PoJu Takes Denver

Filed under: On Air

Sen. Ted Kennedy addresses the DNC.

Source: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images

I can't even imagine what this week in Denver is like for our Political Junkie, Ken Rudin. Well, it's probably pretty exhausting living on a hybrid of Eastern and Central times (late to bed and early to rise), but wow, what a week it's already been. Highlights? Sen. Ted Kennedy's emotional return to the fold in the midst of his fight with cancer; Michelle Obama's speech, in which she worked to undo the damage done by her oft-misquoted assertion that "for the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country;" and, of course, Sen. Hillary Clinton's speech in support of hers and Obama's common cause. And, of course, the week hasn't been all grandstanding, there have been some political ads too, namely the Obama campaign's "Seven Houses," the McCain campaign's "Hillary's Right," and the swiftboat-esque attack on Obama for his relationship with Weather Underground founder William Ayers (quickly -- and quietly -- refuted by the Obama camp). All that, Ken Rudin, and trivia and some tape from the vault! What's your favorite moment so far? Leave them below.

-- Sarah Handel

Tags: Barack Obama | DNC | Democratic National Convention | Hillary Clinton | Michelle Obama | Political Junkie | Ted Kennedy

This Hitchens Moment

Filed under: On Air

This election must have an added significance for Christopher Hitchens. The British ex-pat became a U.S. citizen in April of last year, on his 58th birthday. This will be the first time he's able to vote in a presidential election. Of course, citizenship isn't the only transformation Hitchens has undergone over the years. Once identified with the radical left, he has since come out strongly in defense of the Iraq war, and now leans on many issues to the political right... some call him a neo-neo-conservative. As we continue our series all this week (and next) on This American Moment, we'll check in with Christopher Hitchens, and find out what this election means to him... As an observer, as a writer, and as a new citizen.

-- Scott Cameron

Tags: Christopher Hitchens | This American Moment | election

Hillary's Big Moment: Are We Post-Gender?

Filed under: On Air

Senator Hillary Clinton speaks at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Mark Wilson/Getty Images

 

Last night, Senator Hillary Clinton spoke at the Democratic National Convention. She threw her full support behind Senator Barack Obama, and appealed to those among her supporters who still feel resentment and anger about her failed bid:

I want you to ask yourselves: Were you in this campaign just for me? Or were you in it for that young Marine and others like him? Were you in it for that mom struggling with cancer while raising her kids? Were you in it for that boy and his mom surviving on the minimum wage? Were you in it for all the people in this country who feel invisible?

For some, Hillary's speech was a persuasive call to unite with Obama supporters. But for others, it still might not feel like enough. Today, we're joined by four female powerhouses: Farai Chideya, host of NPR's News and Notes; Susan Faludi, of Backlash fame, who recently wrote an op-ed for The New York Times titled, "Second-Place Citizens"; comedian and co-creator of The Daily Show, Lizz Winstead; and co-founder of Third Wave Foundation, Amy Richards. We'll talk about reactions to Hillary's speech, whether her message extended beyond Denver, and generational splits within feminism. We also want to talk about historical context. This is a unique moment in history -- Senator Obama says we're in a post-racial era, past the battles of the 1960s, but are we beyond gender, too?

And we want to hear from you -- what does Senator Clinton's candidacy mean for women's rights and feminism? And are we headed toward a post-gender society?

-- Ashley Grashaw

Tags: Amy Richards | DNC | Farai Chideya | Hillary Clinton | Lizz Winstead | Susan Faludi | feminism | generational split | post-gender

August 27th Show

Filed under: Coming Up

We're live in the Newseum and it's DNC, DNC DNC. Did I mention DNC? Okay, Ken Rudin will talk about more than just the Democratic convention, but Denver will be our main focus in this week's Political Junkie. At the end of the hour, we'll continue our "This American Moment" series. Author and Vanity Fair contributing editor Christopher Hitchens talks about what this presidential campaign means for him.

For our full second hour we will speak with four women about what Senator Hillary Clinton's run for president means for women's rights and feminism. We'll be joined by News and Notes host Farai Chideya, who is at the Democratic convention, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Suan Faludi, comedienne Lizz Winstead, and author and co-founder of Third Wave Foundation Amy Richards.

-- Gwen Outen

12:29 PM ET | 08-27-2008 | permalink | e-mail post

Rollin'

Filed under: 5,280

Buildings in downtown Denver are covered with signs. The logo for the Democratic National Convention, a mountain scene with stars, is omnipresent. That now-iconic rendering of Obama, printed by Shepard Fairey, has been plastered everywhere. That said, I thought this image was especially eye-catching:

Good advertising.

