NPR: News & Views

August 31, 2007

See You in September!

We're celebrating the end of summer, too. News & Views is taking Labor Day off, but News & Notes is not. Be sure to tune in for Monday's show, and we'll see you back here on Tuesday, Sept. 4. Enjoy the weekend.
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Geoffrey Bennett

The Coretta Files

Listen to Tony's Interview with Dr. Christine King Farris on the King Family's Reaction

Getty Images

First of all, it should come as no surprise to anyone paying attention that the FBI surveilled Coretta Scott King. She was, after all, the wife of the man that the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover most detested -- not only because of King's efforts on behalf of civil rights, but especially when he began speaking out publicly about his opposition to the Vietnam War.

It was heads-up work by Houston's KHOU-TV and its investigative unit to be the first to file a request for the documents under the FOIA. Seeing the actual documents, which are available on line at KHOU-TV's website is also a reminder that even in a democratic society, anything is possible.

But remember this -- the FBI's surveillance information was coming from someone inside King's inner-circle, someone presumably with access to her schedule and intimate knowledge of her political perspectives. Someone she trusted. The documents show that at least one informant (it's not clear how many there may have been) was a male. I asked KHOU-TV investigative reporter Mark Greenblatt if anywhere in the 500 pages of documents he obtained, was there a mention of who that source might be.

Of course, there wasn't.

But the whole disclosure, to my mind, renews the question of who is trustworthy within organizations that seek to make societal change, especially if that change is unpopular. The FBI gave us a statement that said they're out of the business of spying on U.S. citizens, but I think in the aftermath of Sept. 11, all bets are off.

I'm no conspiracy nut, but I can tell you from firsthand experience that more than 20 years ago with the Black Journalists Association of Southern California, we later learned that we too had been infiltrated by informants working for the government. Nothing ever came of it really. We were journalists looking for balanced coverage and job opportunities, not terrorists.

In the case of Coretta Scott King, the FBI concluded that she ultimately posed no threat to national security. That was the only reasonable conclusion to reach according to her nephew Isaac Newton Farris, who also appeared on our show today. It was still disheartening, he said, to think that you're being surveilled by the government. Your government.

That was then. This is now.

However, one can only imagine what might have happened to Mrs. King and her family had the FBI's surveillance of her "reasoned" that she was indeed, a threat.

Tony Cox

More Details: FBI's File on Coretta Scott King

Coretta Scott King and her husband, Martin Luther King, photographed in December 1964.

AFP/Getty Images

News Headlines: Aug. 31, 2007

We've been following yesterday's KHOU-TV report, detailing the federal government's spying on Coretta Scott King after her husband's assassination in 1968.

The Associated Press has picked up the story and includes reaction from prominent civil rights leaders with ties to the King family.

From the Rev. Joseph Lowery, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference:

"The FBI kept a microphone everywhere they could where the SCLC was concerned," said Lowery, who said the agency had a member of the SCLC's staff on its payroll. "Since we had nothing to hide, it was no great problem for us. But we don't put it past the FBI; (then-FBI Director) J. Edgar Hoover hated Martin Luther King and everything that the SCLC stood for."

From Ambassador Andrew Young, Dr. King's protege:

"I didn't know it [surveillance] and I don't think she knew it ... If ever there was a woman that had the makings of a saint, it was Coretta. I don't know what they were looking for, I don't know what they were expecting to find. I don't know why they wasted the government's money."

On today's show, NPR's Tony Cox (filling in for Farai) spoke with KHOU reporter Mark Greenblatt and executive producer David Rezik -- who have been researching this story for the last year. And he got response Martin Luther King, Jr.'s nephew, Isaac Newton Farris. Farris runs the King Center in Atlanta, Ga.

Watch the KHOU report. [Windows Media Player required.]

More Headlines:
The Associated Press: NAACP Challenges Louisiana Voter Purge

San Jose Mercury News: Your Black Muslim Bakery Leader Pleads Not Guilty to Felonies

The Associated Press: Henin, Williams Sisters Face Unfamiliar Opponents at U.S. Open

Los Angeles Times: In Nubia, Fears of Another Darfur

The Associated Press: Officer Suspended Over 'Ghetto Handbook'

RTE News: West African State to Shoot Drug Planes

Geoffrey Bennett

August 30, 2007

Developing: Inside Coretta Scott King's FBI File

Coretta Scott King photographed in February 1970.

