I am doing something kind of crazy today ... when I finish this program I am going to jump in the car and drive up to Baltimore to do another show -- Talk of the Nation. It's NPR's national call-in program hosted by my friend and colleague Neal Conan. Not that you're stalking my every move, but if you remember when I came to NPR before my show went on the air, I guest hosted quite a bit at TOTN, so it's kind of like going home again (actually like going back to my old bedroom, because they are literally downstairs from us and we are back and forth and in each other's business all the time). This is not heavy lifting though, because I am the guest. MUCH easier than hosting I must say. DON'T HAVE TO WATCH THE CLOCK! YAY!

The hardest part is the drive. (Why can't anybody around here drive a stick?, I ask you...) Like most Americans, while I am fond of my car, I do not love to drive. Maybe it's having been raised in New York, I don't know. Cars are not necessary for most people there: they are expensive and kind of a pain to maintain because space is so tight. A lot of New Yorkers never learn to drive or learn when they're like, 36. I have no problem riding shotgun let me tell you. But that is not to be today.

Speaking of being from New York ... New York, in my opinion, is a great place to have grown up and great preparation for the work I do know. Maybe it's the reason I do the work I do now. Why do I say that? Because it's an international city, and that is the direction the rest of the world is going in. I know that some believe Americans are isolationist and do not want to participate in the affairs of the world; indeed there has always been an important constituency in the US for minding our own business and keeping our nose out of other people's business. But the two World Wars did a great deal to change that. It was no longer seen as even possible to mind out own business. Engagement is still matter of much debate -- and will continue to be -- but it's not possible to ignore the mix of cultures and languages and nationalities that influence this country.

Our program today is a reflection of what, in my view, is a fact. We begin in Kenya with an update on the terrible crisis that has gripped the country since the disputed election in December. We visit with two experts who are paying close attention to events there and we ask, what should the US do?

We take a break from the world scene to ask about green careers. If you don't know what those are, don't feel bad because I didn't either, which is why I wanted to do the segment.

And then we end with a visit with Dengue Fever. If you've traveled, you know it is a NASTY virus. But, it is also the name of a hot new band ... charming, charming people and some hot tunes. Let us know what you think.

And I'm off to Baltimore...

I HANG MY HEAD IN SHAME!

In my commentary this morning, I talked about Black History month and why I dig it. I went on to list the other "heritage celebrations," acknowledging the contributions of Asian and Pacific Islanders, Hispanics and women.

Well, I left off American Indian Heritage Month.

I AM HORRIFIED. It's both the oldest and most recent of the heritage months (celebrated each November).

Here's what happened, according to an account by the Bureau of Indian Affairs: back in 1915, Red Fox James, a Blackfoot Indian, rode horseback from state to state seeking approval for a day to honor Indians. In December of that year, he presented a petition signed by 24 state governments to the White House. But nothing happened until 1990 when President George H. W. Bush designated November 1990,"National American Indian Heritage Month."

I have no idea why hey settled on November; several states previously observed days to honor American Indians but they were in May and September.

OK, so that's what happened with the month. ... But what happened with me -- especially since we just COVERED American Indian Heritage Month, and just last week talked about how we're going to cover it again this year?

All I can say is, it's like going to the grocery store for bread and you and buy everything BUT bread. Or, maybe I should stop writing my commentaries at midnight. I don't know. All I can say is, no excuses. I apologize.

We'll make it right on the air Friday with BackTalk.

The above illustration shows breach of Gaza-Egyptian border by Palestinian gunmen.

Lindsay Mangum, NPR

Lee, here...

A crazy morning today. Michel Martin was already on the air when we received word that John Edwards would likely bow out of the Democratic race for President. We had to do some fast hustling, thanks to fellow producer Douglas Hopper, to get a reliable source (which turned out to be an advisor to the campaign) on the line to do two things: confirm Edwards' withdrawal and talk to us over on-air about the late breaking decision.

In addition to our coverage of the GOP results from last night's Florida presidential primary, we hope you enjoyed today's political coverage. Talk about running and screaming all over this place. ... But we're glad things worked out.

Tomorrow is Thursday, which is also our day for international news. I can tell you of two stories that we plan to visit tomorrow: the increasingly violent situation in Kenya and the breach of a 7-mile wall dividing the Gaza Strip and Egypt (see map).