David Gura, NPR

 

And pretty awesome.

-- David Gura

Tags: DNC | Denver | Nina Totenberg

Hospitals 101

Filed under: On Air

Have you done your hospital homework?

Source: katherine of chicago

We once had a guest on the show say that most people took more time to research a kitchen appliance than a hospital. Sad, but true - at least in my case. I've just never thought about it much. And if I need emergency care, I assume I'll be taken to the nearest ER. But there's more and more information available that makes it easier to compare hospitals. At a government site called (appropriately enough) Hospital Compare, you can check out services available, quality of care, and for the first time the survival rates for specific illnesses. Of course, it's best to do your homework now rather than later by Blackberry in the back of an ambulance. Any hints on what you do to research a hospital?

-- Scott Cameron

Tags: doctor | health care | hospital

This American Moment: Jorge Ramos

Filed under: On Air

News anchor Jorge Ramos in 2002.

J. Emilio Flores/Getty Images

Anybody familiar with Spanish-speaking households knows that Jorge Ramos is synonymous with the nightly news. Since 1985, when he first appeared as a young, scrawny correspondent on Noticiero Univision -- Univision's nightly news -- millions of Latinos in the US have grown familiar with his Mexico City-accented Spanish. Along with co-anchor Maria Elena Salinas, via satellite he is beamed into to Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean and of course, across the US. Combined, his reach in the American continent is in the millions. Ramos has talked to all of the controversial heads of state in Latin America -- think Evo , Hugo, Fidel. In the US, presidential candidates, former US presidents, and lawmakers know that an interview with Ramos is key to reaching the Latino voting bloc. As part of our series of conversations about the campaign season we call "This American Moment," today, we hear from Jorge Ramos about what this election means to him and US Latinos. And we'd like to reach out to Latino listeners: Tell us, what does this political season mean to you?

-- Dalia Martinez

Tags: Jorge Ramos | This American Moment

Car Vs. Cyclist

Filed under: On Air

What about you? Did you bike to work?

Source: BikePortland.org

This may be terribly un-NPR of me, but I just can't bike to work. D.C. is a tough city to navigate under any circumstance, and even after 7 years here, I just can't get my head around doing so on two wheels. I've seen too many bus drivers fail to notice cyclists, too many cars in designated bike lanes, and too many accidents at the intersection right outside my window. But, as I'm sure is true for many, my feelings about bicyclers are complicated. While, ideologically, my sympathies lie mostly with them, there are few words adequate to describe the rage I feel when "Share the Road"-ers blatantly disregard the rules of said road, riding opposite traffic, through red lights, and on what I adamantly assert (in my head, anyway) are sidewalks. No group in this scenario -- walkers, drivers, cyclists -- is blameless, and I think we all make a lot of assumptions. For example, I always assumed the cyclists were doing something, intentionally or not, that's pretty good for the environment. You know what? Even that rationale's got some doubters. But with gas prices still insane (that's a technical term), it'd be pretty hard to argue that cycling doesn't make economic sense for the rider, even if it doesn't in the big picture. So as the numbers of two-wheelers grow, so does the interest in making our cities more bike-friendly for commuters. Where do you stand -- or sit -- in the intersection of cars, bikes, and walkers... or of fuel economy, safety, and the environment?

-- Sarah Handel

Tags: bicycle | city planning | commute | cyclist | traffic

Still Smarting

Filed under: On Air

Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign ended back in June, but the voters who "put eighteen million cracks" in a very high glass ceiling are still hurt, and still angry that it isn't Sen. Clinton accepting the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night. Below is just one of them...

Sen. Clinton has said in no uncertain terms that she does not support that message -- but I have to wonder what she thinks when she sees it. The primary battle was long, bitterly fought, and even people who supported Sen. Obama may have felt that it was, in the end, very unsatisfying. Gail Sheehy -- one of our keenest cultural observers -- covered Sen. Clinton's campaign, and her insider's view in this month's Vanity Fair gives more flesh to the limited portrait of Hillary painted by the media (yep, that's us, too). On the eve of Hillary's big moment at the DNC, it's hard not to wonder who she is now, after the bruising experience of the primary that continues to haunt the convention. Who better to ask than Sheehy herself? Comments welcome.