Keystone/Getty Images

KHOU-TV, Houston's CBS affiliate, has an exclusive report on the FBI's surveillance of Coretta Scott King under then director J. Edgar Hoover. According to the article, "the FBI very closely spied and did surveillance on Scott King for years, keeping close track of her public appearances, speeches and especially anytime she traveled."

Some highlights:

-- "Even after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, the FBI's Scott King file shows the Bureau actually intensified their spying and surveillance of the new widow."

-- "Far more invasive was the Bureau's interception of private letters she had written."

-- "Government officials were afraid that she might try to complete what her husband had been doing when he died: 'attempt to tie the anti-Vietnam war movement to the civil rights movement,' as one FBI agent put it."

-- "Other reports also show the White House being in the loop on this surveillance."

-- "But perhaps the most disturbing single document in the Scott King file is a March 1969 report from the FBI's Atlanta office to Hoover. The subject was the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, MLK's No. 2 man, and the then-new president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the spearhead organization for the civil rights movement."

We'll address this story on tomorrow's reporters' roundtable.

In the meantime, read the full article and select FBI documents, and share your thoughts below. Are you surprised by this report? What strikes you most about the nature of the government's surveillance?

Geoffrey Bennett

Affirmative Action Debate Rages On

iStockphoto.com

On today's show, Farai spoke with U.S. Civil Rights Commission chairman Gerald Reynolds about the group's new report, which suggests the use of affirmative action in law school admissions puts students of color at a disadvantage. We also got a differing perspective from the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund.

You'll remember we first addressed that headline here on our blog. Your comments compelled us to tackle the issue on the show.

Special thanks to "News & Views" reader Moji Oderinde, who called in with her question, based on her blog comment.

Here's what some of you are saying about today's segments on the issue:

From Rahwa Neguse:

"I heard the gentleman with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund express his views. What I couldn't hear clearly is what specifically is being done to ensure minorities do get in law schools and succeed while there. I felt he was scratching the surface by stating actions need to be taken to ensure success, but what EXACTLY?"

From E L:

"This report, or at least the speaker on your show, looks as if it is an attempt to push propaganda and seems a bit silly. You rarely hear an official report filled 'some data' as the backbone of the research. I am pretty sure that a thorough investigation of the report would show that many of the headlines and sound bits taken from the report would be unfounded."

As always, we appreciate your feedback and reaction to the show and the stories we cover. If there's a story you want us to address on the air or online, drop us a comment and let us know.

Geoffrey Bennett

Books, Glorious Books -- My Picks

Farai Chideya

Today we covered African-American book clubs and took a look at James Baldwin, the penultimate pick of Farrah Jasmine Griffin's six picks of most influential black writers ever.

So, what am I reading or what do I like? I am SO glad you asked! ;-)

Here are a few of my favorites... including some young adult books.
YA:
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle

Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction:
Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Wild Seed by Octavia Butler
Kindred by Octavia Butler

Literary Novels (a B R O A D category!):
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Erasure by Percival Everett
House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus
Terminal Velocity by Blanche McCrary Boyd
Invisble Man by Ralph Ellison
Corregidora by Gayl Jones
John Dollar by Marianne Wiggins
Cane by Jean Toomer
Good Morning Midnight by Jean Rhys

Poetry:
The Selected Poems of Nikki Giovanni
On the Bus With Rosa Parks by Rita Dove

Other Great Works:
The Riverside Shakespeare
The Prince by Machiavelli

Enjoy and share your picks with me!

Farai Chideya

Pants Sagging Coverage Continues

Malingering, Flickr.com

News Headlines: Aug. 30, 2007

When we mentioned news of Atlanta's proposed ban on sagging pants last week, most of you agreed with the idea, but a few found fault with its practice.

Though the measure stalled in Atlanta's city council, that hasn't stopped the news coverage. [Something about this story is striking a chord with folks.] Today's Times has an analysis piece about the fashion's evolution, similar ordinances in other cities, and dress codes that have sprung up as a result.

The New York Times: Are Your Jeans Sagging? Go Directly to Jail -- "Sagging began in prison, where oversized uniforms were issued without belts to prevent suicide and their use as weapons. The style spread through rappers and music videos, from the ghetto to the suburbs and around the world."

