the 50 states. We hear about upcoming battles over a defense budget that reorients the Pentagon from conventional warfare to counterinsurgency.  Also, President Obama greeted warmly in Iraq, and Vermont becomes the fourth state to recognize same-sex marriage. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack Hussein Obama and the Muslim World In Turkey today, President Obama is making good on his promise to reach out to the Muslim world.  We hear about Turkey's importance as a strategic ally and a bridge to the rest of Islam and discuss the growth of independent, conservative religious thinking among young Muslim people around the world.  Also, the hunt for survivors after today's earthquake in Italy, and President Obama makes it a goal of the US to eliminate nuclear weapons. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Michelle Obama and the Power of America's First Lady A former American President once said, "I'm the man who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris."  Michele Obama is currently dazzling France having already dazzled London. We talk about America's newest first lady— Princeton graduate, Harvard lawyer, community organizer, fashion plate and role model. Does she have an agenda? Also, the unavoidably bad unemployment numbers, and same-sex marriage comes to the Midwest.   Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The G-20 and the World's Economic Order Despite predictions that their nations would be divided, the G-20 leaders said today they will take unified action against the global recession. On Reporter's Notebook, does the US need a cyberspace security czar? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What's Next for International Capitalism? President Obama and Britain's Prime Minister Brown today renewed "the special relationship." But will they get the cooperation they want from the rest of the world?  We get a preview of the G-20 summit and the likelihood of resolving the global financial crisis. Also, Obama and Medvedev discuss reduction of nuclear warheads, and Alaska's former Republican Senator Ted Stevens gets a reprieve.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is the US Becoming a Banana Republic? As the US economy continues to struggle, it turns out that what was good for Wall Street wasn't good for the country after all. We talk with a former chief economist for the International Monetary Fund who says America's "financial oligarchs” stand in the way of economic recovery. Also, Chicago's Sun-Times files for Chapter 11, and America's President goes overseas…with a staff of 500. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website For GM and Chrysler: an Ultimatum President Obama says Chrysler and GM have made "good faith efforts" to restructure their companies— but not good enough. They'll get 60 and 30 days respectively to do better or else face bankruptcy.  Also, a Spanish court opens a case against former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Tough-on-Crime Policies Overwhelm Shrinking State Budgets State prison budgets have quadrupled in the last 20 years, out-pacing every state government spending category except healthcare. Guest hostLawrence O'Donnellconsiders the price of being tough on crime and what changes states are making to run corrections systems that they can afford. Also, President Obama unveils his strategy for Afghanistan. On Reporter's Notebook, who is taking advantage of  rock-bottom home prices? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Does Obama Have a Strategy for Victory in Afghanistan? President Obama wants to dial down in Iraq andup the ante in Afghanistan. His plan to send 17,000 more troops to Afghanistan is meeting increasing resistance from his liberal supporters at home and skepticism from some allies. Is there a better strategy? What alternatives has the President considered? Does history prove that Afghanistan cannot be tamed?Lawrence O'Donnellguest hosts. Also, the administration calls for expanded oversight power of financial system, and the spread of new Hoover ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama Administration's Delicate Balance with Mexico President Obama got no questions about Iraq or Afghanistan in last night’s press conference, but was asked if the raging violence of drug cartels in Mexico is “a national security threat.” Guest hostLawrence O’Donnellexplores the new tensions in US relations with Mexico and what the Obama Administration hopes to achieve with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s meeting today with Mexican President Felipe Calderón.  Also, Obama meets with Senate Democrats on ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack Obama, Technology and the Internet Telecommunications technology is changing so fast that federal regulators can barely keep up.  We talk about Internet access, neutrality and openness as seen by the Obama Administration. Also, unemployment reaches an“astounding” level, and the return of daylight savings. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Could AIG Wreck the Global Economy? American Insurance Group, the world's biggest insurance company, is getting history's biggest bailout.  But where are almost $200 billion in taxpayer dollars ending up? The Federal Reserve told a senate committee today that going public could destroy AIG, putting at risk the world's financial system. We update the hearing and get the background. Also,“substantial doubt” about GM's ability to survive, and Russia and Iran are on the agenda as Hillary Clinton attends her first m ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Tracking the Great Recession, Region by Region No place in America is recession proof, but some places are being hit much harder than others.  Today we find out where it's worst and why, and ask what communities will need most to help them to bounce back.  Also, new details on the Obama Administration's foreclosure prevention program, and a sitting head of state is indicted for crimes against humanity. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website America's 'New Path' in the Middle East The Obama Administration says it's cutting a "new path" toward Middle East peace. With Israel and the Palestinians both divided among themselves, we hear about outreach to Syria, Turkey and even Iran. Also, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown becomes the first European leader to visit President Obama, and the Church of Rome and the Theory of Evolution. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is It Time to Cease Fire in the War on Drugs? Three former South American presidents are among those who’ve asked the United States for a "paradigm shift" in the so-called "War on Drugs." New York and California are already moving in that direction. Is it wasting billions of dollars while addiction and violence increase? Would legalization perpetuate a dangerous cycle and make matters worse? Also, the government tries to keep AIG afloat, and lost Chinese relics and Yves St. Laurent.  Who's the real owner. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Religious Violence and Political Turmoil in Pakistan More US troops will go to Afghanistan, but US diplomacy is focused on that country together with Pakistan.  We hear about Pakistan’s deal with Muslim extremists and ask best-selling author Greg Mortenson what he’s telling the US military about the remote provinces of both countries.  Also, the President outlines the end to the war in Iraq, and the Obama budget as a massive political gamble. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website National Security and American Values Suspected terrorists have been held for years in US military prisons with no charges and no trials, creating a conflict between constitutional rights and national security. As soon as next month, Barack Obama will face tough choices about presidential power. We hear about a US Supreme Court case which could have dramatic and long-lasting consequences. Also, Obama’s $3.6 trillion budget blueprint, and Mexican drug cartels — all over the US. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Public Speaking and Public Policy After weeks of grim predictions of hard times to come, President Obama tried to lift the mood of the nation in last night's address to a joint session of Congress.  Also, a decision on Iraqi troop withdrawal may be forthcoming this week. On Reporter's Notebook, will the District of Columbia get a vote in Congress?   Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 'Nationalizing' America's Banks: Rumors and Realities The Obama Administration says the banking system will remain private. But at the same time, it's taking steps that could lead to government ownership. Would that be "nationalization" under another name? What's in store for the taxpayers? Also, the President prepares to address Congress, and methane gas released by melting ice in the Arctic creates a feedback loop for global warming.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Getting to Know You: The Obama Administration and China Human rights and currency manipulation were on the back burner for Hillary Clinton’s visit to China. The Secretary of State emphasized economics and global warming. Also, President Obama discusses the stimulus package with the governors, and Hollywood and Bollywood at last night’s Oscars.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Does News Have a Future? As of last year, more people were getting their news for free on the Internet than were paying for newspapers and magazines.  We hear proposals for preserving journalism as we've come to know it and for creating new ways of serving consumers of information. Also, President Obama warns mayors against misusing stimulus-package funds, and Hollywood and the Oscars. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack Obama Crosses the Border Barack Obama leaves the country for the first time as President. We hear about free trade, troops in Afghanistan and environmental protection from the US and Canadian points of view.  