Thousands crossed into Egypt in search of food and other supplies after Palestinian gunmen shot through barriers set up after Hamas overtook the Gaza territory in June. We'll touch on this more tomorrow, and tell you about a recent gathering that addressed the role of women in managing global conflict.

More to come...

Still waiting to hear more. The Associated Press is reporting that former senator John Edwards is set to drop out of the Democratic presidential race this afternoon. Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is also expected to exit the Republican race today.

More to come as we know it...

Sorry I couldn't catch up with you yesterday. We were running around. I'm not going to lie to you -- certain frontrunning presidential candidates were in town with certain people, who decided to endorse them and we were trying to, you know, work some magic. The sparkle dust hasn't worked yet. (I am sure I am one of a select group of 20,000 people who would like those interviews.)

Then, we ran up to Capitol Hill to catch up with a Democratic leader to discuss the State of the Union speech. You'll remember we had White House Counselor Ed Gillespie on yesterday to preview the speech; we had on House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) today.

We talked to Gillespie yesterday because it's custom for the White House to start offering briefings throughout the day to key groups -- congressional leaders get a briefing, the big cheese news anchors get a briefing at the White House (never been invited to that, harrumph! ... I wonder if they get lunch). When I was a White House correspondent (for the Wall Street Journal), it was actually pretty stressful. We would have to go and physically pick-up an embargoed (translation: I'll tell you, but don't tell anybody else until I say so) copy of the speech at about 4 p.m., RUN back to the office and make copies for everybody on "beats" (subject areas assigned to reporters) so they could check it out. Some of our more anxious colleagues would literally wait by the copier. ... Do they still do that? Why not just hit a button and e-mail it? Come to think of it, we had e-mail then, too, so I wonder why they did it that way.

Anyway, this is a big-time ritual here in the Washington press corp. And I know that by the time you read this, you will have heard hours of coverage by everybody.

So why don't we skip it?

Continue reading "TMM's Rat Race" >

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick

AP

Lee, here...

We hit the ground running today, beginning the last week of January at turbo speeds. Michel Martin headed to Capitol Hill shortly after today's program to record a conversation with a leading congressman that we hope to bring you tomorrow.

Mondays are funny. Technically, we have the weekends "off." But, in this business, we're never really not working. We were BlackBerry'd to several developments this weekend -- the Democratic presidential primary in South Carolina, Caroline Kennedy's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama (her uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy, followed her lead this morning), the death of former Indonesian dictator Suharto and the latest developments in Kenya's post-election violence.

And, President Bush will address the nation tonight in his final State of the Union briefing. There's much anticipation, as usual, on what matters will make the final cut in the hour-long (give or take, considering applause breaks) speech. It's probably safe to expect that a few issues -- economic stimulus, the Iraq war, and the usual recognition of select "ordinary" citizens with notable stories to tell -- will set the frame work for the speech. We plan to offer a recap of the President's address tomorrow.

We're also keeping an eye on a situation happening about 500 miles to the west of us in Detroit. The city has been rocked by a scandal involving its mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, who is serving his second-term. There are allegations that Kilpatrick and his chief of staff, Christine Beatty, perjured themselves on the stand last year during proceedings of a civil suit when asked about the dismissal of a high profile police official and ... allegations of a sexual relationship between Kilpatrick and Beatty. Just today, Beatty officially resigned from her post, so there's already one professional casualty. Opinions seem mixed on whether the mayor will survive the scandal. Folks are still waiting to hear from Kilpatrick, who's kept a low profile since the Detroit Free Press broke the story last week.

In addition to our Barbershop talk, we've been thinking about how to further cover this story, if at all, in a valuable way that brings it out of Detroit -- it's a HUGE local story there. Certainly, there's been a long list of city hall scandals in this country. A quick web search on Antonio Villaraigosa (L.A.), Rudy Giuliani (New York), Marion Barry (D.C.), Bill Campbell (Atlanta) or John Norquist (Milwaukee) will take you behind closed doors of many of this nation's well known (and still, in some cases, well regarded) city leaders.

But with a city in distress, a popular leader left fighting for his political career, and, perhaps most importantly, two families (Kilpatrick and Beatty both have young children) involuntarily thrust into tabloid headlines, it can be difficult for any of the parties involved to emerge as a winner if the allegations are true.