More Headlines:
USA Today: Poverty Drops as Nation's Income Hits 5-Year High

The Associated Press: Mandela Statue Joins Ranks of Britain's Heroes

Xinhua: Sudan, Central Africa Agree to Maintain Border Security

The Associated Press: Study Shows Blacks Die Earlier Than Any Other Group

The Associated Press: Houston, Brown in Custody Battle

TIME: Even Gangsters Need Their Mamas

The Kansas City Star: Blame It on Vick, Not on Ghetto Culture

Geoffrey Bennett

August 29, 2007

My Katrina Days

Farai Chideya I had the privilege of working for NPR's News & Notes in the days after Katrina. Producer Teshima Walker (now of NPR's Tell Me More) and I flew into Jackson, Miss., a couple days after the storm. What was supposed to be a four-day trip turned into nine days because what we saw was so compelling.

Communication was dicey to say the least. At one point, I tried to text message my bosses--since you couldn't find a full cell signal--not knowing that their phones, at the time, were not text-enabled. It was just one of a series of small mishaps that paled in comparison to the tragedy on the ground.

An aerial view of the flooded area.

Farai Chideya, NPR

Perhaps the most striking moment was flying over the flooded city of New Orleans and the shattered homes of Biloxi, Miss. The homes in Biloxi were shredded into what looked like matchsticks by the full force of Katrina.

I was in a helicopter with General Honore, who took control of New Orleans temporarily in the absence of civil authority. I also got to sit in on a meeting with Vice President Dick Cheney and outgoing Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Vice President Dick Cheney (center) and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (top, right)

Farai Chideya, NPR

Finally, perhaps the most poignant moments were simply sitting around the home of Bernie, a recent law grad, and classmate of our friend Mary Honore. All of the hotels were taken by evacuees, so most reporters were couch-crashing. Teshima and I were couch-and-floor crashing. (In a moment of foresight, I brought an inflatable mattress.)

The conversations with Bernie, her teen and tween children, and our friend who arranged the housing, Mary, allowed us to decompress from what we saw and frankly discuss issues like poverty, race, and trauma.

Thank you again, Bernie, and blessings to all the survivors of Katrina and Rita.

Farai Chideya

Hurricane Katrina: Remembering, Looking Forward

Katrina
Photo: Farai Chideya, NPR / Art: Geoffrey Bennett, NPR

Two years ago today, Hurricane Katrina -- a Category 3 storm -- slammed the Gulf Coast, killing over 1,800 people and becoming one of the most destructive hurricanes in the country's history.

News & Notes is marking the two-year anniversary on-air and online. [This post will update throughout the day with links to NPR coverage, headlines, and other multimedia assets.]

Below, find links to our coverage dating back to 2005 and a collection of NPR's related reporting.

More importantly, if you've been impacted by Hurricane Katrina (or Rita), please share you story below.

-- Slideshow: Farai's Photos from the Gulf Coast

-- Slideshow: Christabel Nsiah-Buadi's Photos from New Orleans

-- Archive of News & Notes Hurricane Katrina Coverage

-- Listen to Today's Show (August 29, 2007)

-- Audio Slideshow: Voices of Katrina

Video:
The New York Times: Moving On By Moving In

More NPR Coverage:
President Bush Marks Hurricane Katrina Anniversary

Amid Lingering Chaos, Hope for New Orleans' Future

Population in Flux Redefines New Orleans

Houston Holds Hope, Despair for Katrina Evacuees

Katrina-Hit Homeowners Try to Salvage What's Left

As Crescent City Recovers, so Do Its Restaurants

The Bordelons: Rebuilt Home, Hope for the Future

Geoffrey Bennett

August 28, 2007

Video of the Day: Sen. Craig's First Denial

Sen. Larry Craig, a three-term Republican senator from Idaho, insisted in a press conference today that he is "not gay" and that he "overreacted" when pleading guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge after being arrested in an airport men's room.

During its wall-to-wall coverage today, CNN played this old ABC News report, featuring Craig -- a congressman at the time -- issuing a preemptive denial of involvement in a congressional sex and drug scandal.

The reporter: News & Notes commentator Carole Simpson, then a reporter for ABC News.