-- Barrie Hardymon

Tags: DNC | Gail Sheehy | Hillary Clinton

August 26th Show

Filed under: Coming Up

Neal Conan is out, Lynn Neary is in (just for today) and here's what's coming up on the show:

There is a website called Hospital Compare established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as part of the Department of Health and Human Services. And the site now compares hospital death rates around the country and shows how individual hospitals stack up against the national average, and each other. In our first hour, we'll talk about the information available on the site, and what you need to know about your hospital. Then, we'll continue our "This American Moment" series with Jorge Ramos, national anchor for Univision. Ramos will discuss the significance this presidential campaign has for Latino voters, and their role in this election.

In our second hour, we'll talk about the relationship between our friends who go cruising on two wheels and those who put the pedal to the medal in four wheel drive. Can't they just get along? If you've been out on the roads lately, you've no doubt seen more cyclists... and more road rage. But some cities are coming up with ways to re-shape their roads to encourage a truce in the war of wheels. We'll hear from both sides of the issue. At the end of the hour, Gail Sheehy will talk about her piece that appeared on vanityfair.com where she talks about what Hillary Clinton's campaign reveals about her. Sheehy opines that some of the elements in Clinton's campaign that brought her so close to victory are the same ones that prevented her from winning. Sheehy's article is entitled "Hillaryland at War".

Continue reading...

-- Gwen Outen

12:09 PM ET | 08-26-2008 | permalink | e-mail post

On The Floor

Filed under: 5,280

"And the crowd goes wild..."

David Gura, NPR

 

As I wrote yesterday, security here at the Democratic National Convention is heavy. Credentials are hard to come by, and the lines to get into the Pepsi Center are long.

There are more than 40 NPR employees here, working on our coverage. Engineers, producers, editors, and reporters. And although almost everyone has a perimeter pass, which lets us into the area surrounding the Pepsi Center and INVESCO Field at Mile High, there aren't enough arena and floor credentials to go around.

Reporters get them, of course. And a few producers and editors do too. Our Political Junkie, Ken Rudin, was on the floor last night, wrangling guests for Debbie Elliot and Audie Cornish. If there are any to spare, left unused, our boss passes them out. Last night, from 8:00 p.m. until 9:30 p.m., I got hold of a coveted floor credential, just in time for Michelle Obama's speech.

A few producers and I walked from our workspace to the Pepsi Center. On the way over, we passed Bill O'Reilly (so tall!), Arianna Huffington (so small!), and Vernon Jordan (also tall!). Once we got inside the [first] set of gates, we had to walk another few-hundred yards to the security line, which was really just a giant mass of delegates and journalists.

Inside the Pepsi Center, we took the escalators up to "Radio Row," a part of the concourse filled with tables for an assortment of local and national radio broadcasters. I picked up my pass there, and walked down to the floor, by the delegates from Delaware and Illinois, between the NBC News and CBS News sets.

Minutes later, the lights in the hall dimmed. A video, narrated by Michelle Obama's mother, introduced us to the evening's main speaker. Then her brother, the coach of the men's basketball team at Oregon State University, took to the stage. The crowd went wild, and not for the first time. Volunteers made their way through the audience, passing out posters. When he asked the crowd to welcome his sister, signs and hands were up in the air, obscuring the stage.

Back at the workplace, after the speech, we swapped notes. Who liked the speech? Who didn't? What was she trying to get across? And what did we think of the Obama daughters?

Tonight: Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and former Virginia Governor Mark Warner are scheduled to speak. If I make it in, I'll report back tomorrow.

-- David Gura

Tags: DNC | Denver | Michelle Obama

A NASCAR Phenom

Filed under: Quick Thought

Joey Logano, I see a lot of orange in your future.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images for NASCAR

With the Olympics fading in the rearview mirror and football season a few exits down the road, I'm happy to share some right-now sports news to get excited about. Joe Gibbs Racing has announced 18-year-old racing phenom Joey Logano will officially join the Gibbs team next season. And he won't be slipping into the pack unnoticed -- no, he'll be driving the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota soon to be vacated by one of the biggest names in the sport, Tony Stewart, who'll be leaving Gibbs Racing to form his own team. It's clear Gibbs has high hopes for the kid -- Logano will be signing a "longer than normal" cup racing contract -- and Logano's willingness to strap into the #20 car indicates he's got a lot of confidence. He'll be joining one of the best teams in racing, led by Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch, and crew chief Greg "Zippy" Zipadelli, who won two championships with Stewart, will stay with the Gibbs team. I've said it before and I'll say it again -- I never wanted to like NASCAR, but now that I do, I can't help but get swept up in stories like this one. So take a peek at these links, and see if you too can feel a little of the fever too.

-- Sarah Handel

Tags: Gibbs Racing | Joey Logano | NASCAR | Tony Stewart

It Isn't JUST The Economy

Filed under: On Air

What global issues does the next president face?