We'll bring you more as we know it...

What a way to end the week! We visited with Sen. Hillary Clinton and Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama.

If I told you how and when those interviews came together, you would laugh so hard. Suffice it to say, there's a reason your humble host stays up LATE to read the papers, websites and RSS feeds, NO MATTER WHAT. It's because you do not know -- between the time you go to bed and the time you wake up -- what might be happening. Ya know what I'm saying?

So, like that.

It is obvious to me that South Carolina is still in play. An Ebony/JET magazine poll, done by one of our frequent TMM guests, veteran pollster Ron Lester, shows Obama with a 10-point lead. But the media push by both campaigns suggests to me that neither is taking anything for granted.

And, the other question is: does native son John Edwards still have a chance to break through? We heard so many supportive remarks about him when we were in South Carolina earlier this week, but does that translate into votes. And, does the increasingly bitter tone between Obama and Clinton chance the dynamic?

We'll know on Monday. Until then, have a great weekend.

Let us know where you think this conversation should go from here. I have some ideas, but I want to hear yours.

SO, not trying to be sexist, but what does a working dad come home to when he returns from a (short) business trip? Pretty much what he left, right?

What does a working mom come home to? Let's see...

- A Washington Wizard's cheerleader pinup poster, PERSONALLY inscribed to my son ... who is 4 years old;

- That same 4-year-old son with a gash across his nose;

- This conversation:

Um, what happened to his nose?

Oh, yeah. Well, we had a situation.

What situation?

Well, he kind of ran into his toy trash truck. Headfirst. He was upset, but he's okay now.

How did that happen?

Oh, you know, he was racing his truck in the hallway and he just kind of slipped, or dove into it. You know ... he's fine.

Well, I'm just kind of wondering why he was racing his truck in the hallway.

Oh, you know.

Also, enormous bag of kids clothing, bought on sale, including multiple polka dot hats and gloves. (I DID NOT share the thought to self: if I rolled in with a gi-normous bag, would not the reaction be, don't those kids have enough clothes? But I kept it to myself, instead offering supportive remarks: how thoughtful! How lovely! ... And where's mine?!)

But no bananas or apple juice, or...

OK, so the house is still standing. Everybody's fine. I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY holding it down while I was out. I'm just saying...

So, we had a great trip to South Carolina. We're still thinking about everything we saw and heard.

I'm still thinking about the whole issue of how race and gender plays into the conversation on the Democratic side. Is this a media pre-occupation, or one shared equally by voters?

And, just because all the GOP candidates are white men, does that mean there is no race-gender conversation to be had? If so, what is it (as the campaign moves south and west)?

There was an interesting story in the Wall Street Journal about the so-called class divide in black America. But isn't there a class divide among whites, too? ... And what about gender?

And, is the focus on the "divides" just following the story, or creating one?

We are percolating...

Lee, here...

Our crew made it back safely from South Carolina. I was especially glad to see them when I realized they'd brought me gifts -- lots of sights and sounds from the road. After toying with the elements for a bit, we were able to put together a multi-media presentation. I think it's a nice breather (sort of) from the heavy politcally-driven events of the week.

Watch and hear how South Carolinians in Columbia, the state's capitol, celebrated the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Enjoy!

Martin Luther King, Jr., celebration in Columbia, S.C.

Getty Images

 

We also produced a video from our visit to a local beauty shop in Columbia. Check it out, if you haven't already...

Lynn Neary, here, filling in for Michel Martin...

Two thoughts converged today as I listened to the show.

Michel Martin's conversation on stereotypical images in advertising brought back my own childhood when we thought nothing of the Mammy that was Aunt Jemima, or the sexy little banana called Chiquita. They were as much a part of everyday life in America as bacon and eggs for breakfast or a barbeque on the Fourth of July. Michel expressed some surprise that one had never objected to these images in a significant way, and her guest said it was not until the civil rights movement that anyone protested these stereotypes. We do forget sometimes how much that movement changed our lives -- action was taken on everything from voting rights to segregated schools, to offensive advertising images.

