WWRL Morning Show with Errol Louis: Recent Episodes
Errol Louis
New York Daily News columnist Errol Louis interviews top newsmakers and fields listener phone calls on the city's liveliest morning show from 6 am to 9 am weekdays on AM 1600 and streaming worldwide at http://WWRL1600.com
An unexpected guest caller on The Morning Show was Sen. John Sampson, Majority Conference Leader of the Senate. Sampson lit into Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino, saying Paladino would "bankrupt New York State" if elected.
Gov. Paterson tells why he never seriously intended to appoint himself U.S. senator; explains why he thinks Carl Paladino is not fit to hold his job; talks about exonerations and pardons and offers hints about what he'll be doing after leaving office.
We talk with the Brooklyn congressman about his fact-finding trip and his re-election opponent.
The fire-breathing freshman from Florida's 8th District is the first Democrat to represent Orlando in 34 years. He says being an unabashed liberal is the key to victory this fall.
Abigail Thernstrom, Vice-Chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, says the controversy is much ado about nothing.
The Governor explains a law he will enact today that expands contracting opportunities for minority- and women-owned firms.
The senate leader says there was more going on in Albany than just the budget -- and that Dems don't get enough credit for the laws they passed.
We ask Col. Nick Pratt (ret.) about the pros and cons of the McChrystal/Petraeus counterinsurgency doctrine.
The Harlem congressman says it’s time to reinstitute a military draft to bring home the true cost of the war.
Meet political blogger Keli Goff, author of Party Crashing: How the Hip Hop Generation Declared Independence.
Col. Richard Klass, a Rhodes Scholar who flew over 200 combat missions, assesses U.S. strategy.
West Coast Talker Davey D explains why the upcoming verdict in a controversial police shooting case could lead to civil unrest.
Melissa Derosa, New York State Director of Organizing for America, talks about what the organization will be doing for the midterm elections -- and how you can get involved.
Wayne Barrett’s cover story in the Village Voice examines the fight shaping up between Cuomo and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.
Following yesterday's tumult in Albany, Sen. Parker says "I was loud, but I was on the point I wanted to make" and that "somebody has to fight for people who can't fight for themselves." He also calls Sen. DeFrancisco of Syracuse a "white supremacist."
Diane Ravitch has a new book, the Death and Life of the Great American School System, that is making waves. She takes on choice, charters, accountability and the (mis)management of public schools in New York and around the nation.
Daniel Almond, founder of Restore the Constitution, makes his case. His website claims that "the Constitution of the United States is being actively undermined by many in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the US government.”
United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew explains the court decision that will block the closings and talks about the battle for school reform.
The Governor talks about the state probe now being conducted by former Chief Judge Judith Kaye.
The Queens Congressman talks about Aqueduct, the nonprofit he helped found, and allegations of improper use of charitable funds.
The Governor hits back at media critics and says Democrats should not worry about him dragging down the ticket in November.
The full opinion is posted below (90-page pdf). A news summary is here and my July interview with the lawsuit's plaintiff and attorney is here.
Vulcan vs NYC Jan 13 2010 Decision
New York's Junior Senator talks about Haiti relief, health care, and the possibility of a race against Harold Ford, Jr. Interview is posted to YouTube, below.
A day after delivering the State of the State address, Gov. Paterson criticizes lawmakers, lobbyists and good-government groups for not facing fiscal reality.
Bettina Damiani of Good Jobs New York says government gives away too much to corporations and gets too little in the way of jobs.
Click here to read the 156-page court decision. Click here for last year's interview with filmmaker Leslie Carde.
Gov. Paterson say the state legislature must act quickly. He's said it before, and taken political grief for it.
Bill Quigley of the Center for Constitutional Rights explains the lawsuit against Congress.
The myth that nobody realized the mayor's race would be close underscores a deeper problem with accepting the conventional wisdom at face value.
Ethan Pollack of the Economic Policy Institute discusses the fall in Gross Domestic Product.
The Watertown Times says Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who doesn't live in the district, doesn't know local issue. He also relies on big national funders. One of them is Matt Wheeler of the National Republican Trust.
Prof. Elizabeth Warren explains why a new agency is needed. Interview recorded 9/18/09, aired 9/21/09.
The shocking poll has been yanked, but the controversy continues. Jose Vargas of the Huffington Post explains why.