Geoffrey Bennett

Report: Affirmative Action May Harm Law Students

iStockphoto.com

News Headlines: Aug. 28, 2007
Press Release: U.S. Civil Rights Commission Warns That Affirmative Action Might Harm Minority Law Students -- "Admitting students into law schools for which they might not academically be prepared could harm their academic performance and hinder their ability to obtain secure and gainful employment ... Moreover, racial preferences might also contribute to racial income and wealth disparities."

Do you agree? What do make of the report's concept of affirmative action? Should racial preferences be used in student admissions?

More Headlines:
The New York Times: After a Trailblazer Is Honored, Williamses Carry on Her Legacy

Politico.com: Obama Supported by Wilder

ESPN.com: Coverage of Vick Means Bigger Issues Ignored

Washington Times: D.C. Tops in Obese Youths

BBC: South Africa Recalls Faulty Condoms

Los Angeles Times: Bids to Start for Bonds' Nos. 755, 756

The Atlanta Journal Constitution: Bishop Accused in Beating Blames Satan for His Woes

Newsday: Judges in Newark More Cautious with Bails After Slaying

Geoffrey Bennett

ReReReReReReReRespect! Miss Aretha Franklin

Farai Chideya We just had the chance to talk with the lovely and amazing Miss Aretha Franklin.

She and I met on the set of Good Morning America, where I used to work. She was and is a big political junkie, and since I've done a lot of on-air political reporting, she and I struck up a conversation.

Singer Aretha Franklin performs the national anthem at the 2004 NBA Finals.

Jed Jacobsohn, Getty Images

Check out our recent catch-up on all of her projects... a bio-pic about her life; her new album "A Woman Falling Out of Love"; and her upcoming benefit concerts.

Speaking of concerts... I saw her play at the Apollo in Harlem and it was one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen in my life. It was a benefit for the Dance Theatre of Harlem, first of all, and in our interview Aretha talks about why she did the benefit ... turns out she was a ballet dancer!

Anyway, the show was ridiculous. Aretha did her hits; new songs; and classic blues and gospel songs ... played with an orchestra, sat solo at the piano, and took off her shoes and danced the stage.

Respect due!

Farai Chideya

How Do You Protect--and Define--Civil Rights?

Farai Chideya Yesterday we covered the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

We also spoke with law professor Sherilyn Ifill about the embattled Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department.

In essence, the the justice department's civil rights division has been accused of political hirings. And Wan Kim, the assistant attorney general in charge of the division, resigned late last week.

The Civil Rights Division has been charged with upholding voting rights and other issues of racial justice ... and accused of letting that banner fall.

So: how do citizens concerned about voting rights make themselves heard? Do you think you should have a voice in the federal perspective on Civil Rights? And what does it even mean to champion civil rights in this day and age?

Farai Chideya

August 27, 2007

The Class of 2011: More of the Same?

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Our online series, "Speak Your Mind," gives you, our listeners and readers, a chance to sound off on the issues you care about.

With schools set to reopen in a few weeks, this latest installment about the country's failing education system comes from "News & Views" reader James Swain.

Read and respond.

Courtesy James Swain

When you consider our wealth as a nation, the sorry state of basic education in large sectors of our society is inexcusable. It is a disgrace that for all of our scientific advances, our business acumen and our claim to a common ethos that truly values education and learning, we can't do what it takes to make sure that all of our children successfully graduate from high school. Is the goal of an educated population out of reach for America? No, of course it isn't. We know enough to meet this challenge, but we need to act, and demand that our leaders act, with a sense of urgency.

According to a recent article by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, 15 percent -- or about 2,000 -- of the rural and urban public high schools in America are responsible for over 50 percent of the nation's dropouts. Other data tells us that we lose almost half (40 to 50 percent) of the kids who are not going to graduate high school, in the ninth grade. These studies point to various associational risk factors. There's the predictable linear relationship between failing schools and poor communities; the lack of adequate preparation for high school in the lower grades and; most poignantly, the fact that 40 percent of those lost in the ninth grade were left back, at least once, in earlier grades.

We don't need to recount the high statistical associations with negative outcomes (especially incarceration and continued generational poverty) awaiting adults with no high school diploma. We know all too well that a high school diploma is an indispensable prerequisite to successful, independent adulthood.

But this knowledge begs the question. Is anyone responsible for solving this problem? Is anyone accountable for the shameful failure of these schools? Is anyone out there up to the challenge of ending this blight? How much could such an effort cost? How much would it be worth if it succeeded? Is it more than the price we are paying for our continued failure?

