Every Friday on Tell Me More, NPR's program hosted by Michel Martin, there is a segment called the "Barbershop," in which a bunch of guys (as well as Michel) sit around and weigh in on the latest happenings in politics, sports and pop culture. The "shop" is moderated by opinion columnist Jimi Izrael and often includes civil rights attorney Arsalan Iftikhar, syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette and, gulp, me.
This week, we discussed Sarah Palin's latest whirlwind book tour, the decision by Attorney General Eric Holder to try 9/11 co-conspirators in civilian court, and Oprah's big announcement that her "Oprah Winfrey Show" will end in 2011. There also might have been an utterance from some erstwhile New York Knicks fan about the absurdity of having Allen Iverson on the team.
And, in the wacky world of homonyms, you can hear this week's segment here.
We are a day or so before the full Senate holds its first key vote on health care, and this is just to allow the bill to be debated. That's the lead topic in this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast.
Plus: Endless chatter about Sarah Palin, the latest update on NY 23, Dick Cheney chooses sides in the Texas gubernatorial primary, and Robert Byrd becomes the longest-serving member of Congress ever.
And you can hear it right here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor (and Senate reading clerk): Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
With Sarah Palin having now appeared, this week alone, on Oprah, Barbara Walters, the Home Shopping Network, Law & Order, Everyone Loves Raymond, CSI, Family Guy, and Jon & Kate Plus Eight, we figure it might be a good time to spend much of today's Talk of the Nation Junkie segment on the former Alaska governor and potential 2012 presidential candidate.
Matthew Continetti, author of the new book, The Persecution of Sarah Palin: How the Elite Media Tried to Bring Down a Rising Star, will join the program, along with me, who will do his level best to try and bring down Matthew Continetti. (OK, I'm kidding.)
Plus: the latest count on New York 23, the Bill Jefferson story goes from the freezer to the slammer, and Robert Byrd makes (more) history on Capitol Hill.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt! (Neal is on assignment in Fort Myers, Fla., today -- Rebecca Roberts is the substitute host.)
And speaking of Political Junkie t-shirts: TOTN producer David Gura has been soliciting photographs of previous trivia winners wearing their shirts and has put together a Wall of Shame for others to, um, admire.
If you must, you can hear last week's program, with special guest Nancy Keenan of NARAL, here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Immediate reaction to watching Sarah Palin appear on the Oprah Winfrey Show, discussing her new book, Going Rogue:
Despite the relentless pounding she took -- some deserved, some not -- since John McCain pulled her from anonymity to a potential heartbeat away from the presidency, Palin has lost none of the confidence that apparently made her an attractive choice to the McCain campaign last year. You feel for her when she expresses her dismay at the world learning about her unmarried daughter's pregnancy, about the "tabloidization" of her children. But at the same time you wonder about her naivete -- nothing in politics, for better or worse, is off limits; how could anyone in politics not know that? (I also thought she handled the endless questions about Levi Johnston, the teenage father of her grandchild, with dignity and calm.)
She was also correct, in my view, in explaining why the ticket lost. It was not because of her. It was because the "economy tanked under a Republican administration." She and McCain were perceived as the status quo, and nothing she could have done differently would have affected that.
Her likability and "aw shucks" manner, which not everybody is drawn to, came through during the interview. But her explanation for her disastrous Katie Couric interview, in which she failed to list a magazine or newspaper she reads, seemed unconvincing. Pressed as to why she quit as governor of Alaska, she never really seemed to give an answer that made sense.
And that leads to questions about 2012, which she refused to entertain. But those kind of questions remain, and they are legitimate.
We're still awaiting the next move for Lou Dobbs, the opinionated talk-show host who ended his 29-year career at CNN last week.
The only announced change has come from CNN, which said that John King, the respected-if-straight-laced journalist, would replace Dobbs in its evening time spot.
But what of Dobbs' future? He hasn't said, though Junkie readers seem to know. In our completely unscientific question posed last week, 1,733 people responded, and a clear majority -- 66 percent -- expect Dobbs to join the Fox News Channel.
Here are the results:
Fox News Channel -- 66% (1,149 votes)
Run for president as an independent -- 8% (138 votes)
Demand to see Rickary Ricardo's birth certificate -- 7% (113 votes)
Ambassador to Mexico in a Tom Tancredo administration -- 4% (61 votes)
Link Melky Cabrera to the JFK assassination -- 3% (44 votes)
Run for president as a Republican -- 2% (41 votes)
Succeed Ian Smith in Rhodesia -- 2% (33 votes)
Subscribe to the "It's All Politics" podcast* -- 1% (25 votes)
*Speaking of which, the Facebook fan page for our podcast is up to 510 members.
Sad But True Department: The Facebook fan page for our "It's All Politics" podcast is up to 226 members. The comments are so appreciated! All of which, once again, proves that more federal money is needed to help our nation's education system.
Anyhoo, the latest episode of the podcast is up, featuring everything you need to know about last week's close House vote on health care and the meaning of the anti-abortion Stupak amendment, as well as the prospects for health care passage in the Senate. And while we're waiting for the administration to announce a policy on Afghanistan, there remains the possibility that we haven't heard the last of the vote in that upstate New York congressional election.
And, to go along with my own fake quiz, a discussion about what's next for Lou Dobbs.
And you can hear it here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Americans -- the real ones, that is -- were stunned by Lou Dobbs' sudden resignation from CNN last night. A financial analyst-turned-illegal-immigrant-basher, Dobbs became a lightning rod for his outspoken views and sometimes over-the-top comments, especially from Latino groups, who protested his presence on a television network that prides itself for having neither a left-wing nor right-wing viewpoint.
CNN President Jon Klein, who had been under pressure for quite some time to tone down Dobbs' rhetoric, praised Dobbs for having "fearlessly and tirelessly pursued some of the most important and complex stories of our time, often well ahead of the pack." Klein added that Dobbs "has now decided to carry the banner of advocacy journalism elsewhere."
But where? Until he tells us what his plans are, I thought it might be helpful to have a quiz, asking readers what they expect him to wind up doing.
The House has done its part and passed its version of health-care overhaul, but at what cost? Abortion-rights supporters are furious that Speaker Nancy Pelosi allowed an anti-abortion amendment to come up for a vote -- which passed overwhelmingly -- and some are threatening retribution against the Dems in 2010. Others are saying pshaw, the Senate and House conferees will drop the language when it comes up for final passage.
In this week's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation, we will hear from one guest with a point of view on the matter: Nancy Keenan, the president of NARAL ProChoice America.
Plus: How does Harry Reid get to 60 votes to pass the Senate version of health care? When will there be a decision made at the White House about troops for Afghanistan? And what's next in Connecticut with Gov. Jodi Rell retiring?
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
If you must, you can hear last week's program, our special post-election program, with guests Mike Huckabee and Rick Hertzberg, here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
And speaking of the Political Junkie T-shirt, there's a fun story in the Idaho Statesman about last week's trivia question winner, state Rep. Branden Durst, a Democrat from Boise. You can read that here.
Every week since the summer of 2006, usually on Thursdays, NPR's Ron Elving and I sit down and record our podcast, "It's All Politics." We gab for more than an hour, touching on the top political news of the week, offering insight, analysis, sophisticated jokes, and updates about the Yankees. The only reason why Ron and I are still employed at NPR, and not languishing in, say, Guantanamo, is because we have a producer, Evie Stone, and editor, Cathy Shaw, who make sure what appears in the final product is appropriate.
In the course of our podcasts, we have always referred to the "Listener," assuming there is but one person who downloads it and listens each week. Often I get e-mails from someone who swears he/she is the "Listener." But now there is empirical evidence that there may be more than one listener. Thirty-seven more, in fact.
We just got word that there is an "It's All Politics" fan page on Facebook -- and it totals a whopping 38 members. And several of the fans have written on the Wall (Facebook lingo) about how they feel.