Yesterday's runoff election brought victory to Bill de Blasio and John Liu. Back in March, I described the politics behind John Liu's campaign.
The brutal killing of the 51-year-old Kentucky census taker may have been politically motivated.
The beating death of 16-year-old Derrion Albert of Chicago, captured on video, kicked off a discussion about how we should deal with inner-city violence nationwide.
Mass. governor Deval Patrick named Paul Kirk as the new Bay State senator. We simulcast with Boston's WWZN to compare the challenges facing Patrick and New York's David Paterson.
To hear the full 90-minute debate between Democrats Bill Thompson and Tony Avella, click below.
A controversy over Councilman John Liu's experience working in a sweatshop raises important issues of New Yorkers being exploited.
New York's top pol talks about re-election, court battles and why he thinks the press is being unfair to him.
We check in with the New Jersey woman who gave herself 52 weeks to find a husband. It's week 20, and Neenah's still looking.
Craig Gurian of the Anti-Discrimination Center describes the lawsuit and the politics behind it.
Here is the full text of the desegregation deal. Click here to see maps and a summary of the lawsuit.
Mark Hannay of the Universal Health Care Action Network has tips on how to get connected.
The action-movie director got involved in a real-life drama of his own, rescuing boaters in distress on the Hudson river.
William Hartung of the New America Foundation assesses the debate over nuclear proliferation.
Rep. Ed Towns chairs the Oversight Committee, which is tracking the use of federal stimulus dollars.
Dr. Nancy Scheper-Hughes sheds light on the gruesome international trade in body parts.
This human rights champion died of cancer after toppling a dictator and leading her people to liberty.
Authors Elizabeth Gould and Paul Fitzgerald's new book tells how and why we are in Afghanistan.
Councilman and Public Advocate Candidate Bill de Blasio has a plan to change complaint procedures.
When a man approached a LaGuardia airport checkpoint with a knapsack, cylinder, wires and a switch this Port Authority officer knew what to do.
New York Times White House correspondent Helene Cooper discusses her memoir and current events in Washington.
Assemblyman Jim Brennan of Brooklyn wants cops to publish statistics on subway harassment and assault.
You can post incidents (including photos) at HollabackNYC, a grassroots website.
Haskell Nussbaum, a former traffic judge, offers this guide to fighting a ticket.
Jeff Sharlet wrote a book about the months he spent living inside the secretive C Street power cult.
Israeli journalist Aluf Benn says the president should make better use of his popularity with the Israeli public.
Daily News investigative reporter Greg Smith details how medical errors are going unreported.
Serge Michel and photographer Paolo Woods talk about their journey through Africa and what it means.
Live in studio, Deputy Mayor Dennis Walcott talks about a possible senate deal on mayoral control.
Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign explains how the group beat back pro-gun legislation.
Contact the Met Council on Housing at 212-979-0611 Mon., Wed. or Fri. from 1:30 to 5 pm.
A new report by the Sentencing Project contains disturbing data on the high number of prisoners sentenced to life behind bars.
Dr. Amr Morsi got fed up with the Canadian system and moved to the U.S.
Then he moved back to Ontario.
Philip Delves Broughton says his alma mater, the Harvard Business School, promotes ideas and strategies that are harming the US economy.
Veronica Montgomery-Costa, President of Local 372, says up to 2,600 members could be fired.
Private Investigator Michael Corwin's Everyday Detective system provides advice for amateur sleuths.
Rep. Charlie Rangel of the powerful Ways and Means committee of Congress, explains how a tax on millionaires would pay for health care reform.
Benjamin Todd Jealous, the president and CEO of the NAACP, is attracting a new generation to civil rights.
On the day President Obama drew over 17,000 to a re-election rally for Jon Corzine, columnist Charlie Stile explains why the NJ governor is in political trouble.
Wall Street Journal legal affairs reporter Nathan Koppel talks about how, when and why private clubs can have discriminatory admissions policies.
Economist James K. Galbraith is one of many economists saying the first stimulus package was too small to bring about a recovery.
Newark's chief lawyer, Julien Neals, responds to the ACLU of New Jersey's recent report criticizing the city's track record on civil liberties and policing.
Ed Barocas of the ACLU of New Jersey discusses a report by the organization that criticizes Newark government for limiting free speech and failing to discipline the police department in misconduct cases.