Also, California’s budget madness sort of comes to a close, and universal healthcare – Canadian style. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website President Obama and the Home Mortgage Crisis President Obama wants to stop foreclosures and slow the slide in homeprices. Is that a good idea? Will $75 billion be enough to meet hisobjectives? Also, the nightmare in Detroit continues. On Reporter's Notebook, did Illinois' US Senator Roland Burris lie under oath?  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack Obama, Back on the Road Bipartisanship didn't work on Capitol Hill, but the massive stimulus bill passed anyway.  Now the President is back on the road.  Also, a US military leader says Obama's plans to withdraw from Iraq is optimistic, and the State of California runs out of money. We look at the politics and economic recovery. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website More Troops for Afghanistan, but What's the Mission President Obama wants more troops in Afghanistan, but the US presence is increasingly unpopular. So is the country's corrupt and ineffective government. We hear about the challenges of shifting America's focus on terror from Iraq to South Asia. Also, the Obama Administration awaits the Big Three's auto-industry restructuring plans and, on her first trip in a new job, Hillary Clinton arrives in Japan.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Can Obama's Bailout Succeed Where Bush's Failed? George W. Bush spent $350 billion to rescue financial institutions. Barack Obama wants $1.5 trillion. We hear how Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner describes the program and the promise of accountability and transparency. Also, the President takes his stimulus pitch to Florida and, just like Bush, Obama invokes state secrets in a case of extraordinary rendition.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website War and Peace - and the Israeli Election President Obama wants to revive the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, but Israel's new government may not go along. That's if predictions about tomorrow's elections turn out to be true. Also, President Obama goes on the road to sell his stimulus plan. Why are Republicans just saying“no?” Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Can President Obama Organize America? Barack Obama transformed political campaigns by creating a grassroots network of 13 million people. Can they be mobilized to help accomplish Obama's agenda? The effort begins this weekend, and we get a preview of what could be a sea change in the way that America is governed. Also, the Senate works on the stimulus bill as the economy sheds jobs, and with unemployment on the rise, states are cutting welfare. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack Obama: Shareholder-in-Chief After the stimulus bill, the President's next economic challenge will be another massive bailout. We talk about how much federal control should come with increased federal ownership of America's major financial institutions.  Also, hot and heavy politicking over the stimulus bill, and faith-based initiatives— Obama style. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Ethics and Accountability at the Obama White House Two of President Obama's top appointees withdrew yesterday because they failed to pay federal taxes.  Is "changing the culture" of Washington easier said than done?  Will the political distraction interfere with efforts at policy change? Also, tighter restrictions on executive compensation for companies getting federal bailouts, and an about-face on global warming from the new Secretary of Energy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare Reform without Tom Daschle Can the US afford to reform a failing system of health care in the midst of an economic crisis? Can it afford not to? We hear what's in the stimulus bill and how it could shape debate on questions of life-and-death. Also, former Senator Tom Daschle withdraws his nomination for Health and Human Services Secretary, and the case for private jet planes for busy corporate executives. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Stimulating the Economy, Now and in the Future Bill Clinton declared the Era of Big Government "over." Well, it'sback, with a stimulus package big enough to start re-shaping theeconomy.  We look at the possible impacts now and in the long term. What will it mean for free trade and the global economy?  Also, a bumpy road ahead for Obama cabinet picks, and theIraqi elections and US troop withdrawals. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Does Bipartisanship Really Matter? Barack Obama won big, but he's been spending his first few days in the White House reaching out to Republicans.  So far, they haven't reached back.  Whatever ends up in the stimulus package, the economy's likely to get worse. Also, the US economy shrank last year, though not as fast as expected. On Reporter's Notebook, private jets and executive bonuses, what can the public do? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is the Fight against Global Warming a Losing Battle? Scientists now say climate change can’t be reversed for 1000 years, even if greenhouse gases are cut to pre-industrial levels. What does that mean for green technology?  Should the consumer economy be reduced instead of expanded?  Also, Governor Blagojevich on his impeachment trial, and the Postal Service is threatening to drop a day of deliveries.  Is it crying wolf? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Job Cuts Are Taking Their Toll Some 2.5 million Americans lost their jobs in 2008, and this year three million more are likely to be laid off.  We look at the impact of unemployment across the country.  What will it take to get the next job in a restructured economy? Also, President Obama's envoy is in Jerusalem as fighting flares, a Super Bowl ad is more than just a commercial.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Economic Stimulus and the Promise of Bipartisanship Barack Obama said he'd restore the economy in a bipartisan way, but debate over his stimulus package sounds all too familiar. Also, President Obama and George Mitchell reach out to Arabs. On Reporter's Notebook, the first bill likely to be signed into law by President Obama. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Why Are US Troops in Afghanistan? Barack Obama promised to get US troops out of Iraq and send more to Afghanistan. Vice President Biden says more casualties should be expected. We hear about deteriorating conditions and the risks of escalation. Also, President Obama directs the EPA to review fuel standards, and financial troubles for America’s premier newspaper, the New York Times. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website America’s Capitol City and Urban Problems Nationwide Washington, DC is a divided city. High officials, government workers and diplomats live and work in prosperous neighborhoods. The majority black population lives somewhere else. Barack Obama says he wants to bring the two together. Also today, two diplomatic envoys for troubled parts of the world. What’s in store for the Middle East and South Asia? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will the Banking Crisis End with Nationalization? Nobody wants the US government to take over the banking industry, but more and more people are saying it might happen. Three hundred billion dollars given to banks by the Bush Administration is hardly small change, but bank losses may add up to two trillion anyway. On Reporter's Notebook, opening up the records. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Inaugural Address Heard Around the World Tens of millions of people watched Barack Obama take office. News coverage, commentary and public opinion are as diverse as the audience. Today we’ll hear what’s being said in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. On Reporter's Notebook, fast action on Guantanamo Bay and growing problems with Mexico. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Dreams and the Realities of Black Americans Barack Obama won 95% of the black vote in November’s election, but African Americans are anything but unanimous on what his election will mean. On Reporter's Notebook later on, a surprise Obama advisor and confidant: John McCain. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Controversial Presidency Comes to an End George W. Bush enjoyed 90% approval ratings after September 11th. There was widespread initial support for his war in Iraq. But he leaves office less popular than any outgoing president since Richard Nixon, and since the November elections he has tried to shape his own legacy. On Reporter's Notebook later on, jet airliners and migrating birds. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Big Change in Store at the Department of Justice Barack Obama’s nominee for Attorney General told a Senate Committee today that “water-boarding” is torture. But Eric Holder also admitted mistakes during his service in Bill Clinton’s Department of Justice. We’ll hear some of today’s questions and answers and talk to supporters andskeptics about one of the incoming president’s most important cabinet choices. On Reporter's Notebook, Steve Jobs and the future of Apple. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Bush Administration and Possible War Crimes Should Bush Administration officials be investigated for war crimes? Barack Obama has been lukewarm toward that idea, but today an Administration insider is saying there was "torture" at Guantánamo Bay. Should somebody be called to account? Where should the buck stop? Also, Egypt struggles to mediate the Gaza conflict, and the future of "don't ask, don't tell" in America's military. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hillary Clinton's Confirmation Hearing Finally freed from the politics of holding a New York Senate seatand running for president, how will Hillary Clinton's foreign policyviews change now that she's on the verge of Senate confirmation asSecretary of State? Also, Barack Obama goes to Capitol Hill to sell hisstimulus plan, and the Detroit Auto Show. It's one gloomy party.Lawrence O'Donnellguest hosts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Can Barack Obama Follow the Money? The first half of last year's $700 billion financial bailout was so badly handled that Congress is reluctant to hand out the second half. If Barack Obama can't make the case that he can do better, he may suffer his first defeat before he's even in office. Also, alleged Ponzi-schemer Bernard Madoff free despite violating his bail, and the US and Mexico: immigration and drug cartels. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack Obama, the Middle East and Iran As the fighting continues in Gaza, Barack Obama is choosing a team to deal with the Middle East, including Iran. Today he repeated his campaign pledge to rely on diplomacy. Also, unemployment jumps over the moon, and what's next for Rod Blagojevich, who's been impeached for abusing his powers as Governor of Illinois. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Political Salesman Lays It on the Line Barack Obama began a tough selling job today with an urgent warning about years of recession if Congress fails to enact a massive stimulus program. We look at the state of the economy and how different it might look, even after recovery. Also, the UN suspends food aid to Gaza, citing danger to its staff. On Reporter's Notebook, does the Internal Revenue Service have a heart after all? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Israel, Gaza and the Prospects for Peace Responding to mounting international pressure, Israel today opened a three-hour "humanitarian window" in Gaza. After that, the fighting resumed. We hear from Gaza itself, update efforts to achieve a ceasefire and talk with American Jews with conflicting opinions.  Also, President-elect Obama says the stimulus must not bust the budget, and Russia, Ukraine and natural gas for the European Union during a bitter cold-snap. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Can Barack Obama Save a Failing Economy? Barack Obama wants government spending and tax cuts big enough and soon enough to revitalize the economy. We hear debate about what might happen if he gets his stimulus plan -- or if he doesn't. Also, Roland Burris and the US Senate. On Reporter's Notebook, is it time for an outsider to run the CIA? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website There Is No Let-up in the Fighting in Gaza Israel's invasion of Gaza continues and so does Hamas rocket fire. We hear from both sides today and update the fighting and the diplomacy. Also, as Barack Obama arrives on Capitol Hill, it's still not clear just who will be in the Senate. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Wall Street, Main Street and Economic Crisis Wall Street's received a lot of the blame for the financial crisis, but taking advantage good deals is an American tradition. We look at Main Street's contribution to the nation's economic troubles.  Also, the challenges President-elect Obama has inherited, and regrets and betrayals in New York's High Society. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Internet Reading Speeding Us Up by Dumbing Us Down? More and more kids spend long hours on the Internet.  At the same time, reading scores are declining. Is there a connection? Does the brain work differently with a book than with a computer?  What’s the impact on reading proficiency? Should schools recognize that young people are on the Internet and teach them how to use it well? Also, will Barack Obama be a special challenge for stand-up comedians? (This edition ofTo the Pointwill be pre-empted by holiday programming, but wi ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Politics, the Economy and Lifestyles: Predictions for 2009 A black man won the White House, while a white woman from Alaska won the hearts of conservatives. The economy imploded as financial scandals rocked the headlines, and Americans began to rethink their consumer ways. 2008 was definitely one for the history books. Guest hostSara Terrylooks at what's ahead in 2009. Also, the political pitfalls of filling four senate seats, and kicking off the new year on the gridiron. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Re-Regulating a Failed Financial Industry In 2002, when Wall Street scandals like Enron and WorldCom rocked the business world, the government prosecuted 513 cases of securities fraud. In the first eleven months of 2008, there were just 133 prosecutions. Also, Israel continues its Gaza offensive, and Little Bill Clinton's American Life, a year-long story about a young refugee from Africa.Sara TerryGuest hosts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Violent Protests in Tibet Derail China's Olympic Games? The German chancellor has decided to boycott the Beijing Olympics in protest of China's treatment of Tibet. The French president is considering the same. President Bush plans to attend the opening ceremonies, but has publicly expressed his concern about how harshly China has reacted to protests in Tibet. Guest host Lawrence O�Donnell explores how the protests will affect the Olympic Games as well as China's policy toward Tibet. Also, the final meeting between Presidents Bush and Putin, and ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A 'Perfect Storm' Is Increasing Global Hunger The head of the World Bank says children as young as four or five are fleeing "the safety of their rural communities to fight for food in teeming cities." Food riots are happening already, with more predicted in 30 to 40 countries. One problem is the switch from food production to bio-fuels.  We hear about hunger, a global emergency. Also, the housing relief bill in the Senate, and questions about whether the FAA is too cozy with the airlines it�s supposed to regulate. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website George W. Bush and the Future of NATO President Bush is in Bucharest, Romania for his last NATO summit. We hear about troops in Afghanistan, Russia's concerns about new member nations and the future of the NATO alliance. Also, Bernanke's sobering assessment of the US economy, and the Olympic torch will get a mixed reception next week when it comes to San Francisco. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Last Days of the Bush EPA The US Supreme Court told the Environmental Protection Agency to determine if greenhouse gasses are a danger to public health. That would require new mileage standards for cars and trucks. Would it also devastate the economy? Is the Bush White House holding back on the order to help mom and pop business or major industrial polluters? Also, an update on the presidential election in Zimbabwe, and the "war on terror" and the American justice system. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Iraqi Ceasefire: Winners and Losers After initiating a week of deadly fighting, Iraq's Prime Minister al-Maliki looks weaker than when it began. The winners appear to include Iran. Also, the Bush Administration loses another cabinet member, proposed financial regulatory reform and a "virtual convention" of Democratic leaders is already under way.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Wall Street, Home Foreclosures and the Presidential Campaign With a crisis on Wall Street and home foreclosures soaring, does the US economy need more government or less? Recent statements make Obama and Clinton seem far from McCain. Does the rhetoric reflect the reality? We talk with all three campaigns. Also, President Bush says Iraq has reached a "defining moment." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Battle for Basra and the Race for the White House President Bush has high praise for Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's crackdown on Shiite militias, but there's a lot at stake for both leaders. Maliki's political future and US troop withdrawals are both at risk. What could it all mean for McCain, Obama and Clinton? Also, US officials are accused of "meddling" in Pakistan, and the African president who won't leave. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Medical Care for the Elderly and Poor Be a Broken Promise? The federal government promises healthcare for the elderly and the poor, but Medicare and Medicaid are steaming toward a "fiscal train wreck." The law requires the next president to resolve a problem that's been building for years. Also, Iraq's escalating violence. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Political Comebacks and Shifting Opinions Last week political pundits had Barack Obama on life support because of his pastor, Jeremiah Wright. This week, they're asking when Hillary Clinton will quit the campaign. Do primary victories really determine who's likely to win in November? What's behind the sudden swings in conventional wisdom? Also, the US military admits a big mistake, and a surprise Obama endorsement from a conservative Republican. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Fighting Terrorism with Tactics from the Cold War Osama bin Laden and other terrorists are harder to get close to than the Soviet leaders during the Cold War. US agencies want an increase in "soft power" to get inside the heads of extremists and potential recruits. We hear the pros and cons and ask if al Qaeda is running a better propaganda machine than the western alliance. Also, the Mayor of Detroit is charged with felony crimes, and the Olympic Torch begins its trip from Greece to China. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website China, Tibet and the Summer Olympics The Olympic games are providing an international forum for Tibetan grievances against Chinese rule. During a week of violent protest, China has cracked down. What's the international reaction? Will the incident make life better or worse in Tibet?  Also,  Obama wins another endorsement, and presidential candidates and passport files. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Patriotism and Political Dialogue in America The furor over Barack Obama's church has pushed his presidential campaign into the most dangerous possible political territory -- questions about his patriotism. Has the founding fathers' notion of American exceptionalism created to an exceptionally patriotic country?  Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell talks about the defining role patriotism plays in American politics and what role patriotism plays in the politics of other countries. Also, President Bush signs legislation to protect the U ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The African American Church: Intersection of Race, Religion, Politics Race, religion and politics collided in Barack Obama's presidential campaign yesterday as they do every Sunday in many African American churches. Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell talks to the reporter who sparked the controversy, and discusses the roots of the black church in the US and its current role in African American society. Also, President Bush marks the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq, and how the Panama Canal helped create the Reagan Revolution. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gun Battle in the US Supreme Court Today the Supreme Court hears arguments in the case of a Washington, DC security guard that could re-define America's relationship to guns. Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell explores whether the Second Amendment grants each of us an absolute individual right to bear arms and how likely it is that the court will find all gun control laws unconstitutional and return the country to an unfettered free market in guns. Also, Barack Obama on his former pastor, and the crisis in Tibet. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website After Five Years in, Where Do We Stand in Iraq? With US troops now on the ground in Iraq for a period longer than World War II, what do we have to show for their efforts? Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell explores progress in Iraq and American response to our efforts there. Also, the Bear Stearns collapse: how a crisis on Wall Street affects the economy. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Democratic Party: Stuck in the Mud? Democrats are increasingly worried that the nasty campaign between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is destroying what's supposed to be their race to win in November. Is it just them or is the party itself divided on race, gender, age and social class?  What does it all mean for November? Also, a bailout for Bear Stearns, and the Vatican adds to the list of sins. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Historic Changes in New York; Boeing Takes off the Gloves Boeing is challenging the Air Force over a $40 billion contract to a team led by European manufacturers. How many jobs will go overseas? Is it a threat to national security? What was the role of John McCain and lobbyists in his campaign? Also, ethics crusader Eliot Spitzer is driven from office by long-time association with expensive prostitutes, and one of the Pentagon's top commanders resigns. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website In New York, a Sex Scandal, and Sanctions against Iran Since yesterday's brief public apology, New York Governor Elliot Spitzer has been holed up in his 5th Avenue apartment. Will he resign or face impeachment? Then, will UN sanctions persuade Iran to slow down its nuclear program? Is Iran more interested in Iraq? Has Iran's long-running confrontation with the US turned into a new Cold War? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website NAFTA, the Canadian Government and the Democratic Campaign Obama and Clinton are focused on tomorrow's vote in Mississippi, but the hangover from last week's NAFTA flap in Ohio is not over yet. We hear about the role of the Canadian government.  Does renegotiating NAFA make sense? Also, pharmaceuticals in America's water supply, and the latest update on the oldest story of all: the age of the universe.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Energy Security and Global Warming US energy demands are rising as the price of oil goes through the roof and foreign sources are increasingly uncertain. Canadian tar sands and domestic coal would provide energy security, but at the risk of increased global warming. Can renewables be developed in time? How high is the price of economic growth? Also, the Secretary of the Treasury wants to rein in mortgage markets, and Florida Democrats and the presidential nomination.  What a mess! Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama Has Oprah, but Clinton has �Saturday Night Live�� Hillary Clinton�s new momentum has political junkies fixated on the influence of popular culture on politics. Gushing videos by Obama supporters prevailed on YouTube until a satirical TV comedy skit made Clinton seem victimized by reporters. Did that influence news coverage of the campaign? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Peace Prospects in the Middle East, and in the Democratic Party Ohio and Texas might settle the Democratic nomination today -- and then they might not.  Can Secretary Rice get the Annapolis peace process back on track?  Will the contest between Obama and Clinton come to an end or continue for weeks to come? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Cost of War in Iraq and Afghanistan The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may cost America $3 trillion, a far cry from the $50 billion estimated when combat began.  How did the expenses get so high? How long will it take to pay them off? Will the benefits be worth the money?  Also, Florida and Michigan lobby to seat Democratic delegates, and saber rattling and diplomacy in South America. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website After Ohio and Texas: What's Changed and What's the Same? Hillary Clinton has bounced back again with a big win in Ohio and a squeaker in Texas, enough to make sure that she and Barack Obama will be campaigning for weeks to come.  We analyze the results and look to the future.  Also, Mike Huckabee calls it quits, and another fake memoir. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Peace Prospects in the Middle East, and in the Democratic Party Ohio and Texas might settle the Democratic nomination today -- and then they might not.  Can Secretary Rice get the Annapolis peace process back on track.  Will the contest between Obama and Clinton come to an end or continue for weeks to come. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Last Night's Debate Make a Difference. In Austin, Texas it took 45 minutes before Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton began attacking each other. Last night in Cleveland, Ohio they got into it right away. Traveling on familiar ground, was Clinton able to blunt Obama's momentum. How did they position themselves to run against John McCain. Also, more interest-rate cuts may be on the way and, William F. Buckley dies at the age of 82. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gray Wolves, Polar Bears and the Endangered Species List Just 13 years after gray wolves were re-introduced into the lower 48 states, they're going off the Endangered Species List. At the same time, polar bears may go on the list---because of dangers that lie in the future.  We hear about the science and politics behind the Endangered Species List.  Also, fuel prices rise and housing prices fall, and tonight's Democratic debate in Ohio. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Rhetoric and Reality in Presidential Campaigns Both this year's current presidential front-runners say they have shrugged off Washington lobbyists and embraced public financing of political campaigns.  We look at McCain and Obama and compare their rhetoric with their records. Also, the latest suicide bombing kills kills a Pakistani Army General, and the New York Philharmonic in North Korea. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Pakistan, Afghanistan and America's War on Terror Pakistan's newly elected opposition parties have joined forces against President Pervez Musharraf. They want talks with Islamic militants, including the Taliban. What's the future of a Bush Administration ally in the war on terror? What's the likely impact on Afghanistan, where NATO forces are struggling against a tough enemy and among themselves? Also, hot times for both parties on the presidential campaign trail. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website George W. Bush Goes to Africa President Bush is in Africa this week, where he's more popular than he is in most other places. What will his anti-AIDS and malaria programs mean for his legacy? Do other countries need more help than the five he's visiting? Does the US plan a military presence in Africa, a major supplier of oil? Also, John McCain takes aim at his apparent rival, and the Navy takes aim at a failed spy satellite. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Big Changes from Cuba to Pakistan There are big changes in store for Cuba and Pakistan. Fidel Castro has resigned from office. Pervez Musharraf has been soundly defeated in parliamentary elections. We talk with reporters and others in both countries and the US. What's the likely impact on American interests in South Asia and 90 miles from the beaches of Florida? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Senate Passes Record Defense Budget, but Are We Safer? Is big money making America safer? Plus, a suicide bombing rocks Afghanistan, and ABC-TV and the politics of September 11th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Housing Bubble Losing Air? After 911 and during the war on terror, the housing market has helped keep America�s economy going. Monday, this Labor Day, we broadcast an archived edition of To the Point on whether the housing bubble is losing air. Will the promise of short-term profit leave homeowners facing long-term debt? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Senate Passes Record Defense Budget, but Are We Safer? Is big money making America safer? Plus, a suicide bombing rocks Afghanistan, and ABC-TV and the politics of September 11th. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Housing Bubble Losing Air? After 911 and during the war on terror, the housing market has helped keep America�s economy going. Monday, this Labor Day, we broadcast an archived edition of To the Point on whether the housing bubble is losing air. Will the promise of short-term profit leave homeowners facing long-term debt? Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Iran and Nuclear Brinksmanship Now that Iran has refused to stop enriching uranium, the US is building the case for economic sanctions. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Nail Biting on the Campaign Trail Obama and Clinton face off tomorrow in Hawaii and Wisconsin. Will Obama really be able to make it ten in a row. On March 4 in Texas, will Clinton be able to post the big win she needs. Also, Kosovo declares it independence, and the biggest recall of meat in American history.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare, Insurance Companies and the Presidential Campaign America's healthcare costs are rising faster than any place else in the world, but Americans are not getting healthier. Also, despite the President's urging, Congress lets the electronic wiretaping shield expire, and Clinton, Obama and the super-delegates who could decide the Democratic nomination.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Barack, the Candidate, and Obama Mania With soaring rhetoric and adoring crowds, Barack Obama has now demonstrated support from all elements of the Democratic Party. The current front-runner is now under scrutiny as never before.  Also, competing funerals in Beirut, and will the Pentagon shoot down a spy satellite that---s about to fall out of orbit. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The US Army and the Realities of Modern Warfare Iraq and Afghanistan are not the big wars envisioned by the US Army's high-level doctrine. What will the future require. We hear about a battle raging within the Army itself. Also, Roger Clemens goes before a House committee over the use of human growth hormone; and McCain, Obama and the Potomac primaries. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is It Possible to Ban Weapons in Space. Russia and China today renewed a proposal the Bush Administration has been opposed to, an international treaty banning weapons in outer space. Also, new help for the holders of sub-prime mortgages, and today's Potomac primaries and Democratic "momentum." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What's Happening to the Religious Right. The religious right is alive and well in America, but a "new generation" of evangelicals is also focused on poverty, the environment and many other issues. Also, six September 11 suspects will face murder charges, and a look at tomorrow's primaries in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.  Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Cars Are King, from Detroit to Beijing The Detroit Auto Show is going green, or so automakers want us to believe. But the Earth may not be able to sustain a polluting industry that's expanding fast in China, India, Brazil and Russia. We hear what's in store for the American market and the rest of the world. Also, the Fed Chief wants an economic stimulus package, and presidential politics and Nevada casinos. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website It's the Economy, Stupid, All Over Again With Michigan in a virtual one-state recession, Mitt Romney won yesterday's primary by promising federal assistance. Will that work Saturday in South Carolina. With five candidates still standing, the Republican race is in chaos. We get an update and look at the role of the economy in presidential politics. Also,  President Bush winds up his Middle East tour, and undersea sonar, national security and whales. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Race and Civil Rights in the Democratic Primary Campaign Barack Obama has demonstrated that he can attract white voters, but race has become an issue in the Democratic primary campaign. Sensitive nerves have been touched and reacted to by the Obama and Clinton campaigns. Can the candidates calm the waters before the Democrats become a divided party.  Also, Citigroup reports its first loss in 10 years, and the FDA says cloned animals are safe to eat. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The US and Unintended Consequences in Iraq Finally, the military surge has been followed by what the US called "benchmark legislation." But it could divide, instead of uniting, Shiites and Sunnis. Also, President Bush arrives in Saudi Arabia, and tomorrow's Michigan primary. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website American Politics Stranded in Iowa Democrats and Republicans will start registering their preferences in tomorrow's Iowa caucuses. We look at a thoroughly un-democratic process that could be crucial to selecting the next President of the United States. Also, elections in Pakistan delayed as Scotland Yard investigates the Bhutto assassination, and violence in Kenya breaks down a bastion of stability in the Horn Africa. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Today's Internet Killing Our Culture. Are Wikipedia, Google and an infinite number of web blogs, liberating our culture or killing it by abolishing traditional standards and blurring the difference between what's really true and what's false. We consider the backlash against Internet 2.0. Also, the upcoming Iowa caucus, and despite the unhealthy aspects of America's diet, Michael Pollen says some food is OK after all. Note: This archived edition of TtP, will not air live on KCRW as it will be pre-empted by special holiday pro ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Doomday Scenarios: What to Believe. By January of this year, global warming had been added to rumors of nuclear war and the "Doomsday Clock" was moved two minutes closer to midnight.  That hasn't been changed since. On this archived New Year's Eve edition of To the Point, are recent predictions of catastrophe are equally credible. Also, a progress report on congressional ethics reform, and New Year's Eve in Des Moines, Iowa. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Afghanistan 'the Forgotten War.' In Afghanistan, US troops are not just fighting, they're building infrastructure in places too dangerous for civilian reconstruction teams. Also, the President signs a new energy bill, and there's new leadership in South Korea. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hillary Clinton and Political Damage Control The "inevitability" of Hillary Clinton has morphed into a three-way campaign for the Democratic nomination. Barack Obama is coming on strong and John Edwards is still a viable contender. Also, the African National Congress is no longer the party of Nelson Mandela. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Wrecking Ball Swings in New Orleans Public-housing projects in New Orleans are facing the wrecking ball---despite a shortage of places for low-income people to live. Also, a watershed moment for Iran's development of atomic power, and a Saudi Arabian rape victim won't be getting 200 lashes after all. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website One of History's 'Most Important Documents' Goes on Sale The Magna Carta---signed by the King of England 700 years ago---established the rules of law that are basic to the United States and other governments all over the world.  There's only one original copy in private hands, and next week it's going on sale. Also, a possible compromise out of the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, and steroid use in Major League Baseball. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Can an Evangelical Christian Unite America. Former Baptist preacher Mike Huckabee leads Mitt Romney in Iowa, and in national polls, he's catching up to Rudy Giuliani. Also, difficulties in Bali and Washington over emissions and energy. On Reporter's Notebook, baseball stars and steroids: will there be asterisks on the records.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Race and the Race for President Barack Obama is coming on strong among Democrats in Iowa and New Hampshire---states with mostly white voters.-- Elsewhere, many black voters are supporting Hillary Clinton. Also, stocks rebound after addition Federal Reserve action, and another dramatic prediction about climate change. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Videotapes, Torture and Evidence in the War on Terror As the CIA Director talks behind closed doors on Capitol Hill, there's new information about the destruction of secret videotapes. Also, terrorists strike at the capital of Algeria, and interest rates, Wall Street and consumer spending. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Climate Change: International Challenge and Business Opportunity As 190 nations meet in Bali to start the next treaty against global warming, Al Gore receives the Nobel Peace Prize and warns about "mutually assured destruction." We hear about the global marketplace that's developing to cope with climate change.-- Also, the Supreme Court affords judges discretion when sentencing crack offenders, and a conversation with Oslo Norway, where Al Gore has accepted the Nobel Peace Prize. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What's Next for the US and Iran. President Bush says it's up to Iran to avoid international sanctions, but the latest Intelligence Estimate will make his case harder to make with western Europe, Russia and China.-- We look at the prospects and hear more about how and why the Administration released a report that contradicted its own policies. Also, habeus corpus gets its day in court--again, and medical researchers think they have explained why the flu always comes in the winter.