Jenny Ma effusively writes, "I love Ken Rudin and 'the other guy' too." If that doesn't frighten you, there was this from Thy Vo: "I get really excited watching the podcast download."
Seriously, we are very thankful that our followers have grown beyond the original "one." Hopefully, after people read this post, the number of podcast fans could eventually reach 40!
You can listen to past episodes of our podcast here.
The latest episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast is up and, with Tuesday's off-year elections finally behind us, what happened is obvious: the results represent a clear defeat for President Harding.
That's how we interpret it. You may see it differently. I suggest you give it a listen:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
At 2 pm ET today, NPR's Talk of the Nation will host a special one-hour pre-election edition of the Political Junkie segment. Neal Conan and I will be focusing on Tuesday's off-year elections, with special emphasis on the gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, as well as the vacant congressional seat in upstate New York.
And yes, there will be a trivia question.
Don't miss this one. Hopefully, you've turned your clocks back.
And don't forget, it's not too late to enter our Official 2009 Election Contest!
Part of me thinks that, as always, we've spent far too much time focusing on Tuesday's off-year elections and what they may or may not mean. The other part says we can't get enough.
Fortunately for those who agree with the first part, this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast takes its final look at what's at stake on Nov. 3. In the crosshairs: governorships in Virginia and New Jersey, congressional races in California and New York, and big-city mayoral contests.
One thing we don't mention but nonetheless makes me happy: A.J. Burnett's tremendous performance last night in leading the Yankees over the Phillies, tying the World Series at one game a piece.
Back to the podcast ... You can listen to it here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Actors in opening commercial: Chris Daggett, NOT Jon Corzine and NOT Chris Christie
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Much seems to be in flux for the off-year elections, now just six days away. Republican Bob McDonnell seems to be securing his lead in the Virginia gubernatorial contest, but different polls are showing different results in New Jersey, where Gov. Jon Corzine (D) is battling for a second term. With the GOP candidate in New York 23 apparently in a free-fall, Democrats are now focusing their attacks on Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.
There's also a gay marriage initiative on the ballot in Maine, another congressional contest in California's 10th CD, plus mayoral elections in New York City, Boston, Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Charlotte, to name a few.
We'll talk about all that and (sadly) more in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation. Somewhere on the program, I predict, I will compare the Obama administration to Ivan the Terrible. But then I'll apologize.
Special guests slated for today's show: Two of the three gov candidates in NJ -- Gov. Corzine and Chris Daggett, an independent who is polling in the double digits. Republican Chris Christie has a scheduling conflict -- he is beginning a six-day bus tour today. But we haven't given up on getting him.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
If you must, you can hear last week's program, with special guest Helen Thomas, here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Less than two weeks to go before this year's off-year elections, and people are looking for clues for what the results might say about President Obama -- and 2010.
Plus: polls show an upsurge in independents, the Texas Republican gubernatorial primary heats up, and we say goodbye to the late journalist Jack Nelson.
All this and, sadly, more, in this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast ... which, in the wacky world of homonyms, you can hear here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
I made a boneheaded mistake yesterday, during the Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation, one that I'd like to correct right away.
It was part of a conversation regarding the White House's war with Fox News.
I happen to think that the administration made a mistake in deciding to take on Fox. Yes, you can make the case that Fox "started it," as the White House is saying, though that sounds a bit juvenile to me. Fox News has been baiting President Obama from Day One -- and before. Yes, there are commentators on Fox (Glenn Beck comes to mind, but there are others) who trash the president on a daily, if not hourly, basis. Yes, there are some days where the work of good, legitimate Fox journalists -- such as Major Garrett, for example -- get overlooked because of all the attention directed at the rancor coming from its commentators.
But for Obama, who ran for president and who for the most part has governed as an above-the-fray "Mr. Cool," to wage war with the network is anything but cool. Or wise. To spend a Sunday and go on five networks to sell his health-care proposals -- but conspicuously skipping Fox in the process -- is childish.
And why skip Fox? Because it's like a "wing of the Republican Party," says White House adviser Anita Dunn. Because it "shouldn't be treated as a news organization," says David Axelrod, the president's chief message guru.
I'm not sure who that hurts more; if anything, Fox News has shown a surge in ratings since Obama became president. Having the White House as its declared enemy can only be sweet music to Beck, Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly, whose viewership -- and it dwarfs the cable competition -- is considerably anti-Obama.
At the same time, I think that by crediting Beck and Fox News for the controversies over ACORN, and Van Jones, completely overlooks the mistakes that the aforementioned ACORN and Jones made on their own
Clearly, Fox was itching for a fight. In my view, the White House obliged. And I think it was a mistake. But here's where I went too far, embarrassingly so.
Yesterday, in expressing my belief that the White House should have known better, I actually said this on the air:
Well, it's not only aggressive, it's almost Nixonesque. I mean, you think of what Nixon and Agnew did with their enemies list and their attacks on the media; certainly Vice President Agnew's constant denunciation of the media. Of course, then it was a conservative president denouncing a liberal media, and of course, a lot of good liberals said, 'Oh, that's ridiculous. That's an infringement on the freedom of press.' And now you see a lot of liberals almost kind of applauding what the White House is doing to Fox News, which I think is distressing.
Where do I begin. I will tell you, that the Nixon "enemies list" is the first thing I thought of when the topic came up. And obviously, that's what was going through my mind during yesterday's conversation.
But comparing the tactics of the Nixon administration -- which bugged and intimidated and harrassed journalists -- to that of the Obama administration was foolish, facile, ridiculous and, ultimately, embarrassing to me. I should have known better and, in fact, I do know better. I was around during the Nixon years. I am fully cognizant of what they did and attempted to do.
I still think the Obama administration showed a childish, thin skin in its dealings with and reaction to Fox.
But childishness is a far cry from illegal and unconstitutional activities. And for that I apologize for a dumb comparison.
Less than two weeks to go before the 2009 off-year elections, and the political cognoscenti are arguing over how much this has to do with President Obama.
Plus: The White House's campaign against Fox News.
All this and (sadly) more in this week's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
This week: Neal is out; Rebecca Roberts is the guest host.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Five health-care bills have now passed various House and Senate committees, producing one (count 'em) Republican vote. And who is everyone talking about? Olympia Snowe. So much for GOP irrelevance.
Plus: with less than three weeks to go before the off-year elections, Republicans seem to be on the ascendancy in Virginia. It's nip and tuck in New Jersey. And Democrats apparently have momentum in an upstate New York congressional district.
All this and, sadly, more, in this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast ... which, in the wacky world of homonyms, you can hear here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
I don't know what happened. The trip to Arizona, the Columbus Day holiday, the Senate Finance Committee vote, the sigh of relief getting past the Minnesota Twins.
Whatever, I just realized that I never posted last week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast on this blog. No excuses. Here it is.
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Just over a month to go before the 2009 off-year elections, and it's getting closer in both Virginia and New Jersey. But despite the slew of bad news for the GOP candidates in both states, they continue to lead.
More focus on the GOP in California, where the Golden State Republican Party held its convention last weekend in the desert. Much focus has been on two women who are first-time candidates: Meg Whitman, formerly of eBay fame, who is running for governor, and Carly Fiorina, who once headed up Hewlett-Packard, who is seeking Barbara Boxer's Senate seat. But as with many rookie candidates, they have had less than auspicious beginnings.
Plus: the public option goes down to defeat in the Senate Finance Committee. And New York's David Paterson insists he will rise up and seek a full term next year. But we're not convinced.
And you can here it all here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor (and faux C-Span announcer): Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
President Obama may still be wrestling as to what to do in Afghanistan, but we at the "It's All Politics" podcast can't wait.
So we give our two cents on the McChrystal Report, the Paul Kirk Senate appointment, the Obama intervention in the New York gov race, and the Values Voters straw poll. And we save our best for last: admiration for all things John Edwards. Not.