And, now, here we are in the month that we celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday, shattering stereotypical images again. Because, whatever the outcome of this presidential election, one thing we will all walk away with is the awareness that a woman and a person of color can make a serious run at the White House. There really is no turning back the clock on that dynamic. It's almost as if we think of this election as a once in a lifetime event.

But it isn't.

It is a beginning. It took a long time to realize that stereotypes of any kind distort our understanding of people we don't know. And this is not a problem confined to the United States alone. As Duke Professor Paula McClain said, when speaking about her study on racial attitudes among Latinos in Durham, N. C., people bring their own hierarchies to this country.

Racism, whether homebred or imported, will take many life times to overcome. But, whether it be the phasing out of stereotypes in advertising or a presidential campaign that shows how much things really have changed, each step takes us one step closer to that dream Dr. King spoke of so eloquently.

- Lynn Neary

In Columbia, S.C. ...

Loyalty. Integrity. Honesty. Character. Racial Solidarity. Toughness.

Those were all the issues being debated here as the presidential campaign swept through S.C. We arrived just in time for the voting on the GOP side. We got a chance to talk with a few voters and operatives about how their campaigns progressed. And we read the coverage, which was fascinating, especially the question of how past campaign tactics may have played into this year's campaign (for those who don't remember, Republican presidential hopeful John McCain was the target of what many now consider a dirty tricks campaign in 2000. Similar tactics surfaced this time, but it didn't work). But the turnout was down among Republican voters here -- off by some 200,000. What did that mean? Was it the nasty weather -- because it was wet and COLD -- or the nasty tone?

That was a question that will probably be asked this weekend as the Democrats head to the polls Saturday.

Last night's CNN debate (co-sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus) was really notable for the sharpness of the attacks between Obama and Clinton. Now, as everybody knows, politics ain't bean bag. And at every point, in just about every hard-fought, close campaign there is a time when people start to get down with it. But you could hear the gasps in the audience when those two went at it. How does that play? Is it the veteran going after the young'un to see what he's made of? ... The "white woman" going after the "black guy?" ... All the while with John Edwards not seeming very happy at being "the white guy" but clearly reaching for role of statesman above the fray?

My Blackberry started burning up -- What are they doing? This is terrible! Nobody wants to hear this!

Well now, that depends. Clearly, negative campaigning continues because it "works." The point is to get the most votes, not to win Miss or Mr. Congeniality. But the tactic carries risks. Do you turn off more people than you attract? Do you turn on the right people, turn off the right ones?

I cannot wait to hear what the voters are saying about all this. I think we all have to be honest -- how we react to all this depends so much on who we are, what we care about, how our loyalties and sensitivities shake out. And politics at this level is a matter of strategic guessing about all that...

A case in point, we had a fascinating conversation this morning with two women whose names you will have heard but often in connection with their more famous husbands: Jacqueline Jackson and Rev. Marcia Dyson. Mrs. Jackson is married to ... you got it ... Rev. Jesse Jackson. She is also the mother of Congressman Jackson, both of whom are supporting Barack Obama. Now, Marcia Dyson is married to the Rev. Michael Eric Dyson. He is also supporting Barack Obama.

But, the wives made a different decision. I gotta tell you, we are hearing interesting reaction to all this. One woman we spoke to said she thought it disloyal and demonstrated an unwholesome lack of unity within a black family. But others say, why shouldn't women -- black or otherwise -- support whomever they feel is in the best interest of themselves, their families and their communities?

I think this is a conversation to which we should return. I am interested, for example, in how the ethnic caucuses are shaping up. We know that the Congressional Black Caucus is divided. Is it gender? We know that Latino voters in one state where they have big numbers so far (Nevada) have leaned heavily towards Clinton. But, the leadership of that union has gone to Obama? Is the leadership going in a different direction than the grass roots?

As you can see, I leave here filled with questions.

As we head back to D.C., we'll try to find some answers.

Michel Martin (back row, center) is pictured with members of a special Tell Me More Beauty Shop at John T. Elliott's Professional Hair Design in Columbia, S.C. Pictured: (front) John T. Elliott; (back row, l-r) Tressa R. Glover, Katrina Shealy, Ginetta Hamilton and Mary Lynne Diggs. Credit: Monika Evstatieva, NPR

In Columbia, S.C. ...

Well, we made it. Our second remote broadcast! We were in Las Vegas last August, remember? And today and tomorrow, from South Carolina ETV in Columbia -- a really great facility. What a hookup!