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Voters Give Hugo Ch--vez All the Power He Wants. The King of Spain has asked Hugo Chavez to ---shut up.--- But the President of Venezuela is making his voice heard at home and around the world. On Sunday, voters may give him new powers and the chance to be re-elected for the rest of his life.-- Some former supporters call it dictatorship in the making. On Reporter's Notebook, America---s hurricane season goes out with a whimper. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Russian Democracy and Power Politics Vladimir Putin has restored authoritarian rule, but growth and stability have made him wildly popular with most Russians. This weekend's parliamentary elections are expected to increase Putin's strength, even as his presidency will soon come to an end. Will he hold on to political power. Are America's frayed relations with Russia in for further deterioration. Also, citizen Musharraf is sworn in as Pakistan's president, and fireworks from last night's Republican debate in Florida. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website What's All This Talk about a Recession After the dot.com bubble burst, America's economy took a tumble, but the results of the sub-prime mortgage crisis could be a full-on recession. Also, Pakistani President Musharraf gives in to domestic and harsh sentences for women in Sudan and Saudi Arabia. Are they true reflections of Islamic law. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Annapolis the Beginning of the Beginning. For the first time since the Clinton Administration, Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to resume negotiations. We hear about a framework for peace and the prospects for success or failure. Also, the high cost of hospice, when patients live longer than expected. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is the US Losing Influence over the Crisis in Pakistan. Since 9/11 the Bush Administration has supported the government of General Pervez Musharraf. Washington has provided more than $10 billion in aid in return for Pakistan's support in the fight against the Taliban and al Qaeda. Now that Musharraf has declared emergency rule. Also, the Bush Administration's Middle East peace initiative, and the FBI is questioning hundreds of criminal convictions. Jim Sterngold guest hosts. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Healthcare Reform and the Presidential Campaign Healthcare is on the top of the list for potential voters of both parties in the presidential campaign, but Republicans and Democrats sound as if they're in different worlds. When the election's over, will they be able to come together or will partisanship prevent the compromise required by two-party rule.-- Also, the Iraq War funding bill stalls in Senate partisanship, and auto-makers say they're "going green."-- Do they really mean it. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Iraq, the 'Surge' and US Withdrawal The US military says violence has been reduced in Iraq to the lowest point in two years, but top officers complain that Iraq's government is missing the opportunity for political reconciliation. Also, federal investigators slip bomb-making components past airport security guards, and local cities are making life easier for illegal immigrants. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Rudolph Giuliani: The Image and the Reality Polls show that Republicans don't care as much about social issues this year as they did in the last two presidential campaigns. Is that why Rudy Giuliani is still in the lead. We hear who's advising the former Mayor of New York and what that tells tell prospective voters about what he might do in the White House.-- Also, President Bush picks another fight with Democrats, and in Iraq, Ahmad Chalabi rides again. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Military Service and Civilian Patriotism The all-volunteer military has created a gulf between US civilians and those who choose to serve. We ask veterans of different ages what it was like to come home--- and how they want to be treated.-- For most Americans, is this holiday mainly a chance to go shopping.-- Also, a massive oil spill in the Black Sea, and mass murderers who worked for Saddam Hussein are scheduled for execution. Why is the US holding things up. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Death Penalty in America: Is It Time for a Change. Executions are on hold in America until the US Supreme Court decides whether lethal injection is cruel and unusual punishment.-- Is it time for the states to review the death penalty process from arrest to conviction.-- Also, devastating floods in Mexico's state of Tabasco and Venezuela's exceptional program for training children in music. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website New Drums of War in the Middle East With 100,000 Turkish troops massed on the border with Iraqi Kurdistan, the US is trying to avoid an explosive new conflict. Also, Chrysler cuts thousand of jobs, and waterboarding and Senate confirmation. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Presidential Politics: Eight Weeks from the Starting Line Last night's Democratic presidential debate was the liveliest yet. Also, verdicts in the 2004 Madrid subway bombing, and the Federal Reserve on interest rates. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Should America Use 'Soft Power' in the Middle East. With the US bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan, even tough-minded conservatives are talking about a new emphasis on "soft power." We talk about what that means and how it could serve America's interests in an increasingly dangerous world. Also, immunity for Blackwater security guards, and the US Supreme Court, the First Amendment and child pornography on the Internet. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Sub-Prime Loans and the Economy The subprime mortgage crisis may force 2 million people out of their homes and a small army of Wall Street executives out of their jobs. Will there be a recession.-- Would government intervention make things better or worse. Also, the US turns another province over to Iraqi control, and Christina Fernandez de Kirchner succeed her husband as President of Argentina. What that could mean for other women in politics. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website 'Cheap' Imports from China: Who Pays the Real Cost. Recalls of toys and other products have American consumers worried about imports from China. What about the workers who make them. Also, Iran responds to new US economic sanctions, and a UN report on the environment and human survival. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is It Time to Reform Education Reform. President Bush wants Congress to renew No Child Left Behind, but after five years there's little consensus on education reform. Also, an update on the wildfires burning throughout southern California. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The CIA: Who Watches the Watchdogs. The CIA's Inspector General has criticized overseas prisons, interrogations and intelligence failures. Now the CIA is investigating the Inspector General.-- have career agents been treated unfairly.-- Is it a conflict of interest to investigate the investigator.-- Also, a possible victory over al Qaeda in Iraq, and Greece gets serious about the return of the Elgin Marbles. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Hillary Clinton and the Price of Inevitability Hillary Rodham Clinton is now the acknowledged front-runner on the Democratic side.-- We hear how that creates its own set of problems.-- Why are Republicans rubbing their hands. Also, Turkey considers going after separist Kurds in Iraq, and the US Supreme Court turns down a case of "extraordinary rendition." Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Promises and Realities Two Years after Katrina Two years after Katrina, President Bush and his would-be successors are showing up in New Orleans. Anniversary promises may be falling on deaf ears. Also, private practices and public policy in Turkey, and the US Senator and the men's room sting. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Resigns from the Bush Cabinet President Bush has accepted the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, one of his oldest political friends from Texas.-- We hear about law and politics. On Reporter's Notebook, the city of Athens and the site of the first Olympic Games have been threatened by deadly forest fires.-- Some are still out of control. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Leveling Mountains for Cheaper Coal Coal miners are taking the tops off mountains and dumping the rubble in streams and valleys---forever changing the Appalachian Mountains. Should government regulations require environmental protection. Also, disagreement among military leaders on the Iraq buildup, and Kid Nation and child labor laws. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Language, Culture - and God - in Public Education New public schools will be teaching Arabic and Hebrew language--and culture. Can they do it without advocating religion. The latest debate about the separation of church and state. Also, the latest intelligence on Maliki's prospects, and wiretaps of Americans to breakup terrorist networks. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The US, Mexico and the War on Drugs President Bush and Congress may be willing to spend a billion American dollars to help Mexico's President Calderon control drug traffic, official corruption and brutal violence.-- Will US aid come with strings attached. Will it work. Is it time to re-think prohibition as the basis of the "war on drugs." Also, President Bush invokes Vietnam to support America's stand in Iraq, and a UFO hoax and true believers. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Homegrown Terrorism and 'Bunches of Guys' In the drive to prevent so-called "homegrown terrorism," law enforcement is now focusing on "BOG's "or "bunches of guys." Also, pressure is growing to unseat the Prime Minister of Iraq, and an Iranian-American scholar has been released from prison in Tehran. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Coal Mine Safety and America's Energy Future After the deaths of three rescuers, it's unlikely that six trapped coal miners will be found alive. The controversies over Utah's Crandall Canyon coal mine, the Bush Administration's approach to mine safety and the future of coal---which now provides half of America's electrical energy.-- Also, Dean, the first major storm of the season, and a symbol for both sides of the immigration debate is deported.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Chinese Imports and Product Safety Toys, tires, foods and toothpaste have raised questions about the safety of imports from China. Is China trying to clean up its act. What about the demand for cheap products from US companies--and from consumers. Also, stock markets responds to Federal Reserve action on the sub-prime lending crisis. On Reporter's Notebook, do coal mines have to be so dangerous. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Death Penalty and Alberto Gonzales Juries are handing out death sentences faster than states can conduct executions.-- Congress has given the US Attorney General new powers to speed up the process. Is Attorney General Alberto Gonzales the right man for the job. Also, the tumbling stock markets, and the verdict on Jose Padilla. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Illegal Immigration and the Politics of Punishment The Bush Administration is cracking down on illegal immigrant workers, at the same time warning of "unhappy consequences for the economy." We debate what those "consequences" are likely to be. Also, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy pleaded guilty of two felony charges today, and a possible new US challenge to Iran. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Global Warming and the Rush to the Arctic Global climate change is melting the ice above the Arctic Circle, creating a rush to control new shipping lanes and untold riches beneath the sea. Will the Russian flag beneath the North Pole be a "Sputnik moment" for the United States. Also, another recall on toys from China, and America's "bumbling" use of bad guys in the war on terror. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website A Crucial Vacancy at the Bush White House Karl Rove, the President's top political strategist, will leave the White House at the end of this month. Also, the Red Cross report describing CIA treatment of detainees in the war on terror, with techniques learned from countries known to use torture. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website America's Changing Image in the Middle East Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) Middle Easterners are used to seeing the US as the invincible Superpower, but events in Iraq are changing America's image. Also, stock prices continue to drop, and gay rights and Democratic presidential candidates. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website President Bush, the Democrats and the Fear of Terror Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) Alleged violations of privacy in the war on terror helped the Democrats win last November, but last week, both houses of Congress expanded the President's power of electronic surveillance. Plus, the instability of Iraq's Shiite-dominated government, a new challenge to America's voting systems. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Iraq's Government on the Verge of Collapse Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) Defense Secretary Robert Gates has been publicly disappointed at Iraq's failure to achieve political reconciliation. Today, five more ministers quit, leaving no Sunnis in Prime Minister al-Maliki's cabinet. Also, President Bush meets with Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai, and the financial consequences of the Iraq war on American national security. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Obama Gets Tough on Pakistan Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) Barak Obama's threat to attack al Qaeda in Pakistan has made that country an issue in the presidential campaign. Is it time to get tough with President Pervez Musharraf. Plus, an update on the Minneapolis bridge collapse, and liberal bloggers and the DailyKos convention. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Ethics Reform; Minnesota Bridge Collapse Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) Last night's bridge collapse on a major commuter artery for Minneapolis could be a wakeup call for America's infrastructure. Also, with one of its senior members under investigation, will the Senate agree to ethics reforms passed by the House. Is Washington really trying to clean up its act. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Politics of Health Insurance for Children Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) Democrats and some Republicans want to expand health insurance for children, paid for by increasing the tax on tobacco. President Bush has threatened a veto. Also, Donald Rumsfeld deflects the controversy over the death of Pat Tillman, and Saudi Arabia says it may open an embassy in Iraq. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Arms for Diplomacy in the Middle East Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) The Bush Administration is negotiating a state-of-the-art arms sale to Saudi Arabia at the same time the Saudis are accused of destabilizing Iraq and condoning terror. Also, a health update on Chief Justice John Roberts, and Rupert Murdoch gets Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Gordon Brown Visits Camp David Support KCRW's Summer SignUp: (http://www.kcrw.com) Britain's new Prime Minister met with President Bush today at Camp David. What's the latest on the "special relationship." How different is Brown from Tony Blair when it comes to Iraq and the "war on terror." Plus, the South Korean hostages, and a breakthrough in the battle against Multiple Sclerosis. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Water and Human Conflict around the World Many wells are going to be drilled to determine if an ancient lake under Darfur in western Sudan is still full of water. Would plentiful water end four years of bloody violence. Will water shortages lead to other conflicts around the world. Also, Pakistan's Supreme Court deals a blow to President Musharraf, and contempt of Congress and executive privilege. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Sizing Up the Race for the Presidency With the presidential primaries just six months away, Clinton continues to lead Obama and Edwards, but Republicans aren't even close to picking a favorite. Also, Fed Chair Ben Bernanke on sub-prime mortgage rates, and Russia escalates the diplomatic confrontation with Britain. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Political Theater and the War in Iraq Senate Democrats have failed again to get a vote on forcing the President to bring the troops home from Iraq. We hear about the all-night debate and about the issue itself. Also, US forces capture of the senior Iraqi leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, and an NFL all-staris accused in a case of unusual brutality. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Latest Intelligence in America's War on Terror The Bush White House has declassified part of the latest intelligence in the war on terror. On Reporter's Notebook, the zone where fish cannot survive is greater than ever at the mouth of the Mississippi. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website President Bush's Latest Strategy for Middle East Peace After the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority met today, President Bush called for a regional conference on Middle East peace. Also, Kirkuk's deadliest insurgent attack since the-- beginning of the Iraq war, and the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese comes up with $660 million to compensate sex abuse by priests. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Will Live Earth Be Good for the Planet. Live Earth was seen and heard around the world for 24 hours this weekend with nine concerts on seven continents. Will it advance Al Gore's "Green Revolution" or allow a massive audience to feel better without the changes that could make a difference. Also, the White House's "agonizing reappraisal" of Iraq strategy, and Boeing's new Dreamliner. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website As Feds Play Politics, Local Solutions to Immigration Emerge As the White House and Congress grapple over immigration reform, local towns and cities dramatize the nation's divisions.-- There's "zero tolerance" in one place and a welcome mat in another.-- Is illegal immigration both a burden and a blessing. Also, a suicide bomber strikes inside Baghdad's Green Zone and, on Reporter's Notebook, Don Imus and words that offend, depending on who's using them. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Assessing 'Benchmark' Progress in Iraq, Two Months into Surge Assessing 'Benchmark' Progress in Iraq, Two Months into Surge Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is Agribusiness Becoming Kinder to Animals. Celebrity chief Wolfgang Puck agrees with Burger King: animals deserve more humane treatment before they're carved up for America's dinner plates. Friday, on To the Point, during a week of Easter and Passover dinners, is the fast-food nation rethinking its eating habits. Is the highly mechanized food industry going organic. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Mixed Messages on the War in Iraq President Bush has asked Congress for still more troops to increase the buildup in Iraq.-- At the same time, there's a report that the Pentagon is planning a gradual withdrawal in case the troop increase doesn't work. We also get diplomatic reaction to the weekend meeting that included both the US and Iran.