Rachel Lloyd of Harlem-based GEMS talks about her life-saving work on the streets of New York, which has been captured in a documentary.
Gov. Paterson explains his attempt to cut off the pay of senators and responds to inflammatory charges in a recent NY Post column.
Sarah Ludwing of the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project discusses a proposed law that would let the sharks run amok.
Sonia Alleyne of Black Enterprise says there are 40,000 jobs out there for people like you.
Staff writer Mike Soraghan of The Hill describes the early battle in Congress over health care reform.
Click here for the full report by Ravitch and a handful of skeptics, who question whether the achievements touted by Bloomberg and Klein stand up against close scrutiny.
Richie Steier of the Chief - Leader talks about why a new pension tier sought by Gov. Paterson will be resisted by unions.
Columnist Charlie Stile of the Bergen Record has the lowdown on the matchup between Republican rivals Chris Christie and Steve Lonegan.
As moderator of a three-hour political forum for Teamsters Local 237, I expected to spend Saturday tending my stopwatch and introducing a parade of candidates for Mayor, Comptroller and Public Advocate.
The breakfast event, at the New York Hilton, was for 200 or so shop stewards and business agents. (FYI: the 27,000 members of Local 237, the largest Teamsters local in America, include 9,000 public housing authority employees and 5,000 school safety agents).
I was as shocked as anybody when Councilman Eric Gioia of Queens, a candidates for Public Advocate, suddenly lit into Mark Green about 50 minutes into the forum. Here's a transcript of the 2-minute exchange.
Eric Gioia: "For too long, politicians have misled us. Politicians have distracted us. Politicians have given us so much B.S. it’s hard to believe. And I have to say, growing up in Woodside, I was always so offended when politicians got up and acted like they knew what my family was going through – like they knew what it was like to put food their family’s table, or not be able to make their rent.
"And I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on my colleague Mark Green saying ‘You and I’ in terms of tax rates, saying Bloomberg and Rockefeller pay one rate and ‘You and I’ pay another.
"Mark, I don’t hold it against you that you’re wealthy, I don’t hold it against you that you live on Park Avenue, I don’t hold it against you that you spend weekends in the Hamptons and use corporate jets. I don’t hold that against you. But it’s offensive when you look at this audience and tell them you have any idea what they’re going through, ‘cause you don’t. I challenge you to tell me how much money they make a year and how much money you make a year. It is wrong of you."
Errol Louis: "Um...I’ll give Mr. Green an opportunity to respond."
Mark Green: "What’s really important, as we all talk about the city and the future, is trying to avoid petty, personal attacks that take away from what’s good for you."
Overtalking follows, including me saying “let him finish, Eric," and Gioia saying “you’ve misled the public for a long time, and it’s time it stops, Mark. Be honest with your campaign."
Mark Green: "Calm down, Eric. We’ve got a long way to go.
"Two points if I could. I haven’t saved money in 10 years because of my public service and public life. I haven’t. My goal when I got out of law school was to be the lowest income earner in the Harvard Law School class of 1970 – and I succeeded because I’ve never been a private lawyer. I’ve only been a public lawyer. And for Eric to make fun of me and my family who’s always been in public service, I think is odd.
"If you want to talk about consistency, let’s be careful that we all act honorably and ethically, and that none of us take monies from interests who the City Council gives member items to. I think that’s wrong, I think that’s unethical. I think that should be illegal, Eric."
Bill Gargan, who heads the Economic Crimes bureau of the Monroe County District Attorney's Office, explains why the office is prosecuting Yolanda Hill.
Princeton sociologist Katherine Newman, the author of Rampage , discusses the Pittsburgh and Binghamton shootings.
Robert Hornak, GOP activist and candidate for Queens Borough President, gave a conservative analysis of the dysfunction in Albany.
This receptionist, gravely wounded during the Binghamton massacre, played dead and phoned the cops to summon help.
The Gov. got some bad political news but says he'll recover by next year's elections if he can tell his side of the story.
Eddy Ramirez of US News & World Report discusses this disturbing story about the case of Yolanda Hill and others like it around the nation.
Daniel Howes, business columnist of the Detroit News, analyzes the White auto industry bailout.