I know, I know: politicians and government leaders can't solve the problem alone; throwing money at the problem won't solve it; you have to start earlier than ninth grade if you want to make a difference; it starts in the home; parents need to step up to the plate; the children have to want to learn; we need to resolve the high stakes testing dilemma first; we need to forget about public schools and go private or charter or voucher; we need to change how we fund public education; it's the media; it's the unions; it's the politicians; it's the bureaucracy ... and on and on and on.

For years, the constituencies for and against these ideas have battled it out on talk radio shows and in the legislatures, on school boards and in administrative agencies, in think tanks and at universities, and elsewhere all over the country -- to the point that these battling mantras have become nothing more than excuses for our inaction.

One thing is certain, the longer we wait to end this disgrace, the more children we will lose. As we speak, the class of 2011 is entering the ninth grade in some 2,000 troubled high schools across the country. If we continue to do nothing, the odds are that less than half these children will graduate. -- James Swain

(Cited article: Closing "Dropout Factories" (Balfanz & Legters) Education Week, July 12, 2006)

If you have a submission, leave us a comment and we'll contact you. Remember -- the range of topics is totally unrestricted. But all submissions have to adhere to our guidelines. So help us help you "Speak Your Mind."

Geoffrey Bennett

Vick Pleads Guilty to Federal Dogfighting Charges

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick arrives at federal court in Richmond, Va.

Win McNamee, Getty Images

News Headlines: Aug. 27, 2007

USA Today: Vick Formally Enters Guilty Plea -- "In a court hearing that lasted just under 20 minutes Monday, Michael Vick entered a guilty plea to a conspiracy charge related to a federal dogfighting investigation that could send the Atlanta Falcons quarterback to prison for a year or more."

Update: Vick Apologizes, Asks for Forgiveness

Read the text version of Vick's apology.

What do you think of Vick's statements? What, in your opinion, would be a fair punishment?

More Headlines:
International Herald Tribune: U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales Resigns

The Associated Press: Director John Singleton Won't Be Cited For Fatal Crash

The New York Times: Bring in the Reggae, Hold the Hate

USA Today: San Francisco Hopes to Reverse Black Flight

The New York Times: Liberian Ex-Leader's War Crimes Trial Is Stalled

Geoffrey Bennett

August 24, 2007

Celebrity Saviors in Africa: Help or Hype?

Oprah Winfrey at the opening of her Leadership Academy for Girls in Henley-on-Klip, South Africa.

Getty Images

News Headlines: Aug. 24, 2007

The Christian Science Monitor: Celebrities in Africa: Does the Help Exceed the Hype? -- "The world's poorest, sickest, most war-ravaged continent is now the charity of choice for many of the West's best-known political, pop, and Hollywood stars. But, despite the aid, the number of poor people in Africa has almost doubled in the past decade, and skeptics wonder whether some stars are most interested in boosting their own profile in the eyes of a public that expects a moral dimension to its heroes." [Multimedia Special]

Which celebrities do you think are sincerely devoted to bringing change to the continent, and which are in it for the attention?

More Headlines:
Chicago Tribune: Johnson Publishing Pledges $2.5 Million to U. of Southern California's Media Center

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Vick's Guilty Plea Will Not Admit Gambling, Killing Dogs | Vick Case Creates Division

The Village Voice: Cornel West Hangs With Prince and Challenges Hip-Hop

Reuters: Sporadic Bush War Wearies CAR's Forgotten Rebels

The Philadelphia Inquirer: These Days, Bill Cosby's Critique Is Connecting

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Bishop Surrenders on Charges of Attacking Evangelist Wife

Geoffrey Bennett

August 23, 2007

Picturing New Orleans After Katrina

On today's show, Farai spoke with Carey Shea and Shawn Escofferey of the Rockefeller Foundation's New Orleans Initiative. It is one of the groups dedicated to rebuilding and revitalizing the city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Escofferey, one of the programs fellows, is an urban planner who will spend two years constructing a blueprint for the city's reconstruction. Below are some of the photos he captured while touring the devastated areas of New Orleans.

[If you have a personal story to share about how your life has been impacted by Hurricane Katrina, please leave a comment or send us an e-mail.]