---- Plus, Guantanamo hearings continue in Washington---under total secrecy and, on Reporter's Notebook, Halliburton, the largest US contractor in Iraq, is moving its headquarters from Ho ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Libby Verdict; Shabby Treatment of Wounded Soldiers Lewis"Scooter"Libby's conviction is just the latest bad news for the Bush Administration.-- Plus, the running scandal over treatment of combat veterans by the Veterans'Administration.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website North Korea and Nuclear Weapons The US and North Korea are talking today in New York amid new questions about US intelligence on North Korea's development of nuclear weapons. The US is updating its nuclear warheads. What's the message to other countries. Plus, Congress begins investigation into the sorry state of the Department of Veterans'Affairs and, on Reporter's Notebook, a gourmet dinner party featuring cloned beef. Would you accept an invitation. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Popular Culture and Propaganda Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth is explicit about taking sides on global warming.-- With a hero who uses torture, the TV show 24 sends a message of a different kind. Entertainment and propaganda.-- Do audiences distinguish between truth, fiction and political argument.---- Also, Vice President Dick Cheney travels to Pakistan and Afghanistan and, on Reporter's Notebook, civil rights leader Al Sharpton is linked by slave ancestors to one-time segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Popular Culture and Propaganda Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth is explicit about taking sides on global warming.-- With a hero who uses torture, the TV show 24 sends a message of a different kind. Entertainment and propaganda.-- Do audiences distinguish between truth, fiction and political argument.---- Also, Vice President Dick Cheney travels to Pakistan and Afghanistan and, on Reporter's Notebook, civil rights leader Al Sharpton is linked by slave ancestors to one-time segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is the HPV Vaccine Right for Middle School Girls. To protect against a cancer-causing, sexually-transmitted virus, the Governor of Texas has ordered mandatory vaccination of young girls. We look at a moral and medical controversy that could spread to at least 20 other states.-- Plus, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gives a thumbs-up to the economy and, on Reporter's Notebook, the US will sit down with Iran and Syria in regional talks about Iraq.-- Could that lead to diplomacy on other issues. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is the HPV Vaccine Right for Middle School Girls. To protect against a cancer-causing, sexually-transmitted virus, the Governor of Texas has ordered mandatory vaccination of young girls. We look at a moral and medical controversy that could spread to at least 20 other states.-- Plus, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gives a thumbs-up to the economy and, on Reporter's Notebook, the US will sit down with Iran and Syria in regional talks about Iraq.-- Could that lead to diplomacy on other issues. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Iraq and the Democrats When they left on vacation a week ago, Democrats said they'd be back with tough measures to discourage the President from increasing troops in Iraq. Why isn't that happening after all.-- In Iraq itself, will the new oil agreement unite a divided country.---- On Reporter's Notebook, hundreds of millions of honeybees have turned up missing in 24 states from California to Pennsylvania, an ecological mystery that threatens $14 billion in food crops. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Industrial Chemicals and Homeland Security The attacks of September 11 aroused fears that chemical storage sites could be terrorist targets, but new federal rules are being called "flawed" and potentially "harmful." How vulnerable are industrial sites. How great is the risk to the public. Does government or industry know best what needs to be done.-- Plus, Iran defies the IAEA and, on Reporter's Notebook, from the tabloids to the battleground, Britain's Prince Harry will be shipping off to Iraq. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Arabs, the Jews and American History Support for Israel and the urge to transform the Muslim Middle East go back to the Pilgrims and the Founding Fathers. We hear how current American policies and actions have been shaped by the past, and what history suggests about future US involvement in a troubled region.-- Plus, the latest intelligence report on Iraq and, on Reporter's Notebook, the UN's toughest warning yet about global warming and rewards offered for poking holes in the report.-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Confidential Sources, Political Payback and the Public's Right to Know Influential reporters are revealing protected sources at the Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial. Is the free press at risk in the courtroom.-- We hear about anonymous sources, political payback and the public's right to know.-- Plus, General Casey goes before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his nomination to become Army Chief-of-Staff.-- On Reporter's Notebook, Italy's former Prime Minister issues a public apology to his wife. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Can Congress Stop the Iraq Troop Surge. When it comes to the Iraq war, President Bush says he is the only "decider." But even Republicans disagree.-- Can the Congress tell the President what to do.-- Can either party agree on what that should be.-- Plus, a recent audit shows there's little to show for the billions spent on Iraq reconstruction.-- On Reporter's Notebook, arrest warrants have been issued for US agents accused by Germany of "extraordinary rendition."-- Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is It 'War by Other Means' against Iran. President Bush denies any intention of invading Iran, but he's been warning about its activities in Iraq and its growing influence in the Middle East. After years of enmity, what's the state of relations between Iran and Iraq. With America's military build-up in the Persian Gulf, could the proxy war with Iran turn into the real thing. Plus, the commander of US forces in the Middle East says it's time to redefine goals in Iraq.-- On Reporter's Notebook, regulators say nuclear power plants do ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is China Becoming the Next Colonial Power in Africa. Why did the Pentagon choose to announce a new focus on Africa while Chinese President Hu Jintao is on a 12-day tour of the continent. Does China's increasing economic attention there a threat to US interests in the region. Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell looks at the Chinese approach to investment in Africa, human rights and economic development, as well as Pentagon concerns about China's growing influence there.-- Also, Iraq's Deputy Health Minister arrested for supporting Shiite militias, a ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Is China Becoming the Next Colonial Power in Africa. Why did the Pentagon choose to announce a new focus on Africa while Chinese President Hu Jintao is on a 12-day tour of the continent. Does China's increasing economic attention there a threat to US interests in the region. Guest host Lawrence O'Donnell looks at the Chinese approach to investment in Africa, human rights and economic development, as well as Pentagon concerns about China's growing influence there.-- Also, Iraq's Deputy Health Minister arrested for supporting Shiite militias, a ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website DNA, Illegal Immigration and Violence against Women An act of Congress is going to make DNA sampling as common as fingerprinting for anybody arrested by federal agents. Illegal immigrants were the original targets, but even US citizens not charged with crimes might have to give up their genetic codes.-- We hear about an almost unnoticed amendment to the Violence against Women Act.-- Also, a new security operation begins in Baghdad, and on Reporter's Notebook, there's new momentum on healthcare reform. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website DNA, Illegal Immigration and Violence against Women An act of Congress is going to make DNA sampling as common as fingerprinting for anybody arrested by federal agents. Illegal immigrants were the original targets, but even US citizens not charged with crimes might have to give up their genetic codes.-- We hear about an almost unnoticed amendment to the Violence against Women Act.-- Also, a new security operation begins in Baghdad, and on Reporter's Notebook, there's new momentum on healthcare reform. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website The Defense Budget and the War in Iraq The Iraq war has intensified this year's debate on increasing the Pentagon's budget, which the President calls necessary for the war on terror. Is the military spending more and getting less for the money. What are the trade-offs. What's the impact on the economy. Meantime, Democrats are beginning their public investigation into the conduct of the war and occupation. Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website Front-Loading the Primaries In bids for more influence in next year's presidential elections, big states and little states are moving their primaries forward. New Hampshire's may be held in December of this year. The nominations could be decided exactly a week from today. Would that put an end to what's left of real political discourse.-- Would it finally reduce all presidential politics to TV commercials. Plus, President Bush presents his budget for 2008 and, on Reporter's Notebook, murders, assaults, imprisonments a ... Listen | Listen in your iPhone | Download | View full cache | Visit Website