Source: Laura Padgett

So the economy isn't the only issue in this election, after all. And even when it is, pocketbook concerns touch on another area that underlies many voter's thinking... Foreign policy (the Venn diagram in my head links energy, the economy, China, Russia, Iraq, etc, etc, in a convoluted mix). And while opinions may differ on the specific steps involved, there's general agreement that the world facing the next administration come January will present unique challenges, and opportunities to redefine and enhance US power. Robert Kagan, in Foreign Affairs lays out his vision for the next president in what he calls "The September 12 Paradigm."

The United States and other democratic nations will need to take a more enlightened and generous view of their interests than they did even during the Cold War. The United States, as the strongest democracy, should not oppose but welcome a world of pooled and diminished national sovereignty. It has little to fear and much to gain in a world of expanding laws and norms based on liberal ideals and designed to protect them. At the same time, the democracies of Asia and Europe need to rediscover that progress toward this more perfect liberal order depends not only on law and popular will but also on powerful nations that can support and defend it.

Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, also in Foreign Affairs calls what the next president faces, "a daunting agenda," but says:

The United States is not a helpless giant tossed on the seas of history. It is still the most powerful nation on earth, and within certain limits, it can still shape its own destiny and play the leading role in a multipolar world. It can still take the helm in addressing the world's most pressing problems (as President Bush did effectively on only one issue, AIDS). There are many issues waiting for inspired and, yes, noble U.S. leadership, backed up by enlightened U.S. generosity that is also in the United States' own interest. The United States is still great. It deserves leadership worthy of its people, leadership that will restore the nation's pride and sense of purpose. That task must begin at home, but the world will be watching and waiting.

We'll hear a lot in the next two weeks about pocketbook issues, the finances of candidates and whether they can relate to the average Joe, and of course that "it's the economy stupid." But with US troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, Russian troops in Georgia, China's economy exploding, Iran's nuclear ambitions unclear, middle east peace in question, and the global war on terror ongoing, issues of national security and foreign policy can't be overlooked.

As a voter, what do you think should be the top priority for the next administration?

-- Scott Cameron

Tags: Barack Obama | Foreign policy | John McCain | election

This American Moment: Lani Guinier

Filed under: On Air

The Democratic convention kicks off today in Denver with headliner Michelle Obama, and next week Republican delegates will gather in St. Paul to take up the podium. So we thought now would be the perfect time to pause, take a deep breath, and reflect on this unique American moment. For the next two weeks, TOTN will ask men and women from different backgrounds and political persuasions -- artists, journalists, scholars and politicians -- to put this election and campaign season into context. Every day, we'll ask a different thinker to tell us what is at stake, and what this election means to him or her. This week, we'll talk to Jorge Ramos, Christopher Hitchens, Jimmy Carter, and Lani Guinier, who joins us today.

In 1993, President Clinton nominated Lani Guinier, the first black woman to receive tenure at Harvard Law School, to be assistant attorney general for civil rights; but, ultimately, her nomination was withdrawn due to controversy over her views on racial quotas. Guinier is widely regarded as an expert on race, gender, class, and voting rights, and today she'll tell us what this American moment means to her.

And, of course, we want to hear from you, too: what is the significance of this American moment to you?

-- Ashley Grashaw

Tags: Lani Guinier | This American Moment | conventions

Juicy, But Rotten

Filed under: On Air

Anonymity gets vicious.

Source: JuicyCampus.com

 

Anyone who's ever shopped at Forever21 knows that kids can be heartless. I've stood in dressing rooms and gasped at the incivility that passes for "gossip" these days. I hate to be a cranky old broad -- but it literally makes me long for the old (yes, first season) Kelly Taylor. She may have been bitchy, but at least she had a heart.* Kids these days (YES! That just happened) have devised a new way to torture each other -- anonymous gossip message boards. "100% Anonymous!" screams the JuicyCampus website -- and with no one taking responsibility, the posts become more and more vile. Racist, homophobic, and rampantly vicious rants against women proliferate -- and the more schools try to tamp them down, the more the kids are drawn to the bile. Is there anything socially redeeming at all about this stuff? Is it just sanctioned bullying? You can ask Andrew Mann, who set up his own message board site, CollegeACB. Otherwise, prove me wrong if you can -- can you have a good experience on these things?

*Of course then, the producers punished her for the next nine seasons with two rapes, a psychopathic roommate, and that dude with the eyebrows.

-- Barrie Hardymon

Tags: college gossip | juicy campus