Courtesy of Shawn Escoffery

Continue reading "Picturing New Orleans After Katrina" »

Geoffrey Bennett

Atlanta Considers Saggy Pants Ban

Malingering, Flickr.com

News Headlines: Aug. 23, 2007

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Proposal Would Ban Underwear-Exposing Pants -- "Exposed boxer shorts and thongs would be illegal in any public place in Atlanta if the City Council approves a proposed amendment to the city's indecency laws. The target is young men who wear their pants low off their hips to show off the two pairs of boxers they wear beneath their saggy pants, said Atlanta Councilman C.T. Martin."

Do you think this ordinance is a good idea, or is it just another form of racial profiling?

More Headlines:
USA Today: Venus, Serena Reclaiming Their Dominance

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Husband Attacks Evangelist Bynum in Parking Lot

The New York Times: A New Museum Is Frank in Its Exploration of the Slave-Trading Past

The Independent (UK): Winehouse Leads White Artists In Line for Black Music Awards

The Associated Press: Playwright Fights for Congolese Women

Geoffrey Bennett

August 22, 2007

Michelle Obama Caught in the News Cycle

Drudge Report Header
Screengrab of DrudgeReport.com (8/21/07)

When I saw this headline at the top of the Drudge Report, I knew it was coming ...

Google News now counts around 197 articles written and repurposed about whether Sen. Barack Obama's wife, Michelle, intentionally slammed Hillary Clinton when she said at a campaign stop, "My view is that if you can't run your own house, you certainly can't run the White House." [Video]

.. and it all started with Drudge. [For the uninitiated, Drudge Report is one of the first major online news aggregators, which rose to fame after breaking news of the Monica Lewinsky scandal back in 1998.]

Having worked in a few newsrooms over the years, I can tell you that monitoring Drudge for updates is de rigeur -- especially at 24-hour cable news networks that often have more hours of programming than news to fill them. And controversy -- contrived or otherwise -- makes for good television.

So it came as no surprise to see this same story pop up on CNN's Situation Room that very afternoon.

Host Wolf Blitzer posed the question to Donna Brazile -- a News & Notes contributor who also serves as an analyst for CNN.

From the transcript:

BLITZER: All right, what do you think? Who was she referring to? Because we're trying to read between the lines here.

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, first of all, she was introducing her husband, and she's trying to tell an audience that really don't know Barack Obama that he's a family man, that he cares about his children, he cares about families, and, as president, he will restore family values to the White House. I don't think she was taking a swipe at the Clintons or Giuliani or anyone else. She was trying to establish his credentials as a family person...
Look, she is a straight-talking person. She's very smart, very articulate. She's an asset to the campaign. And I think, if she wanted to take a swipe at somebody, she would not hide words. Michelle Obama would come out and say it.

Let's return to that that question mark in Drudge's headline for a minute ... that lazy journalism question mark. I admit I've been guilty of using it, too. You can pretty much say anything you want as long as you have a question mark because it absolves you of any real responsibility.

Like this: "Alien Life in Arkansas?"

See there? No real reporting required.

And, dare I say, the same is true for the article which started the fracas: A Chicago Sun-Times columnist wrote of Michelle Obama's comment, "She didn't elaborate, but it could be interpreted as a swipe at the Clintons."

Huh?! Could be interpreted? Now let's have a go at the stories which followed:

CBS (New York): "That struck many as an indirect swipe at Clinton, Barack Obama's chief rival."

Boston Herald: "It's not clear how intended the slap was."

The National Ledger: "Michelle has taken off the gloves and is blasting away at Hillary Clinton. At least it appears that way."

Inside Edition: "Some are suggesting that Michelle is subtly attacking her husband's main competition."

Who are "some" and "many"? Perhaps we'll never know. But notice that didn't stop these writers from continuing with the story. For the record, Obama and his camp have shot down the speculation. But it's too late. This story has already grown legs.

[More: NBC's Andrea Mitchell Scolds Matt Drudge for Making Much Ado About Nothing]

UPDATE: [8/23/07, 8:45 AM]
Drudge Barks, TV News Bites

Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Responds

What do you think about this latest campaign "controversy" and the media's coverage of the 2008 election?

Geoffrey Bennett

Video of the Day: 'Don't Leave Me This Way'

On today's show, Farai spoke with famed disco diva Thelma Houston about her career ups and downs. [Check back at 4PM ET for a link to the interview.]