We think we had a fine show for you this morning. We know you've heard a lot from Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), as well you should have, given his role -- he is number three in House leadership, and a key reason the primary in South Carolina moved to an earlier date. But I think he passed along some nuggets. Clyburn mentioned what he wants to see in an economic stimulus package: Summer jobs (you heard it here, first). And, you heard his culinary advice: get the shrimp and grits, and barbecue ... don't get it twisted.

Speaking of twisted or, rather, twists, what did you think about our beauty shop conversation? We didn't have time to get into this in the intro (sometimes intros take too long, as it is), but the beauty shops have been a key focus for the fierce Obama-Clinton battle down here. Sen. Barack Obama forces have blanketed black-owned shops, visiting them every two to three weeks.

But the Clintonistas are not giving any quarter. We heard the famous Maya Angelou ad for the first time as we were heading into the studio at the crack of dawn. I must say, it was interesting hearing that famous voice in a campaign ad, asking folks to vote for "my girl, Hillary," just as I am sure it was strange for some to hear Oprah stumping for her Senator, Barack Obama.

... But as I said before, give people respect for being willing to participate when so many are not.

Tomorrow, we have a special Mocha Moms for you with the Mocha Moms of Columbia, S.C. And, a reporter's roundtable. All reporters are here on the scene.

FYI: It is COLD down here. I mean COLD. What is UP with that? Some are saying the weather contributed to poor turnout in the GOP primary last Saturday. But I wonder if it was that, or if the negative campaigning turned people off.

But you do wonder what will happen this coming Saturday when the Democrats in South Carolina vote...

In Columbia, SC...

Today, people who have never covered a campaign might be surprised to know how much time we spend ... waiting.

With all the stuff going on, and the constant swirl of activities, you might think you'd spend all your time jumping from one place to the next. And you certainly could. But if resources are limited, and they always are, you have to figure out exactly WHERE you want to go, and what the payoff is -- who's going to be there, and how that plays into your story?

Today, we did a lot of waiting. We thought we had a lead on an interview with a BIG CHEESE from one of our campaigns of interest. We got excited, got our scripts ready and our equipment in order. And then, no dice. There was a scheduling problem; events were running late ... no time.

Hey, it happens.

As we're sitting here, the South Carolina Republican primary has been called for Arizona Sen. John McCain. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is second.

We're not shocked. On the way in, we met folks who were flying in -- South Carolina residents who had business out of state, or homes elsewhere -- just to vote for McCain. One man was a veteran who said he felt McCain was a straight shooter He said, "I'm old, too! I think he still has a lot to offer."

No fancy political analysis, just one guy's opinion. But it rang true among a lot of veterans in this state.

One other observation: there are more Ron Paul signs here than for fomer New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. South Carolina has been so important to Republicans since Ronald Reagan. Did it really make sense for Giuliani to skip it?

Another question: before the today's election, polls showed most Republicans thought the number one issue was the economy. Wouldn't that, then, be an argument for Romney, the turnaround guy? ... So, why didn't he do better?

In Columbia, SC...

Oh my God. Is that NBC anchor Lester Holt at the IHOP? YES! Is that Rep. Corrine Brown over there in that hotel lobby? ... and Rep. Donna Christenson? Wait, hold up. That's political strategist Ed Rollins! That's Rep. Elijah Cummings ... and Maryland Lieutenant Gov. Anthony Brown. That's Ed Chen with Bloomberg News ... and Wendell Goler with FOX.

Who's that guy with the Mitt Romney sweater? Anybody know him?

Mike Huckabee's staying at this hotel, right? Think we can find him?

Is there a better people watching spot than a hotel lobby in the middle of a campaign? I think not. So, we're here, and we're jumping into the story by collecting business cards, trying to sweet talk people who are already too busy and getting too little sleep to make room for just one more interview.

Over the next couple of days, we are going to bring you as much local flavor as we can. We have some great things planned.

Today, a stop at ... where else? A South Carolina beauty shop! What do the women have to say as they get "tightened-up" for the week? We talk to an undecided Democrat, a decidedly decided Democrat (!), an independent and a Republican activist (who's a party leader, so she won't fess up about who she voted for, but has good insights into what other folks are saying).