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
End-of-podcast music selection: Emily Barkin
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Not long ago, this e-mail arrived from Kim McEvers of Lake Worth, Fla.:
I love the Junkie segment on Talk of the Nation. I am wondering, how can the quotes of politicians like Howard Dean and Richard Nixon be your lead in, but not Lloyd Bentsen's famous quote? Shouldn't the "your no Jack Kennedy" quote be included there?
Kim, your wish has been granted. Starting with today's program, the famous Bentsen put-down of Dan Quayle in their 1988 VP debate is now part of the Junkie segment open.
Thanks, as always, to TOTN producer Sarah Handel for adding the tape and changing the montage.
The debate over race and Joe Wilson and the Baucus health care proposal and the latest with the vacant Massachusetts Senate seat ... it's here. Some fans wrote in, fearing we didn't record our weekly episode of our "Its All Politics" podcast last Thursday. We most certainly did. There was just some problem with the coding. But here it is.
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Katia Dunn
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
President Obama speaks, Joe Wilson yells, and our nation's children are indoctrinated. A perfect time for this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
With Ron Elving on furlough this week, what better person to replace him for our "It's All Politics" podcast than that wacky, practical jokester -- NPR's Linda Wertheimer.
And what a week it was! We focus on what's going on in Massachusetts to succeed Ted Kennedy, the new Kennedy memoir, what's at stake for President Obama's address to a joint meeting of Congress next week, the fallout to the Bob McDonnell 1989 thesis in Virginia, the Eliot Spitzer comeback rumor and, of course, how America will be changed forever now that Jim Traficant is out of prison.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
These may be the dog days of summer, but they are filled with political news.
The big story of the week continues to be focused on Massachusetts, where we have a date for a special election to succeed Sen. Edward Kennedy, but we still don't know who will be running -- and whether any of them will be a Kennedy.
But we do have a new senator in Florida, a likely new congressman in California, and a defiant governor in South Carolina. And what's a weirder spectacle: Eliot Spitzer returning to electoral politics in New York, or James Traficant leaving prison sans hairpiece?
Plus: special guest Bob Dole will talk about the prospects for health-care overhaul in the Senate.
All this, and more, in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's Junkie segment was preempted by a special one-hour program on the passing of Ted Kennedy. You can hear the special here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Our jocular, fun-loving -- though always informative -- "It's All Politics" podcast is a bit more somber this week, with much of the episode dedicated to the career, good and bad, of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.
We also delve into the succession process in Massachusetts.
And it's filled with some great archival tape, including his 1962 debate with Eddie McCormack ("If your name were Edward Moore and not Edward Moore Kennedy ...")
Plus: Will Rudy Giuliani run for governor of New York? (Probably not.) Will Mark Sanford resign in South Carolina? (Probably not.) Do people know that they can always listen to the podcast by clicking on the link below? (Probably not.)
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
The regular Wednesday Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation makes way today for a one-hour special on the life and legacy of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy.
Join host Andrea Seabrook and me at 2 p.m. Eastern time on most NPR stations.
Let's be honest here. Ron Elving and I are serious journalists who try to put out a serious podcast each week, calmly and intelligently discussing the week's political news. But when angry protesters try to storm the studio, demanding that I show my birth certificate and screaming that abortion language in the health-care bill should not be limited only to women, then it's time for us to take action.
And you can hear the results in this week's episode of "It's All Politics."
Plus: new Senate developments, Rick Santorum visits Dubuque (will it be his Waterloo?), and a farewell to Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Gisele Grayson
Editor: Barbara Campbell
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Is it democracy in action? Is it mob rule? Whatever you make of the protests inside and outside the town-hall meetings this month on health care, it's clear that people have questions that aren't being answered.
And today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation wants to hear your questions.
There are other questions as well. Why is Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) leaving his seat early? Why did Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) back out of a primary challenge to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand? What is Rick Santorum doing in Iowa? And exactly what role did Karl Rove play in the firing of those U.S. attorneys?
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt! (Neal is on vacation this week; guest host is NPR's Lynn Neary.)
Last week's program -- featuring the machinations leading to the Sonia Sotomayor confirmation -- can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Will the Energy and Commerce Committee vote on the health care overhaul before the House leaves for the August recess on Friday?
Will the GOP tally in favor of Sonia Sotomayor break double digits?
Will Sgt. Crowley show his birth certificate when he meets the president and the professor for a drink tonight?
As always, we ask the tough questions in this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast.
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Gisele Grayson
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Some fan mail, much of it written by people other than myself. William Bailey of Queens, N.Y., "loves" the podcast: "You guys make me chuckle on my subway commute." Spud Muther of Minneapolis and David Talley of Raleigh, N.C., are among those who were happy with the fact that Ron and I have been dropping references to Firesign Theater as of late, notably stuff about Nick Danger (Third Eye). The truth is, we've been doing that for years, but our producer always took them out!
And Tom Hickcox wrote the other day, wanting to know who was singing "The Happy Wanderer" at the end of a recent episode. It was New England folk singer Bill Staines.
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Wanna join me for a beer after the show to talk about race? How about the race for the open Senate seat in New Hampshire? Man, I can talk about that for hours.
The first Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation in the Sean Parnell era. Makes you think.
It also makes us think about the ramifications about the departure of Kentucky GOP Sen. Jim Bunning, the latest bad news involving Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), and the arrests of several New Jersey Democratic mayors, which if nothing else complicates the re-election chances of Gov. Jon Corzine.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's program -- featuring political columnists Paul Mulshine (Newark Star Ledger) and Tyler Whitley (Richard Times-Dispatch) -- can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
President Obama holds a news conference and manages to convince the American public that, if they really want to understand his plan to overhaul the nation's health-care system, they should listen to this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast.
Also: A delay in the Sotomayor vote, death to the F-22s, and Sarah, we hardly knew ye.
Credits (as it were) --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Giselle Grayson
Editor: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
I know, I know. This blog is about politics, and campaigns, and elections. Not music. If you want music reviews, there are other places to go, such as the blog of Rolling Stone, or Pitchfork. I could make an excuse by saying that anyone who sings "Send In the Clowns" must know something about politics, but that's too easy.
The point is this: Judy Collins just spent 50 minutes -- 32 minutes on the air on Talk of the Nation -- mesmerizing us in NPR's Studio 4A here in Washington with her music, her stories, and her voice.
President Obama holds a news conference tonight at 8 pm ET, his latest effort to sell his health-care plan to a public that, if you believe some polls, is growing more dubious.
And it will be the main topic in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
Plus: A week's delay in the Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Sonia Sotomayor, Sarah Palin's final week as governor (let the Sean Parnell era begin!), the F-22 defeat is a victory for Obama, and Robert Byrd returns to the Senate.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's program -- featuring Nevada political analyst Jon Ralston -- can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
So often, in trying to make sense of what passes for politics in this country, we often roll our eyes at some of the antics that go on. Blagojevich in Illinois. Sanford in South Carolina. The long wait in Minnesota. The lunacy in New York.
More and more, Nevada is joining that list.
Between Sen. John Ensign and Gov. Jim Gibbons, Nevada Republicans are taking a beating lately, and they have no one to blame but themselves. Ensign, who vows to stay in office, isn't up until 2012. But Gibbons, whose term expires next year, insists he will stand for re-election. If he indeed does run, and somehow survives the GOP primary, it's hard to imagine the state not electing a Democrat for governor.
Nevada politics is the main subject in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation. Special guest: Nevada political analyst Jon Ralston.
That's not to let New York or Illinois off the hook. The evil Democrats who bolted to the New York GOP last month are now back, welcomed back in fact, by the rest of the Democrats who were ready to burn them at the stake. And Roland Burris, not evil but tragic, has bowed to reality and will not run again in Illinois.
Plus: the politics of the Sotomayor hearings.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Question: Is this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast more environmentally sound because we did it from Aspen, Colorado?