For most of the 1970s, Houston struggled to find her place on the Motown label. But in 1977, she won a Grammy for the single "Don't Leave Me this Way."

Today's clip is of Houston performing the song on an overseas '70s TV show, care of VH1 Classic.

What are your cherished disco-era memories?

Geoffrey Bennett

Survey: Black Women Face Barriers on the Job

According to a new survey, black women face unique obstacles in climbing the corporate ladder.

iStockphoto.com

News Headlines: Aug. 22, 2007

The Indianapolis Star: Promising Black Women Face Barriers, Study Says -- "The [survey] reported that unyielding stereotypes and poor utilization of the skill sets and education of black women are suppressing their talents and potential and relegating them to dead-end jobs."

What do you make of this study's findings? Have you encountered "stereotypes and poor utilization of [your] skill sets" on the job?

More Headlines:
Reuters: Poverty Tourism Brings Cash to S. African Townships

The Associated Press: DNA Confirms Another James Brown Child

The New York Times: Many Eligible for Child Health Plan Have No Idea

CBS 46 (Atlanta): Hotlanta Breaks Record For 100-Degree Days

Los Angeles Times: On Field, Vick's Reputation Was Shaky

Geoffrey Bennett

August 21, 2007

Obama: Voters Have to 'Stretch a Little Bit'

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) greets people gathered in Charles City, Iowa.

Scott Olson, Getty Images

News Headlines: Aug. 21, 2007
The Associated Press: Obama Presidency a 'Stretch' for Voters -- "Barack Obama knows it's a stretch to think of him as president. Just 46 years old and three years out of the Illinois legislature, the freshman senator also understands that the clock is ticking on his chance to surmount that 'certain threshold' and convince voters he's ready for the White House."
More: Web's 'Obama Girl' Is No Hit With Obama

Do you think Obama will be able to convince the electorate of his preparedness? How do you see the Democratic presidential ticket shaping up?

More Headlines:
The Star-Ledger: Newark Slay Suspect Due in Court Today

San Francisco Chronicle: Black Muslim Bakery Leader Allegedly Told Suspect to Take the Fall

Press Release: African-Americans More Likely Targets for Pro-Tobacco Media Messages

The Indianapolis Star: Dropouts Find Discipline as Cadets

The Independent: Fashion World Has Sidelined Black Beauty, Says Naomi Campbell

The Cincinnati Enquirer: Black Family Reunion Promotes Unity

The New York Times: South Africa Official Is Accused, But Not Investigated

Geoffrey Bennett

August 20, 2007

Vick Agrees to Dogfighting Plea Deal

Quarterback Michael Vick of the Atlanta Falcons looks on in a game against the Washington Redskins in 2006.

Jim McIsaac, Getty Images

Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick could serve prison time and see the end of his football career, after accepting a plea deal today in connection with federal dogfighting charges.

Vick is expected to plead guilty to felony conspiracy next Monday. He and three others were charged with operating an illegal, Virginia-based dog fighting company called "Bad Newz Kennels."

We've been following the Vick case from the start and will have an update on the developments on tomorrow's show.

Meanwhile, a check of the blogs has turned up few sympathetic voices coming to Vick's defense. Instead, the sentiment ranges from indifference to condemnation.

Blogger roundtable guest Angela Winter, who writes the blog Politopics says: "Whatever the case, Vick is going to jail probably for 18-36 months and if they can get him for racketeering, which is basically gambling, he'll be kicked out of the NFL forever. The NFL has a zero-tolerance gambling rule. He'll be banned. If there is no gambling charge, he'll probably be suspended even after he gets out of jail and his skills won't be any good anyway."

What do you think about this case? And is it fair, as some have done, to turn Vick's prosecution into a racial matter?

Geoffrey Bennett

Immigration Activist Arrested, Deported

Elvira Arellano of Mexico stands with her son, Saul, at a press conference inside the Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago, Ill.

Jeff Haynes, AFP/Getty Images

News Headlines: Aug. 20, 2007
Chicago Tribune: Activist Arrested in L.A. -- "Federal authorities Sunday arrested Elvira Arellano on a downtown city street, ending a yearlong standoff that intensified recently after the illegal Mexican immigrant began what was to be a nationwide campaign to push for new immigration reforms."

You tell us: Should Arellano have been deported? Was she singled out for her activism? Where do you stand on the immigration issue, and how do you think it is affecting black unemployment?