What do they have to say? We'll let you know...

'Morning. Leaving Dulles airport, just outside of Washington...

Forgiveness. For some reason, the word just popped into my head as our plane lifted off from Dulles and we left snow covered D.C. for Columbia, SC, where the snow flakes were replaced by puffs of fog over the tree tops.

Why am I thinking about forgiveness?

I thought to myself, and I remembered that the last time I tried to fly into Columbia I had just returned to work from maternity leave. It was the presidential election four years ago, and I had scraped together as much vacation, sick and maternity leave as I could. (It amounted to 14 weeks, but I was worried that if I stayed out any longer, I would become irrelevant. I would have no role in the coverage and would have to fight my way in ... same as I had to do, however, many years before when I was just starting out.) So, torn between two desires, I went back to work, but was still breastfeeding and reluctant to make the trip. I frankly wasn't sure I could both keep the rigorous shooting schedule and stay on track with the pumping. Also, an ice storm was scheduled for the area; a producer was already there, and she said that not only did she think she could handle the shoot without me, she wasn't sure I would even make it in. I took the question to my boss and he was clear. Go.

On his side, I think he thought he was doing the right thing for both the show and me -- getting me back in the mix and making sure the work load was evenly distributed. But my producer was right and the storm came in while we were in the air. The hour and a half trip turned into three hours (and it was a small plane with no place to use my pump). To add insult to injury, the plane turned around and went back to Washington.

So, exhausted, engorged, in pain and angry, I went home without ever having made it to South Carolina, and filled with questions about every decision I had made about my life. And then, I found I couldn't keep up the pumping at work; the environment too stressful and the hours too unpredictable. For years afterward, every time my daughter's eczema broke out, I would blame myself and that stupid trip for my not being able to keep her on breast milk.

Of course, some people will say this is why women with young kids shouldn't work, or whatever. But that's another conversation for another day. What occurred to me, though, was, how, without even thinking about it, really, life had intervened to offer another perspective. The person who sent me on that trip, who so infuriated me that day, has gone on to many trials that none of us could have ever foreseen.

I have taken on responsibilities that have challenged me in ways I never expected, have caused hurt feelings, and have said no to people who wanted me to say yes. And so, I find myself wanting forgiveness in ways that I never expected. So how could I do any less than let go of my anger? ... And that lead me to think about all the things we, as Americans, could stand to forgive each other for. As we descended into Columbia I wondered who could ask, who could accept, and who would be the one to take the first step...

We are heading to South Carolina ASAP, so wish us luck. We'll be on the ground in time for the GOP primary on Saturday, and a Democratic debate Monday night. We'll also hang out for a few hours on Tuesday, broadcasting Tell Me More live from Columbia. Then, we're back in D.C. in time to watch election returns from the Democratic primary next Saturday (January 26).

I am looking forward to our trip to South Carolina. But I'm not going to lie to you. I don't know what's harder -- going or not going? I've been dying to get back out on the campaign trail (remember, covering campaigns used to be my life), but I hate leaving the kids, and they are too little to take along; they don't need to be squished into a hotel room while I run around the state with a recording kit...

What's a working mom to do?

One of my friends, also a political reporter told me, "Girl, you don't want to miss this. It is historic. You better get back out there."

And she's right. But I also don't want to miss Aminah's ballet class ... and a bike ride with William ... and making pancakes for the family ... and arguing over who goes to Starbucks. (The person who makes the coffee run takes the kids along, while the other gets to sleep an hour later. Guess who wins most of the time? ... Moms RULE!)

Anyway, I'm grateful for the chance to see things up close. I hope you like what we have planned.

When we talk next, I'll be in South Carolina. Hopefully, I will have tucked into some shrimp and grits. Yes, I know there's more to southern and low country cuisine (and we'll get some of that, too). But shrimp and grits ... would you pass it up? Apologies to our Kosher and Muslim friends.

Have a great weekend...

Lee, here...

The other day, we mentioned the "truce," so to speak, between the Clinton-Obama camps. It was becoming an increasingly hideous battle, following a slew of hard blows from both candidates. Race, gender ... everything was on the table.

But is showdown really over? Is realistic to say that it will ever be over (until a party nominee emerges)?

A few recent post-truce developments...