You be the judge. Sure, it might appear on the surface to be the the same old same old, with Sarah Palin, Lisa Madigan and the New York Senate the main topics of conversation. But, remember, we're in Aspen. People recycle here. This week's podcast recycled old news and old jokes. It's only fair.
And it can all be found here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Giselle Grayson
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Just think: The last edition of our "It's All Politics" podcast where we talk about the Minnesota Senate race.
I miss it already.
Plus: The myth of the 60-vote Senate majority, Mark Sanford and John Edwards try to decide which scandal has more of an "ick" factor, Sarah Palin flags a new controversy, and Carolyn Maloney is set to challenge Kirsten Gillibrand in New York -- until Rahm Emanuel shows up with an offer she can't refuse.
And it can all be found here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Every time you think the political news might start to ease up, there's a week like this. Perfect for the Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
The Minnesota Supreme Court rules against Norm Coleman, who concedes his Senate contest to Al Franken.
Mark Sanford gives TMI to AP.
And speaking of tell-alls, a former aide to John Edwards inks a book deal.
Plus: gays and the Obama administration. Promises were made, and some gay leaders say the president has yet to deliver.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's segment -- which was interrupted by the Sanford shocker -- can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
The folks here at NPR are pretty serious when it comes to covering the news. But then, sometimes, well, stuff happens. And just in time for this week's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
Rod Blagojevich and Roland Burris gave us some enjoyable moments. Sarah Palin and Bill Jefferson did their best too.
And now we have Mark Sanford. The South Carolina governor, missing for six days, apparently hiked down the Appalachian Trail all the way to Argentina. Before we talk about 2012, what in the world is going on in 2009?
Plus, there's the Obama news conference, the Nixon tapes, the Villaraigosa withdrawal, the Albany zoo, and the Ensign apology.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
They're still marching in Tehran, refusing the accept the results of the Iranian presidential election. But what does it mean for the U.S.? And while some want this to be the signature issue that separates the Republican Party from the Obama administration, the sense is that the GOP is going to have to iron out its own divisions first.
Closer to home, does the White House have a favorite in the Illinois Senate race? What does the Ensign affair say about the future of the Nevada GOP? And what does the situation with the New York state Senate say about people from Earth?
All this and, unfortunately, more, in this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast, which you can hear here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
A busy Political Junkie segment on today's Talk of the Nation.
Haley Barbour goes to Iowa and New Hampshire, Sarah Palin won't go on Letterman, and John Ensign goes to confession.
Plus: opening arguments in the Bill Jefferson trial. Talking about succession in West Virginia. And Illinois Democrats want Lisa Madigan to drop plans to run for governor and instead challenge Sen. Roland Burris.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's segment, with special guest Richard Wolffe -- author of the new Obama book Renegade: The Making of a President -- can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
It's clearly been a week where everyone is not happy.
Judiciary Committee chair Pat Leahy announces that the Sotomayor confirmation hearings will begin on July 13 -- without conferring with Republicans, who are not happy.
Republicans stage a coup in the New York state Senate -- which has made Democrats not happy.
Creigh Deeds wins big in Virginia -- making Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran (and maybe even the Republicans) not happy.
And George Bush prepares to jump out of an airplane on his 85th birthday -- making Barbara Bush not happy.
How can we make people happy? By listening to this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast, which you can hear here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
A busy Political Junkie segment on today's Talk of the Nation.
A big win for Creigh Deeds in yesterday's Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary. What to make of the November matchup with Republican Bob McDonnell?
Senate Judiciary Committee chair Pat Leahy says the Sotomayor confirmation hearings begin July 13; Republicans lump it.
Plus: trying to make sense of what's going on in the New York state Senate,Roland Burris loses a challenger in Illinois, a former New Hampshire senator tries his luck in Florida, and William "Deep Freeze" Jefferson finally goes to trial.
Today's special guest: Richard Wolffe, author of Renegade: The Making of a President.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's segment, with special guest Tom Goldstein of SCOTUSblog, can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
We taped this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast minutes after President Obama's address to the world's Muslims from Cairo -- we do our best with analysis and comment.
We also delve into the situation in Minnesota, where Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) announced he won't run for a third term. How does that affect the deadlocked Senate race? And what about 2012?
Plus: Chris Christie wins in NJ and John McHugh joins the Army. And ... just as we were about to talk Virginia gov politics, we lost our studio time. Thank goodness we here at Political Junkie had the foresight to write about the Old Domnion yesterday.
You can hear the new podcast here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
A busy Political Junkie segment on today's Talk of the Nation.
Republicans have a nominee for governor in New Jersey, but they lose a congressman from New York. How does Tim Pawlenty's decision to rule out running again for governor of Minnesota affect the stalemated Franken-Coleman Senate race? Plus, the latest on the Sonia Sotomayor Senate Magical Mystery Tour.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's segment, with special guest Ken Duberstein, can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
How much opposition will there be to the choice of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court? Will Harry Reid become the first Senate majority leader to be defeated since, well, Ernest McFarland (D-AZ) in 1952? And will Joe Sestak really take on Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania?
No idea. But those are among the questions we raised in this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast which, in the wacky world of homonyms, you can hear here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Inquiring minds like Alan Miles of Seabeck, Wash., wants to know:
I have a question for you about the "shout-outs" on the podcast: Are they recorded specifically for the program? I'm thinking especially about the fairly recent ones from Alan Simpson and Bernard Goldberg. At first, I thought they were serious comments uttered in another context. Now, I'm wondering whether they are really lifted from another source -- or are recorded tongue-in-cheek specifically for the podcast?
Both were taken from other sources. Simpson's comments about my being a "rascal" were from the previous day's Political Junkie segment on Talk of the Nation. Goldberg's comments about "metrosexuals" and NPR (sheesh) were from a conversation he had with Fox News anchor Bill O'Reilly. Here's one difference: Simpson has shown an ability for tongue-in-cheek asides.
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
A busy Political Junkie segment on today's Talk of the Nation.
Yesterday was the easy part: naming a successor to retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Now the confirmation fight begins. And will it be much of a fight? Special guest: Ken Duberstein.
Plus: how the California court ruling on same-sex marriage affects next year's gubernatorial race. How Roland Burris' phone calls with Blago's guys affects his tenure as a senator from Illinois. And, without even waiting for today's program to begin, how we answer the pressing questions of the day. This one is from Brandon George of Gilbert, Ariz.:
Who are all those people speaking in the intro to your Political Junkie segment on Talk of the Nation each week?
Every Wednesday, the segment begins with a tape montage of notable political lines. They are:
"There you go again" -- Ronald Reagan, responding to what he said were exaggerations in his 1980 debate with President Jimmy Carter.
"Where's the beef?" -- Walter Mondale's put down of Gary Hart during their 1984 Democratic debate.
"Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice" -- Part of Barry Goldwater's acceptance speech at the 1964 Republican convention.
"You won't have Nixon to kick around anymore" -- Part of Richard Nixon's bitter "final press conference" after he lost the race for governor of California to Pat Brown in 1962.
"Lipstick" -- The difference, according to Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, between a pit bull and a hockey mom, during her acceptance speech at the 2008 GOP convention.
"But I'm the decider" -- President George W. Bush, acknowledging that he's been hearing the criticism of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld but insisting at the same time that it's his call "what is best," April 2006.
"[scream]" -- The end of a rousing speech by Howard Dean, following his second-place finish in the 2004 Democratic caucuses in Iowa.
OK, back to the topic at hand. Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
Last week's segment, with special guest Richard Viguerie, can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
We're minutes away from the announcement by President Obama that he will nominate appeals court Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court.
What a better time to post last week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast, where I fearlessly predicted Obama's choice would be, um, Diane Wood.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
A busy Political Junkie segment on today's Talk of the Nation.
Results from yesterday's special congressional primary in California, and a look ahead to gubernatorial primaries next month in New Jersey and Virginia. One Western governor may have removed his name from 2012 Republican speculation. And what are conservatives planning as President Obama is close to naming a new Supreme Court nominee? (Special guest: conservative fundraiser/strategist Richard Viguerie.)