More Headlines:
Reuters: Africa Wages War on Scourge Of Plastic Bags

Guardian (UK): Black Army Officers Recruited to Help Stop Gang Violence

The Associated Press: Mass. Working To Narrow Ethnic Health Gap

St. Petersburg Times: Fathers Lead Way to School Success

The New York Times: Outrageous Farce From R. Kelly: He's In on the Joke, Right?
More (Op-Ed): Pressure Builds to End Abuse of Black Women

Geoffrey Bennett

August 17, 2007

War: Army Suicides Up & Personal Stories of Re-Entry

Farai Chideya On today's show we discussed the new report showing that troop suicides are up, and that soldiers aged 25 and under make up half of suicides.

We also heard about re-entry from Iraq from two black women, one a soldier and one a former soldier who now works with the Wounded Warrior project.

You can hear our interview with Army Specialist Alexa Cain here.

Major Michelle Spencer

Courtesy Michelle Spencer

And our continued interview with Alexa and with Major Michele Spencer (pictured) of the Army's "Wounded Warrior Soldier and Family Hotline" program is here. Their hotline number is 1-800-984-8523.

And that's where you come in.

If you are a soldier or Marine who's returned from Iraq or Afghanistan, we would love to hear from you and get your story on the air.

Likewise, if you are a family member of someone who is currently in Iraq/Afghanistan, or who has returned, give us a shout.

Please be sure and leave your email address, full name, AND phone number in the comment box. We will delete your personal information before we post your blog entry.

On a personal note, my cousin Jake came back from Iraq recently. We were worried about him, especially since his unit sustained casualties, and we're so glad to have you home Jake!

Farai Chideya

Having Trouble in the Housing Market?

iStockphoto.com

Our economics experts are still taking your questions about personal finance, but the recent stock turmoil has us looking for folks having trouble in the housing market.

- Are you experiencing problems paying your mortgage because of changes in your adjustable rate?

- Is your house in foreclosure?

- Do you have money in real estate-investing companies, like E*TRADE? If so, are you seeing your stock shares shrink?

If you want to ask a question or share your story, leave a comment below. Please be sure to include an accurate e-mail address, so we can follow up. (It will not be made public.)

And if you want to hit us up privately, click here.

Geoffrey Bennett

Black Celebs Become Major Political Players

Magic Johnson and Oprah Winfrey

Getty Images (2)

News Headlines: Aug. 17, 2007
Los Angeles Times: Black Celebs Become Major Political Players -- "Hollywood's biggest and richest fundraisers of this election cycle are being hosted by some of the entertainment industry's most respected and influential African Americans, a potent symbol of how much has changed in recent years."

More Headlines:
The Associated Press: Two Plead Guilty in Dogfighting Case Tied to Vick
Plus: To Snitch or Not to Snitch

The New York Times: One Billion Dollars Later, New Orleans Is Still at Risk

The Enquirer (Cincinnati): Black Family Reunion Expects 150,000

Reuters: South Africa's Apartheid Police Minister Spared Jail

The Detroit News: Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick to Face Ex-Cops in Court

USA Today: 10 Great Places to Absorb the Reality of Slavery

What do you think about Magic and Oprah throwing their money behind presidential candidates?

Geoffrey Bennett

August 16, 2007

CARE Walks Away from Federal Food Aid for Africa

Dr. Helene Gayle, President and CEO of CARE, speaks during a news conference in Washington, D.C.

Brendan Smialowski, Getty Images

News Headlines: Aug. 16, 2007

The New York Times: CARE Turns Down Federal Funds for Food Aid -- "CARE, one of the world's biggest charities, is walking away from some $45 million a year in federal financing ... [Its] decision is focused on the practice of selling tons of often heavily subsidized American farm products in African countries that in some cases, it says, compete with the crops of struggling local farmers."

More Headlines:
BBC: South Africa Gets First Black Female Pilot

Chicago Tribune: Feds Join In Probe of Chicago's Elite Police

San Mateo County Times: Bay Area Black Muslims Fight Common False Impressions

Bloomberg: Obama Can Spread Prosperity, Fairness, Warren Buffett Says

TIME: Are Baseball Umpires Racist?

The New York Times: Forced to Pick a Major in High School

Geoffrey Bennett

August 15, 2007