Ken Lovett of the Daily News exposes a case of pay-to-play engineered by Assemblyman Joseph Morelle of Rochester. The Daily News is running a series on corruption in the state capitol.
He plunged into 10 feet of freezing water to save a teen driver who'd skidded off the road into a pond and was sinking fast.
Economist Dean Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research analyzes the White House response to the economic downturn.
City Councilman John Liu, a candidate for Comptroller and chair of the council's Transportation Committee, discusses the transit tangle.
Joel and Benji Madden of the band Good Charlotte are raising awareness of the dire situation in East Congo.
Defense expert Lawrence Korb explores where and how Obama can adjust the defense budget to eliminate unneeded weapons programs.
Obscenity or just good fun? Watch here and decide. Live from Jamaica, radio DJ Robert Morgan discusses the Jamaican Broadcasting Commission's controversial decision to ban certain music, videos and dance.
Lillian Roberts, Executive Director of DC37, explains a new report by the union that found $9 billion a year is being spent on a "shadow government" and no-bid contracts.
Gov. Paterson, criticized for proposed budget cuts, talks about spending, taxes, and a hard-hitting ad.
The U.S. Attorney General, in a moment of brave candor, called America a "nation of cowards" when it comes to talking about race.
Sarah Ludwig of the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project explains the president's housing plan.
Reuben Wils and Dr. James Satterfield explained why the closing of Mary Immaculate and St. John's hospitals will devastate low-income neighborhoods in Queens.
This Iraq veteran from Mt. Laurel, New Jersey plans to return to the middle east to raise money for schools and hospitals.
James Glanz, who wrote this article about the spreading scandal, says we still don't know the full extent of the corruption.
Grameen America, a new offshoot of Yunus' global organization, provides banking services for the poor in Queens.
Lisa Jackson's powerful film can be seen on HBO. Raise Hope for Congo is a group fighting for the rights of women in the war-torn nation.
Daniel Levy of the Prospects for Peace Initiative calls the Israeli elections a clarifying moment.
Vincent Messina, the lawyer of City Council candidate John Tabacco, says NY's election system is rigged.
Bryant Gumbel talks about a troubling case of racial profiling, to be covered on HBO Tuesday Feb. 17 at 10 pm.
The high tech firm will invest $7 billion in U.S. manufacturing facilities, a move expected to create 7,000 jobs.
School teacher Cheryl Springsteen, eyewitness to a contract murder, testified in open court against the hit man.
Economist William Spriggs says the economic crisis can't be solved until we shore up the assets of individual households.
Click here for results. Charles Enderlin, Jerusalem bureau chief of French Channel 2, gives the morning-after reading of the elections.
Broadcaster and columnist Steve Adubato reviews the State of the City address by Cory Booker.
Duncan Osborne talks about this article, the first in a series, in which he broke the news of alleged entrapment by the NYPD.
The Texas Innocece Project cleared the name of Timothy Cole, a wrongfully convicted man who died in prison.
Ken Walsh, Chief White House correspondent for U.S. News & World Report, says GOP resisters may be boxing the party into a corner.
Chuck Collins of the Institute for Policy Studies says the stimulus package should be bigger.
Joe Green is a co-creator of the Causes application on Facebook, which has allowed people to donate millions to their favorite charities.
Tim Gilchrist, New York's Deputy Secretary for Economic Development and Infrastructure, explains what federal stimulus dollars could mean for the state.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest is calling on major food retailers to use frequent-buyer information to alert consumers to the risks of the current salmonella disease outbreak.
We ask Daniel Griswold of the Cato Institute, author of a report on free trade who thinks "buy American" rules don't make sense.
We talked with Frank Mauro of the Fiscal Policy Institute about what New York might do with its share of the expected federal stimulus money.
Pat Boone of New York ACORN explains why the group has been disrupting the auction of foreclosed properties and demanding a one-year moratorium.
Tennis star Serena Williams, now the world's top-ranked woman player, also sponsors a secondary school in Kenya, east Africa.
Economist Williams Spriggs of Howard University predicts 2 million jobs could be lost in the first quarter of this year alone.
By all indications, Wall Street is paying out bonuses with taxpayer money. Ex-Wall Street banker and author Nomi Prins explains why.
Jonathan Keller of Long Island, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, recently died of his wounds.
Military suicides are rising. Patrick Campbell of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America explains why. Here is a disturbing report by the group called Invisible Wounds: Psychological Injuries Hit a New Generation of Vets.