Plus: the Florida gov race heats up, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) gets a primary challenger, Democrats circle the Pelosi wagon, RNC Chair Steele is again under the gun, and what to do with Guantanamo detainees.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Didn't President Obama tell us he was going to release those torture photos? Didn't Sen. Jim Bunning hint that he wouldn't run again? Didn't Robert Gibbs tell us to turn off our cell phones at the White House briefings?
Why don't we believe anyone anymore?
In this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast, we ask the tough questions. Plus: Florida Gov. Charlie Crist announces for the Senate, but conservatives warn against a coronation. And a longtime Hispanic congressional district may elect an Asian-American woman next week.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Wanna send me campaign buttons to illustrate for future blog posts? Really, you should. I'm especially looking for Virginia and New Jersey items. Anyone see anything from CA 32?
And don't forget ... tomorrow is ScuttleButton day!
Lots more to say about the Arlen Specter saga in the latest episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast. A challenge from Tom Ridge, along with Specter's seniority, seems to have vanished. But Joe Sestak is looming in the background. Also: What did Nancy Pelosi know and when did she know it, Jeff Sessions' triumphant return to the Judiciary Committee, Bing-o in Detroit, and a final farewell to Jack Kemp.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
While the retirement of David Souter gives President Obama his first opportunity to shape the Supreme Court, it also gives Republicans an opportunity to decide how they intend to respond and whether their diminished numbers in the Senate can still make them effective.
There's also speculation that Arlen Specter could prove to be as much of a headache to his now-fellow Democrats than he was to his former Republican colleagues.
And there's a new mayor in Detroit.
All this in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
The surprising, troubling, enchanting and humbling edition of the "It's All Politics" podcast is up, and just in time: The president celebrates his 100 days with a news conference, Arlen Specter celebrates his switch to the Democratic Party by voting against the Obama budget, and one person is helped by the swine flu outbreak: Kathleen Sebelius.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
A philosophical question of sorts from Gary Apter of Boise, Idaho:
So, with Arlen Specter being a chameleon again, what does this say about party affiliation?
That's the question of the moment, and that's what we'll be focusing on today during the Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
It's not just what the Specter move means to politics, the Obama admnistration or the dwindling Republican Senate minority. There's a bigger question: How important is party allegiance anymore?
The irony of Ron Elving and I putting together the latest edition of our "It's All Politics" podcast at a time Americans are outraged over torture has not been lost on many people. Or, as Ellen Bentley of Prosser, Wash., writes, "Well, there's torture and then there's torture."
Whatever, the decision by the White House to release memos detailing the interrogation techniques of the CIA under the Bush administration has opened up a firestorm of opinions, everything from the desire, by some, to prosecute those responsible for the policies, to the insistence, by others, that the tactics have helped keep the U.S. safe since 9/11.
Also in the podcast: preparing for the 100 Day mark of the Obama presidency, the Jane Harman controversy, the latest in Minnesota and NY 20, and a California gubernatorial update.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Marisa Penaloza
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
If it's Wednesday, it's time for the Political Junkie segment on Talk of the Nation.
The focus in Washington is on the interrogation policies of the Bush administration and whether officials behind that policy should be subject to prosecution. We've gotten mixed messages from the Obama administration on that one.
Plus: Dick Cheney rallies the opposition to President Obama (and to the delight of the DNC), Jane Harman under the microscope, Kathleen Sebelius gets closer to the Cabinet, Norm Coleman files his appeal, and Rod Blagojevich won't be allowed to be dropped into the jungle of Costa Rica -- as much as we'd like him to be.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 p.m. ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie T-shirt!
By the way, TOTN's David Gura has put together a photo gallery of previous T-shirt winners that will constantly be updated ... though not if Tom Wieder of Ann Arbor, Mich., keeps winning. He was the first correct answer two weeks in a row! (We've got to get caller ID.)
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
Now that my co-host Ron Elving has been away a second consecutive week -- this time he has decided to join Rod Blagojevich and be dropped into the jungle of Costa Rica for the "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here" reality show (will someone please explain that to me?) -- filling in for our "It's All Politics" podcast is NPR White House correspondent Don Gonyea, making what is believed to be his second appearance -- and last, if he wants to advance his career.
And lots of White House stuff to talk about this week, everything from the president's upcoming trip south of the border, starting with Mexico, his foreign policy success with the Somali pirates, and the uncertainty regarding North Korea and Iran.
Also, President and Mrs. Obama have paid their taxes ... which, if nothing else, means they are not eligible to serve in the Obama Cabinet.
Plus: What to make of the tea parties around the country on tax day, new news (but no new winner) with Minnesota Senate and New York 20, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg renews his flirtation with the GOP.
And we end with, uncharacteriscally for a political podcast, a tribute to the late Detroit Tiger pitcher Mark Fidrych by Gonyea, a lifelong fan of the Tigers.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Don Gonyea and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
If it's Wednesday, it's time for the Political Junkie segment on Talk of the Nation.
The President gets good news off the coast of Somalia. But other foreign policy hopes result in less than smooth sailing.
Plus: new developments in the Minnesota Senate race (though still no winner), awaiting a call in New York 20 (though still no winner), and NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg renews his flirtation with the GOP. For now.
Join host Neal Conan and me every Wednesday at 2 pm ET for the Junkie segment on TOTN, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes. And you can win a Political Junkie t-shirt!
Last week's segment, with special guest Rep.-elect Mike Quigley (D-IL), can be heard here.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
And as we do each Wednesday, immediately following the Junkie segment we pick up with our political Web chat. I'll be joined this week by Elizabeth Stawicki, a legal correspondent for Minnesota Public Radio, who will update us on the stalemated Senate race; and Joanne Bamberger, a contributing editor at BlogHer who blogs as "PunditMom."
If you want to submit questions in advance, you can leave them in the comments section.
With my co-host Ron Elving somewhere off the coast of Somalia, we've corraled NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley to make his "It's All Politics" podcast debut this week.
And it was a busy political week, with President Obama returning after a whirlwind European (and, briefly, Iraqi) trip, the Minnesota Senate race showing some light at the end of the tunnel, a new congressman elected in Illinois, a judge lashing out at the Justice Department prosecutors in the Ted Stevens case, and a victory for same-sex marriage in Vermont.
And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Scott Horsley and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
The president is back home, members of Congress are back home, and Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons is having trouble at home.
That -- and more -- are likely to be part of another enchanting segment of the Political Junkie today on Talk of the Nation.
Plus: the latest on the Minnesota Senate race, the new congressman in Illinois, the stalemate in upstate New York, the botched prosecution in Alaska, the internal battles among Virginia Republicans, and a slew of new polls. Special guest: Rep.-elect Mike Quigley.
Remember, the Junkie segment airs every Wednesday on TOTN at 2 p.m. Eastern time, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
And, immediately following the Junkie segment, we pick up with our political Web chat. I'll be joined by NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley and Michael Tomasky, the Guardian's American editor-at-large. We will focus on President Obama's European trip (with a side visit to Iraq), and what it did or did not accomplish.
If you want to submit questions in advance, you can leave them in the comments section.
Now that President Obama has given the Royal Family an iPod filled with our "It's All Politics" podcasts, we can expect diplomatic relations between the two countries to end any moment.
But let's not worry about the Brits just yet. Remember, had they won the war, we'd all be speaking English today. Instead, let's focus on the week's political news. And there's been plenty of it: The long count (and possible court case?) in New York 20. Attorney General Holder tells Ted Stevens all is forgiven. The latest in the travails of Sarah Palin and Chris Dodd. And you can hear it all here:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
The Political Junkie segment returns (after a week's absence) to NPR's Talk of the Nation today at 2 p.m. ET, to be followed by our regular political Web chat.