BET founder Bob Johnson formally apologized to Sen. Barack Obama for "inappropriate" comments made while campaigning for Sen. Hillary Clinton. In case you didn't actually see Johnson's remarks that prompted the apology, you can do that here.

And, the Clinton-Obama camps are throwing more she said, he said jabs on the campaign trail, as pointed out in the New York Daily News.

When you get a moment, read Howard Fineman's recent piece for Newsweek. Interesting. He seems to echo what some are saying about the tone of the election season -- on the Democratic side, that is. Fineman compares the Dems' race for the White House to, rather, a race for class president. It's a funny piece.

But, really, do you see any similarities?

Another story making news in the blogosphere: a new study on voters is upsetting members of the Latino community. According to Duke University political scientist Paula McClain's research, Latino's identify more with whites than with blacks ... and, therefore, are likely to vote for Clinton, rather than Obama.

I could have told McClain that her findings would ruffle a few feathers, but they could be true. Interested to know your thoughts. This might be worth a conversation on our program.

I think I've given you enough to think about for now ... We'll be back later.

Tell Me More Intern, Tyrone Martin

Lee Hill, NPR

Well, I am going to dash off because I am going to take our winter/spring intern, Tyrone Martin, to lunch. No nepotism here. I don't think he's a relative.

... Are you, Tyrone?

Tyrone has a very interesting background. Well, here, let him tell it. Tyrone, introduce yourself to the people...

Thanks, Michel. I can remember as a child being intrigued by the world of journalism and mass media. At the time, I was fascinated with the idea of telling stories that might otherwise not be told ... stories that could help those without a voice in the world. The same still applies today. So, with that said, my name is Tyrone Martin, 'Ty' for short. And I am, as you may have guessed, the intern for Michel's show. I am a graduate of Florida Gulf Coast University and I also happen to be a Marine; I have accomplished a lot in a short amount time. Being chosen as the sole intern for Tell Me More with Michel Martin is a great honor for me, and I hope that this opportunity will help open doors for me as I continue my great American journey. Next time, I will tell you more. Keep listening to the show!

Thanks, Ty.

A couple of things...

Read the William Jelani Cobb piece we were talking about on today's program.

Also, we had Democratic Sen. John Kerry on the program. You might like this: his speech endorsing Sen. Barack Obama.

And, the drama continues with the whole Clinton-Obama race kafuffle. The two declared a "truce" last night. (Democratic leaders, clearly, told both camps to chill.)

But, here's my question: the whole thing was uncomfortable and unsettling for Democrats -- and I'm sure those who are worrying about Democrats taking the White House are worried that this becomes fodder for the Republican nominee in the fall (or, really, spring ... the way things are going) -- but isn't talking about race always unsettling? Is the rush to declare race and gender "off the table" shutting down something that needs to be talked through?

I'm thinking about this because there's been another race-gender conversation going on -- mainly on the blogs and on the radio -- responding to Gloria Steinem's op-ed in the NYT, suggesting that gender is a more "restricting" force in life than race. (Remember we had Steinem on last week to talk about it). Well, she says that her intention was not to minimize the importance of race, but rather to keep gender from being disappeared -- to link the two, not make a hierarchy. Some are not buying it.

Listen to a conversation she recently had with Melissa Harris-Lacewell, who has also been on the program.

Anyway, is this really "over" just because the candidates say it is? And, while listening to people argue over who loved Martin Luther King, Jr., more did get a little irritating, should race and gender really be off the take, even if it is an inconvenient conversation?

I'm just asking...

The Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., addresses a crowd at Paris' Sport Palace in 1966.

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First let me say Happy Birthday to you, Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. We are standing on your shoulders, and we can't help but wonder what might have been...

Today is the Michigan presidential primary. Most Democrats didn't campaign in Michigan because the party objected to the state's decision to move its primary day to an earlier date -- only Hillary Clinton and Chris Dodd (who dropped out of the race) are on the ballot there. It's considered a big test for the Republicans -- John McCain and Mitt Romney are both on the ballot, as well as Mike Huckabee.

Anyway, if you're wondering why we didn't go with more political news today, it's because many news organizations shy away from reporting on campaigns (except for color commentary) on the days when actual voting is taking place. The thinking is: what if we make a mistake? We can't fix it. It's hanging out there. It's not fair, etc., etc.