Investigative reporter Greg Palast says that Obama is the kind of slick operator Democrats need.
Imran Anwar spoke to us from Lahore about a battle between government forces and Taliban militants that left 43 civillians dead.
In this 14-minute interview, Assembly Speaker Silver told us why he published a powerful statement vowing to reform NY's harsh Rockefeller Drug Laws.
Scholar Keith Lawrence of the Aspen Institute says this may the best time in years to slow America's pace of mass imprisonment.
Zahir Janmohamed of Amnesty International USA says the group is calling for an investigation of possible war crimes.
Imran Anwar says the U.S. and Pakistan must wage a public relations war against the Taliban.
Lilly Ledbetter lost a key wage discrimination lawsuit but remained in the fight to get a flawed law changed.
Andrew Stettner of the National Employment Law Project says recovery will take at least another year.
Leigh Hornbeck of the Albany Times Union talks about the new senator's political background.
Hetty Rosenstein of the Communications Workers of America says Gov. Corzine's budget will hurt state employees.
The Rev. Eugene Rivers of Boston's Azuza Christian Community reflects on Martin Luther King and the challenges facing today's black church leaders.
Maria Passannante-Derr of Greenwich Village is leading a non-perishable food drive as part of the Obama Inauguration national day of service weekend.
The civil rights group got action from the Justice Dept. in the case of immigrants being beaten on Long Island.
Isaac Luria, J-Street's online campaign director, explains the group's position on Gaza.
Obama says he will end the policy. The Center for Military Readiness says gays should be banned from service altogether.
Shortly Hours before he's voted the New York Senate's first black majority leader (and the first Dem in over 40 years), Malcolm Smith gives an exclusive interview to the Morning Show.
Assemblyman Keith Wright of Harlem says the basic welfare grant will be increased for the first time in two decades.
Once and future senator Pedro Espada Jr. explains the controversial path he charted in negotiating the final votes needed for Dems to take control of the senate.
State Sen. John Sampson describes the new powers he and others will have as Democrats take control of the senate for the first time in over 40 years.
Laura Seago of the Brennan Center explains why a new report still finds state government in need of reform.
Live from Jerusalem, reporter Charles Enderlin talks about the status of the conflict in Gaza.
Yigal Carmon of the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) says moderate Arab states are ambivalent or even supportive of the Hamas government.
Pulitzer-prize winning journalist David Cay Johnston says Obama's stimulus package must be big enough and include re-regulation of the banking industry.
City Councilman Eric Gioia talked about term limits, citizen involvement and New York's tough fiscal times.
Charles Enderlin, author of The Lost Years and Jerusalem Bureau Chief of French TV network 2, says Hamas made a disastrous mistake in Gaza.
Charlie Cobb from AllAfrica.com says violence and dictatorship will continue to distort development in Guinea, Zimbabwe, Congo, Darfur and Somalia - and Barack Obama, despite his personal links to East Africa, may not be able to turn the tide.
Mark Schneider, a former diplomat and vice president of the International Crisis Group, says Latin America will see economic hard times and growing drug violence in 2009.
Investigative journalist Robert Dreyfuss, author of Devil's Game, discusses the prospects for peace in the region.
Commentator Imran Anwar says the Gaza conflict is likely to spread, and that rising tensions between India and Pakistan makes U.S. diplomacy more needed than ever.
Detroit Free Press business columnist Daniel Howes says Chrysler is dead, GM is terminally sick, and Congress needs to act soon.
Prof. Robert Pollin of the University of Massachusetts explains how $100 billion spent on infrastructure could create 2 million jobs.
Jdimytai "Jimmy" Damour, the security guard trampled to death at a suburban Wal-Mart, was trying to aid a pregnant woman.
Miriam Pemberton of the Institute for Policy Studies says a vote by the Iraqi parliament signals a gradual end to the U.S. involvement in that country.
Anuj Chopra from the Christian Science Monitor gave an exclusive report from Mumbai, India on the aftermath of the recent terror attacks.
Joel Berg, author of All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America? is director of the NYC Coalition Against Hunger.
This civil rights attorney won a crushing settlement against a violent Ku Klux Klan organization, bankrupting the group.
Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org talked about the need for a passenger's bill of rights. Her hotline number is (877) FLYERS6.