Remember, the Junkie segment airs every Wednesday on TOTN at 2 p.m. Eastern time, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
I may have been gone last week, floating somewhere near Delray Beach, Fla., but that doesn't mean I wasn't anxious to get back to resume posting this important, must-read stuff.
I know what you're thinking. It's been a week, and we haven't had a new ScuttleButton winner, let alone a new puzzle. We didn't hear brilliant jokes on Talk of the Nation. And we're dying to learn what happened in Round 2 of my March Madness pool.
Don't despair!
Fortunately, by the miracles of communications, there was a podcast. Ron Elving, in Washington. Yours truly, in Delray. It's All Politics, with President Obama in a prime-time news conference, with Sen. Kent Conrad making headlines, with NY 20 capturing everyone's attention. And you can hear it right now:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
And speaking of Evie Stone, a nice e-mail message that was meant for her arrived while I was still beaching. It came from Packy Anderson of Jersey City, N.J., and it was in response to the song Evie added to the end of the podcast, following a conversation Ron and I had about new radio talk-show host Rod Blagojevich:
Thank you ever so much for playing "Prisoners of their Hairdos" by Christine Lavin on the podcast this week. It made my morning, it was so apropos!
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
I'm not talking only about the AIG bonuses. Or even about Chris Dodd. There's also the daily problems on the Metro Red Line in Washington, the fate of Bill Buchanan on 24, Alex Rodriguez's surgery, and the elimination of Alexis Grace on American Idol.
But if you're looking for REAL outrage, you'll listen to this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast ... if you know what's good for you.
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
The bad news: I was pretty sick yesterday, coughing, sneezing and aching, thus no Junkie postings.
The good news: I didn't ask for a government bailout to come in today.
Even better news: Unlike last week, no more photos of Neal Conan and me modeling T-shirts.
That photo was pretty traumatic for many loyal listeners; pledges to NPR dropped 45 percent that day.
Even more traumatic, of course, is the populist outrage over the bonuses paid out to AIG executives. We'll let others discuss the financial implications; today on the Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation, we'll talk about the political ramifications and the toll being taken on the Obama administration.
Remember, the Junkie segment airs every Wednesday on TOTN at 2 p.m. Eastern time, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
STARTING THIS WEEK: Our political Web chat, normally held on Tuesdays at noon, will now commence every Wednesday, shortly after the TOTN Junkie segment is over. Joining me in the chat this week are Andrew Sullivan, The "Daily Dish" blogger at The Atlantic, and Tom Bevan, executive editor and co-founder of RealClearPolitics. The chat is hosted by NPR's David Gura.
Is it kosher for the new budget to have so much pork? Is it kosher for Charles Freeman to blame the "Israel Lobby" for his problems? Is it kosher that Minnesota still only has one senator?
Those are the questions. If you want answers, then you'll just have to listen to this week's episode of our "It's All Politics" podcast.
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio model the new Political Junkie T-shirts, which will now be given away each week on Talk of the Nation! Photo by Sarah Handel, NPR
For years now, billions of Americans have been sitting around their radio on Wednesday afternoons, around 2 p.m. Eastern time, to hear the Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation.
I don't blame them. I do the same thing.
But starting today, something drastic is changing. As you know, for years each Junkie segment is led off with a trivia question. Callers and e-mailers then submit their answers, as host Neal Conan and I explain why they are right or, usually, wrong. Then Neal tells the first correct responder that he or she has won the "no prize" prize.
Now, that "no prize" is becoming an actual prize. It is the official Political Junkie T-shirt, modeled above by Hollywood actors who look, sadly, a lot like Neal and me. And each week, a shirt will be sent to the first correct answer.
Oh yeah, there may be also some discussion of the week's political news today as well.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday on TOTN at 2 p.m. Eastern time, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
If your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
This morning at 10 a.m. ET, I will, as I have on many occasions, be Fred Andrle's guest on WOSU's Open Line radio program. It will be, as always, an hour of great live conversation and wonderful phone calls from listeners in the Columbus, Ohio, area (found at 820 AM on your dial).
Was it a state of the union message or wasn't it? Will DC residents wind up to be as unfortunate as the rest of us who have congressmen? Did Durbin really tell Burris to quit? Will every Republican senator tell Bunning to quit? Find out more in this week's "It's All Politics" podcast:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Our guest today for the Political Junkie segment on TOTN.
Lots to talk about in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation:
-- The president is grim but hopeful in his address to Congress, gets good marks. Less so for Bobby Jindal's GOP response.
-- A step closer to D.C. having a vote in Congress? (Our special guest this week is Del.Eleanor Holmes Norton (D).
-- Durbin suggests that Burris consider resigning. Prediction: Burris will leave ... in January of 2011.
-- Jim Bunning's prognosis for Justice Ginsburg. What's Bunning's prognosis for re-election?
-- A look ahead to this week's CPAC meeting in Washington.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And, speaking of sparkling jokes, there's this recent note from Cory Springhorn of Shoreview, Minn.:
I just listened to today's TOTN show. Your joke that Henry Clay later changed his name to Henry Ali is absolutely THE worst joke I've ever heard in all the time I've listened to you. Shame on you. Shame! Shame, shame, shame, shame, shame.
Neal Conan is off again this week; Joe Palca fills in as host.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
You can listen to last week's show -- with special guest Bruce Dold, editorial page editor for the Chicago Tribune -- here.
Roland Burris changed his story. Judd Gregg changed his mind. And Roy Blunt wants a change in job. All that, and more, in this week's "It's All Politics" podcast:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Wanna know why Alex Rodriguez is the only name to surface of those baseball players who failed a steroids test in 2003, when the list apparently includes 103 players? Me too.
Lots to talk about in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation:
-- The stimulus package wins, but whither bipartisanship?
-- And what was Judd Gregg thinking?
-- Discrepancies in Roland Burris' accounts lead to ethics investigations in Washington and Springfield.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
Neal Conan is off this week; Lynn Neary fills in as host. Today's special guest: Bruce Dold, editorial page editor of the Chicago Tribune, which today called for Burris' resignation.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
You can listen to last week's show -- with special guest John Dingell -- here.
With Ken Rudin undergoing impacted wisdom tooth surgery on Thursday -- perhaps the only time a Nexus search will find "Rudin" and "wisdom" in the same sentence -- our crack political team recorded this week's "It's All Politics" podcast on Wednesday, a day early. Thus, we missed the Judd Gregg withdrawal.
But there's plenty to listen to, including everything you wanted to know about the political implications of the stimulus package. Plus: John Dingell breaks the House seniority record, Stormy Daniels tries to give Louisiana politics a cleaner image, and Meg Whitman moves toward a run for governor in California. All in this week's podcast:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Wanna know why Alex Rodriguez is the only name to surface of those baseball players who failed a steroids test in 2003, when the list apparently includes 103 players? Me too.
Lots to talk about in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation:
-- The Senate passes the Obama economic stimulus. What's the political fallout?
-- New troubles for Sen. Chris Dodd?
-- Michigan's John Dingell (this week's special guest) is the new all-time House seniority leader.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
You can listen to last week's show -- with special guests Lanny Davis and N.H. GOP powerhouse Tom Rath -- here.
While Washington is in the midst of deciding whether the Obama honeymoon is over, we proudly present the latest installment of our "It's All Politics" podcast, recorded on Friday, which as you no doubt know has never enjoyed a honeymoon, let alone a wedding night.
A rough week for the new administration, culminated by the Tom Daschle withdrawal. A better week for Norm Coleman, at least for now. Sad news for Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Good news for Bonnie Newman. Interesting news for Artur Davis. All in the latest podcast:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Some praise from the Listener, Pete Crocker in Amsterdam, who writes:
A quick note to the two of you from an American who fled years ago across the pond. Your podcast serves as a lifeline so I can stay abreast on things that matter to me, while at the same time reminding me what I ran away from!
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Wanna know why Alex Rodriguez is the only name to surface of those baseball players who failed a steroids test in 2003, when the list apparently includes 103 players? Me too.
Lots to talk about in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation:
-- Tom Daschle proves to be too taxing on the Obama administration.
-- Rod Blagojevich makes such a convincing closing argument that the state Senate vote to remove him from office was only 59-0. Say hello to Gov. Pat Quinn.
-- A Democratic governor names a Republican to fill a Senate seat in New Hampshire. Is this a new bipartisan era or what?
-- Michael Steele makes history: He's the first former lieutenant governor of Maryland to be elected Republican national chairman.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
You can listen to last week's show -- with special guest Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, talking about his proposed constitutional amendment that would end the gubernatorial power to fill Senate seats by appointment -- here.
Lots to talk about in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation:
-- Kirsten Gillibrand gets a new job in New York. Will David Paterson soon be looking for one as well?
-- Rod Blagojevich continues his Magical Mystery Tour.
-- Tim Geithner is in at Treasury; Eric Holder on his way.
-- Republicans, courted by Obama, look to elect a new national party chairman.
This week's special guest: Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), who will talk about his proposed constitutional amendment to take the power of appointing senators away from governors and instead have it decided by special elections.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
You can listen to last week's show -- with special guest Jonathan Turley on the inaugural oath gaffe -- here.
We did this wonderful edition of our "It's All Politics" podcast on Wednesday, a day earlier than usual, because my cohort in crime, Ron Elving, was out of town on Thursday.
So what happened within hours of recording it? Nothing really, other than Hillary Clinton getting confirmed as secretary of state, Caroline Kennedy dropping out of the New York Senate contest, Gov. David Paterson choosing Kirsten Gillibrand as the new senator, and President Obama and Chief Justice Roberts having an oath do-over.
Whew.
Obviously, if the president and the chief justice could have a do-over, then so could we. So Ron and I re-did the podcast on Friday, and the result is this:
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
A nice review of the podcast, from Chris Hokanson in his "Transit" blog:
This weekly podcast is, without question, the funniest non-humor podcast on the internet. The bantering and never-ending puns flying between Ken Rudin ... and Ron Elving ... keeps me laughing. But the humor doesn't obscure their in-depth analysis of the week's events in politics. The hosts' embrace and grasp of political trivia never ceases to amaze me.
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Lots of questions from irate listener wondering what happened to last week's "It's All Politics" podcast.
We recorded it Friday, a day later than usual. And because Monday was a holiday, and yesterday was the Inauguration, there was no posting of the podcast in this blog. But, I swear, it exists! Not only that, you can hear it here:
Since it was last week, it may already feel outdated. But I do believe that Ron Elving and I flatly predicted that Barack Obama would become the 44th president of the United States.
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Gavel-pounding sound effects: Cathy Shaw
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Lots to talk about in today's Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation::
-- It will be Sen. Roland Burris after all.
-- Easy confirmation seen for Hillary Clinton. But new questions arise for Treasury hopeful Timothy Geithner.
-- Retirements of Sens. Voinovich and Bond increase GOP exodus to four.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
You can listen to last week's show -- Rep. Danny Davis of Illinois was the special guest -- here.
Yes, there has been a lot of criticism directed at Caroline Kennedy, who is hoping to be appointed to the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seat in New York. A lot of people point to her family, her last name, and that she has this sense of "entitlement." Dynasty was a word thrown around a lot.
We talked about this in depth in a Dec. 18 posting. And it's not just about Caroline Kennedy. How did Lisa Murkowski come to the Senate? What about Bayh and Dodd and Pryor and those other senators whose fathers served before them? Heck, what about George W. Bush?
But now it's gone even further.
Tonight, on the season premiere of Fox's American Idol, the new judge will be Kara DioGuardi.
Yes, that's right. The daughter of former Rep. Joe DioGuardi (R-NY). How else do you explain she got her job?
This entitlement stuff has now gotten out of control.
Down in the dumps? You weren't named to a Cabinet position or to a vacant Senate seat? You don't understand why tax cuts were bad when Bush did it but good when Obama does it?
Not to worry! This week's "It's All Politics" podcast is up and filled with deep, deep analysis and lame, lame jokes.
And, in the wacky world of homonyms, you can hear it here!
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Door-knocking sound effects: Joe Catapano
Wanna subscribe to the podcast? You can do it through iTunes.
Meanwhile, the Listener, Kharma Foucher of Chicago, has a question:
I am so sorry to contact you for something so frivolous but I am DYING to know what the closing song was from the October 16th podcast. I'd love it if someone could get back to me on this. I still have this show on my player and I occasionally rock out to that 30 second snippet.
I'm so glad you asked this question. Ordinarily, our indefatigable producer, Evie Stone, comes up with the music at the end of the episode (or the clever stuff inside the podcast -- check out her subtle insertion of the Bill Richardson campaign ad in this week's show). But this particular song was my doing. It's "Kitchen Motors" by Crash Course in Science. I was sitting at home one day, maybe 1980 or '81 or thereabouts, working on a cassette mix and listening to WNEW-FM in New York. I still remember the disc jockey, Vin Scelsa, warning us in advance that we're not going to believe what he's about to play. Well, I couldn't believe it either. I taped it at the time and have loved it ever since. You now know more about this than you bargained for.
But here's the good news. You can listen to it here! Rock on!
No more questions, but I can't go without including some podcast fan mail.
Alan Miles, who for obvious reasons has not supplied his city/state, writes:
I love your witty, insightful political commentary. I listen to many news and political podcasts, but "It's All Politics" is MY VERY FAVORITE. I'm always happy to see when it becomes available for downloading and I often listen to it multiple times. Aside from great political insight, the podcast works perfectly as comedy! ("The listener. . . .") My only criticism is that it is too short -- 30 minutes would be better, 60 minutes even better!
Erin Teare Martin of Stoughton, Mass., agrees, at least on the last point:
Time to work harder Ken and do a daily podcast!!
Robin Winning of Santa Rosa, Calif. has also swallowed the Kool Aid:
Between the blog, the podcast, and now these live webchats, I think you're turning NPR's politics coverage into an exciting and interactive place to be. Keep up the good work (and the bad puns).
Matt Leaverton of Roseburg, Ore. adds:
Keep up the good work and I can't wait for the next edition of the podcast with you and Ron. I've been listening to it for over a year, and it's by far my favorite political podcast, of which I have about 100 from all sorts of sources. THANKS!
Susannah Mowris of Paris, France explains why the rest of the world thinks we're odd:
I am the listener of the "Its all Politics" podcast (yes, I know, we all say that). I may be a bit different from many in that I have lived outside the U.S. for over 25 years (I'm in Paris, France, home to an openly gay mayor that no one gets worked up about), but wonderful
work like your podcast with Ron Elving allows me to keep up, and keep smiling.
Ditto from Chris McAfee of Belfast:
Keep up the good work! The Political Junkie segment on "Talk of the Nation" and the podcast are the best ways to follow U.S. politics from the U.K.
The Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation starts off the New Year with a bang. Or, at least, with some questions:
-- What to do with Roland Burris?
-- On what side of the bed did Dianne Feinstein get up from this morning?
-- What changed Jeb Bush's mind about seeking the Senate seat?
-- Will the American public have the patients for Sanjay Gupta?
-- Will President-elect Obama fill in the blanks at his morning news conference?
The good news: I will not be reading any poems on today's program.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD Radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
(You can listen to the Dec. 24 show, our year in review, here.)
On today's Talk of the Nation program, host Neal Conan asked for political versions of the Twas the Night Before Christmas poem. Despite the risk to my reputation, I wrote one and read it on the air. And despite popular demand, I'm reprinting it here. (Actually, that last part is not completely true. Ed Weirauch of Leadership Communications in Wilmington, Del., actually asked for the text!)
Here's your chance to listen to my actual reading. Already it is being compared to a combination of Maya Angelou and Shemp Howard. Let me know if you agree.