Doug Turetsky of the NYC Independent Budget Office explains why the city is facing hard times.
We talked with Henry Stern about whether New York is heading for a re-run of the 1970s.
Federal judge Block ruled that the United States government could not use ethnicity as justification for detaining two Egyptian-born men who were questioned for four hours after a cross-country flight in 2004.
Fred Burton, a security expert, explained why corporations and nations allow the piracy off the coast of Somalia.
Philip Berg explained his lawsuit charging Obama is ineligible to serve as President. Click here for all documents in the case.
Joe Lawless, author of Prosecutorial Misconduct, talked with us about the explosive case of female guards charged with raping several male inmates.
The term limits fight leads Village Voice reporter Wayne Barrett to calls Mike Bloomberg the best mayor -- and the worst -- he can remember.
Economist William Spriggs of Howard University gives some bad news about the coming recession.
Author Bryan Mealer talks about his new book and his journeys into the heart of violence and war in Africa.
Author Nomi Prins says a car industry bailout, like the money given to big banks, will only save jobs if we keep an eye on Congress and the CEOs.
Political consultant Robert Creamer gives us a peek inside the Obama transition as it plans the new administration's first cabinet choices.
Kim Bobo, author of Wage Theft in America, shows how wage theft takes billions from working people every year.
We talked with Michael Hirsch of Newsweek Magazine about who's up and who's down in the Obama cabinet rumor mill.
James Hughes, Dean of the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy gave a gloomy assessment of the duration and depth of the economic downturn.
We talked with investigative reporter and author Robert Dreyfuss about what Obama's foreign policy will look like.
Here is the federal lawsuit filed to restore term limits in New York City government. We talked about it with Norman Siegel, one of the lawyers who filed the suit.
Talk-show legend Phil Donahue discusses his first-ever documentary, Body of War, that aired on the SUNDANCE cable channel. Go here to buy the DVD.
We talked with Melanie Sloan, Executive Director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington about ethically challenged lawmakers.
Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director of Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, told us about a new website where veterans can share information and personal stories.
We talked with Jonathan Mahler of the New York Times about how Obama can reverse the absues of power of the Bush administration.
We talked with Lawrence Norden of the Brennan Center about what went right and what went wrong on Election Day.
We talked with Brian Katulis, co-author of The Prosperity Agenda, about the top foreign policy challenges facing the next president.
Vicki Been, Executive Director of the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, talked with Errol about the local impact of the foreclosure crisis.
Civil rights attorney and candidate for Public Advocate Norman Siegel outlined the legal case that he and other supporters of term limits plan to make against Mayor Bloomberg and the City Council.
You wouldn't know it from the presidential debate, but the nuclear threat is alive and well, with thousands of weapons subject to deliberate or accidental firing. Errol talked with Joe Cirincione of the Ploughshares Fund, a peace organization, about what the next administration must do to make us safer.
Neal Rosenstein of the New York Public Interest Research Group talks with Errol about why the group gave the Board of Elections an "F" grade for purging thousands of voter registrations in possible violation of the law.
Broadcasting from Kingsborough Community College, we took a moment to talk with Comptroller Bill Thompson about his effort to block Mayor Bloomberg on the issue of term limits.
We talked with Eleanor Clift of Newsweek about the final debate between John McCain and Barack Obama.
We talked with James Bamford, author of The Shadow Factory: The Ultra-Secret NSA from 9/1 to the Eavesdropping on America. Click here to buy it.
We previewed the final presidential debate of 2008 with syndicated columnist Clarence Page.
Author Robert Kuttner joined us to talk about Obama's Challenge, his book that argues the economic crisis gives Barack Obama the opportunity to be a great president.
An estimated 30,000 people are held in custody every day, a result of our nation's tough post-9/11 immigration and border policies. Edward Alden, author of The Closing of the American Border, joined us to talk about it.
We talked with Joycelyn Elders, former Surgeon General, about women's reproductive health issues and why America needs a new approach to health and sex education.
A day after markets rallied, we talked with Jack Gage of Forbes Magazine about whether the bailout is working.
One of the leaders battling against Mayor Bloomberg's attempt to eliminate term limits is City Councilwoman Letitia James, who joined us.
We talked with Michael Isikoff, Newsweek Investigative Correspondent, about the Palin report. He wrote about it here.