Meanwhile, here's the text:
Twas the night before Christmas, and we at NPR,
Decided to review the year in politics, near and afar.
It started off clear, so sure were we
The nominees would be Mitt, and perhaps Hillary.
He had the hair and the great wealth.
She had connections, and the program for health.
But then something happened, that ended in surprise
Obama and McCain wound up with the prize.
Barack, he was called, what a strange name,
Not to mention Obama, let alone Hussein.
He was new to the Senate, a new shining light.
But he had his problems; think "Reverend Wright."
And then there was Bill, who for Hillary he made his pitch.
He could do anything he wanted; remember Marc Rich?
The Clintons were tough, there was no question.
But Obama never gave up; it's as if he was destined
He smiled, he reasoned, he spoke out for hope
So what if he spent his college days smoking that dope.
On the GOP side it was another good story
John McCain was on top, but many were worried.
On taxes, on torture, and the immigrant fight
He was not one of them, said the folks on the right.
So what did he do, with his chances a fadin'?
He picked this woman, this Sarah Palin.
She was tough, wore lipstick, and came from Alaska,
Was she going to help John McCain and the Republicans? You betcha!
But then something happened to end their mood euphoric
She had trouble with questions, and one Katie Couric.
Bristol was pregnant, in love thanks to Cupid,
But ultimately, it came down to the economy, stupid.
The collapse of the Dow, the growing unemployment number
Proved more important than John, or Sarah, or Joe the Plumber.
The year of course, was more than just this
And if Neal allows me, I'll continue my list.
Religion was important, and family too,
Just ask Vito Fossella, he had two.
And poor Tim Mahoney, he who replaced Mark Foley
The Florida Democrat had his own sex scandal; holy moly!
Bill Jefferson, his money in the freezer, he couldn't explain how,
No matter, he lost his seat, to a Vietnamese American named Cao.
President Bush, down on his luck,
Went to Baghdad, and managed to duck.
Two shoes were thrown, was the journalist's role
Bush saw the reporter, and looked into his sole.
Caroline Kennedy, as a child there was no one cuta,
Now has to spend her weekends, and Christmas, in Buffalo and Utica.
But if you think campaigning for the Senate is really a bitch
Just think, it could be worse, you could be Rod Blagojevich.
Wanna buy a Senate seat? Do you have money I can keep?
If you don't, then all I can say, is bleep bleep bleep.
I'm sorry for this poem, it is a bit clunky,
But I urge you to read my daily blog, which just so happens can be found at npr dot org slash junkie.
Make sure to tune in today to NPR's Talk of the Nation. It's the last Political Junkie segment of the year, a jam-packed program that includes:
-- the latest campaign news;
-- a special review of politics in this amazing year of 2008;
-- a farewell to some political giants who passed on; and, most troublesome ...
-- my attempt at a Night Before Christmas poem.
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
If you, let's just say, wanted to hurl your shoes at Caroline Kennedy while she was purchasing a Senate seat in Colorado during the Minnesota recount, then you've come to the right place.
That, and more, are all part of this week's "It's All Politics" podcast. And in the wacky world of homonyms, you can hear it here.
Credits --
Nonstop talkers: Ron Elving and Ken Rudin
Producer: Evie Stone
Shoe-throwing sound effects: Kyle Gassiott
The Empire State Strikes Back today on the Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation. The news about Caroline Kennedy actively seeking New York Gov. David Paterson's imprimatur for Hillary Clinton's soon-to-be-vacated Senate seat is topic No. 1.
As long as there's a Kennedy running, we'll always have something to talk about.
Special guest: Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), one of three or four Democrats in the state who are not seeking the appointment (but who seriously looked at the Senate seat in 1999 until Hillary Clinton decided she was a New Yorker).
Also on the show: new Cabinet appointments. Ken Salazar to Interior means there will be a new senator in Colorado. And Tom Vilsack to Agriculture means that, um, that Vilsack has a job.
Speaking of which, now that he has resigned his Senate seat, Barack Obama is currently unemployed. This economy is worse than I thought!
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
It will cost you up to a million dollars to buy a Senate seat in Illinois, but listening to the new episode of our podcast is free!
This week's show, as always, covers the latest political news in a way that only Ron Elving and I can provide. (Sorry.) The topics: What to do with Blagojevich, the soon-to-be-vacated New York Senate seat, and the surprise verdict in the New Orleans congressional race. The producer: Evie Stone (a/k/a Senate Candidate No. 9).
You can hear it here. Become the other Listener by subscribing to our podcast through iTunes.
I wish there was something to talk about today when NPR's Talk of the Nation hosts the Political Junkie segment. There's just not that much going on.
Well, I guess we could talk about the astonishing story that keeps getting better in Illinois. Or maybe speculate about Caroline Kennedy and that other open Senate seat, in New York. Say, how about the surprise defeat in Louisiana of William Jefferson? Or the Democratic pickup in Ohio?
Will Rod Blagojevich join Arizona's Evan Mecham on the list of impeached governors?
And there will be a call-out to you. What about corruption in your state? Talk about some memorable scandals? Has your faith in politics/politicians changed because of l'affaire Blagojevich?
Remember, the Political Junkie segment airs every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern time on Talk of the Nation, NPR's call-in program, where you can often, but not always, find interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
The latest episode of It's All Politics covers this week's political news, but in an informative and sophisticated way that only Ron Elving and I can provide. The topics: the new Cabinet picks, the Georgia Senate runoff election (with unusual tape of Chambliss declaring victory), and the announcement by Sen. Mel Martinez that he won't seek another Senate term. The producer: Evie Stone (blame her if you don't like it).
You can hear it here. Become the other Listener by subscribing to our podcast through iTunes.
Clearly, it's all downhill once you win the Iowa caucuses.
Dick Gephardt won them in 1988, and he hasn't been heard from since.
(OK, Barack Obama is another story.)
And then there's Mike Huckabee. The former Arkansas governor was the surprise winner for the Republicans this year, defeating ostensible front-runner Mitt Romney in the Hawkeye State and battling for the GOP nomination down to the wire. He withdrew on March 4, only after John McCain clinched it. As a campaigner, Huckabee won praise from Republican audiences for his affable manner and humor.
But, alas, he lost. And, to show how far he has fallen, he is today's special guest for the Political Junkie segment on NPR's Talk of the Nation. It's the place to be, every Wednesday at 2 p.m. Eastern Time, especially if you want interesting conversation, useless trivia questions and sparkling jokes.
And remember, if your local NPR station doesn't carry TOTN, you can hear the program on the Web or on HD radio. And if you are a subscriber to XM/Sirius radio, you can find the show there as well (siriusly).
"Where's the beef?" asked Walter Mondale of Gary Hart in their famous 1984 Democratic presidential debate.
"Where's the outrage?" asked an exasperated Bob Dole over the Clinton finance scandals in 1996.
Now comes, "Where's the podcast?" Matthew Bond of Nashville, Tenn., the Listener of NPR's "It's All Politics" podcast put together by what's-his-name and me, writes, "When I click on my 'It's All Politics' bookmark, I get a page listing podcasts from October 31st back, but nothing since. What's the deal?"
Similarly, Gregory Veevers of Ottawa, Ontario, from the continent of Canada — wait, does that mean there is more than one Listener?? — adds, "Where was the podcast the week of the 24th? I couldn't find it!"
Rest assured, listener(s), the Podcast is alive and well. Ron Elving and I recorded three episodes since the election (with a week off for Thanksgiving; hence the name "Thanksgiving"). I will make sure to find the missing links and alert Mr. Darwin.
How does media bias play into campaign coverage? Do you know the last time two candidates with the same first name ran together on a presidential ticket? Who was the only Native American to become vice president? The youngest woman elected to Congress? What's the scoop on the next round of elections? Find out in Political Junkie, a daily blog by NPR Political Editor Ken Rudin. Want to know more? Check out the blog's FAQ.