We talked about the debate with New York Times columnist Bob Herbert. His latest column is here.
We talked about the economic crisis with David Cay Johnston, author of Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and Stick You with the Bill).
Stacey Artandi, the founder of SheZoom.com, talked about a poll asking who voters would choose in a presidential face-off between Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton.
Political commentator and author John Avlon, author of Independent Nation, joined us for a preview of the second presidential debate.
Fresh from a televised clash with a right-wing talk show host, Robert Kuttner joined us to talk about how a potential Barack Obama presidency might bring America through the economic crisis.
We talked with Jeff Chester, author of Digital Destiny: New Media and the Future of Democracy, available here. Jeff is Executive Director of the Center for Digital Democracy.
Prof. James K. Galbraith gave a skeptical appraisal of the federal bailout and explained why suddenly cutting government spending will only make things worse.
Myrna Pérez of the Brennan Center at NYU Law school, the author of a study on voter purges, explained how millions have been removed from the voter rolls, many illegally. To get the full report or an executive summary, click here.
We talked with Paul Jacobs of Citizens in Charge, who once ran U.S. Term Limits, about Mayor Bloomberg's attack on the city's term limits law.
For a look at the strategies Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin will be using in tonight's high-stakes debate, we turned to Emmy-award winning journalist and executive speech coach Steve Adubato.
Bob Gangi, president of the Correctional Association of New York, talked about his efforts to register thousands of ex-prisoners who may not know they have the right to vote.
Rounding out our look at the bailout, Congressman Charlie Rangel of Harlem described the debate and vote - and says spending $700 billion shouldn't stop the next president and Congress from investing in education, infrastructure and other basic needs.
Jim Horney, Director of Federal Fiscal Policy at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, says the middle class and small businesses face "extreme hardship" if the bailout bill fails -- and that the true cost of the bill could be less than half of the $700 billion the politicians say they need.
Today's look at the economics of the bailout began with Ross Eisenbrey of the Economic Policy Institute explaining why the bailout is needed.
Greg Palast has a new website with everything you need to know about guarding your right to vote.
Download his guide here.
Another website, Election Protection, is here.
Assemblyman Michael Benjamin explains why a group of Bronx politicians are trying to depose Democratic Party chairman Jose Rivera -- and why a controversial vote now leaves the borough with two men claiming to be boss of the Bronx: Rivera and Assemblyman Carl Heastie.
Chicago Tribune and syndicated columnist Clarence Page joined us to talk about presidential politics and the Sarah Palin phenomenon.
The world body is still in session, and Howard LaFranchi of the Christian Science Monitor walked us through the central question being debated there: what to do about world poverty.
On the day of a key congressional vote, we talked with David Arkush of Public Citizen's Congress Watch about the politics of the bailout.
Miriam Pemberton, author of a "A Unified Security Budget for the United States, FY 2009" explained why we need to shift money from the military budget to other areas, such as diplomacy and direct humanitarian aid, that in the long run will make the nation safer.
Award-winning producer/director Roger Weisberg talked with us about his new film, Critical Condition, that tells the stories of four uninsured families dealing with grave health problems. The show will air next Tuesday at 9 pm on Channel 13 WNET/PBS.
My Thursday column in the Daily News is about the horrific gun violence at the Redfern Houses in Far Rockaway and the effort to save a community center scheduled to close next Tuesday. We talked with Eric Dennis, who works with young people at the center.
Richard Wolffe, Senior White House Correspondent for Newsweek, talked about the bailout, Friday's presidential debate, and the fact the firm of McCain's campaign manager, lobbyist Rick Davis, was receiving $15,000 a month from Freddie Mac, the troubled mortgage agency, as recently as last month -- even though McCain said earlier this week that Davis had severed those ties years ago.
Read more here.
We spoke to Nomi Prins, Senior Fellow at the progressive public policy organization Demos, an ex-investment banker at Goldman Sachs, Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. She has a short article about the bailout here and a great timeline of the crisis here.
We talked to David Fischer, Project Director for Workforce Development and Social Policy at the Center for an Urban Future about how federal cuts to job training programs have cost New York City $50 million since 2001. Download the report here.
Filmmaker Leslie Carde's documentary, America Betrayed, explains how mismanagement of the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet led to the flooding of New Orleans.