All organizations don't take that position. In the Internet age, they figure you can always update ... the news is always happening. It's a close call, so today we're following the guidelines set by news management here.

Not that it's easy, because there's a lot to talk about ... Waaah

We're still interested in that whole debate over race and gender. There's interesting stuff brewing on the blogs and other programs. If we can get the guests we want, we'll revisit the subject.

Big news on the financial markets, too, which we happened to catch because of a previously scheduled visit with our regular contributor Alvin Hall. He watches the big picture for us, as well as our (puny) wallets.

When you hear that Citigroup is writing off $18.1 billion because of bad loans, do you think, OK, that's them? Or, do you think, holy smokes?...

I think it's holy smokes time. Although analysts say it could be worse, it's a very important story with ripple effects throughout the economy. We are determined to stay on top of it...

Switching gears a bit, a sad local story in Washington ...

Continue reading "A Short Break from Politics" >

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

I am sure somebody, somewhere, may have predicted that the Obama-Clinton fight would get interesting...

But, could anybody have predicted that BET founder Bob Johnson would call Sen. Barack Obama a "Sidney Poitier" type?

(I wonder what Sydney Poitier thinks about that.)

Could anybody have predicted that a race, in which Sen. Hillary Clinton was the dominant frontrunner only a month ago, would be essentially neck-and-neck now?

And, could anybody have predicted that Gloria Steinem -- whose life's work has been about connecting the dots on race, class, gender and power -- would find herself fending off complaints, mainly from black women, that her take on the Obama-Clinton clash is reminiscent of "The Man"?

(Pamela Merritt, a blogger and TMM contributor, offered this commentary in response to Steinem, who was on the program last week.)

Or, could it have been predicted that President Bill Clinton would say, on Tom Joyner's syndicated radio program this morning, that "the only racist comment made in this campaign is when the Obama campaign called Hillary the 'senator from Punjab"?

HEL-LO! As Nelly would say, "It's getting hot in here ..."

We were so glad to hear from Ron Lester, a prominent Democratic pollster (and I have to say, probably one of the most prominent African American pollsters in the country).

Clearly, we'd like to hear from Bob Johnson. He was last on the program in May to talk about his work for Liberia. But this is a different subject.

Who else shall we pursue?

Addendum: I want to apologize to all those who were looking forward to the conversation about David Grubin's The Jewish Americans, a documentary airing on PBS stations over the next two weeks (it began last week, January 9, but we weren't able to catch up with the producer until that day). We had to postpone our conversation about the film to make room for breaking news -- about whether racial tension was surfacing in the Obama-Clinton contest. We hope to bring you the conversation about The Jewish Americans on WEDNESDAY.

Republican candidate Ron Paul, pictured recently in South Carolina, has come under fire for a series of old newsletters that appear to be racially and culturally insensitive.

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As I was saying ...

Race and gender. Race and class.

Those are grad school words, or newspaper words. Who goes around saying things like "the intersection of race and gender," except college professors and reporters, like us? But those terms are lived.

As I was mentioning yesterday, the whole thing with the guy asking me to wash his dishes -- some guy I never met -- do you really think he would have asked NPR's Robert Siegel or Neal Conan, or Steve Inskeep?

A man whom I interviewed a year or so ago, back when I was filling-in frequently for Talk of the Nation, talked about "micro insults" -- the little jibs and jabs that remind us of how we are viewed by others, especially as members of groups. I have a friend who is quite tall and robust, a big guy. He's a minister and a seminary president so he wears a suit and tie quite often. No matter what he's wearing, though, he is frequently approached for directions, asked for help, and for his opinions. He calls it the "Moses" effect. He says he's a big white guy with a beard, so he's presumed to know what to do. I've seen it first hand, trust me. We've had coffee or lunch together three times and EVERYTIME someone has asked him for directions.

Is there a "Mommy" effect in the Presidential race? Does Hillary Clinton have to prove she's a "nice mommy" or a "mean mommy," or not a mommy at all? Is there a, who knows, "Jackie Robinson" effect with Barack Obama? Is there a "Jack Kennedy" thing with Mit Romney, or Mike Huckabee, for that matter? Do they have to prove that their religious commitments -- Romney is, of course, Mormon and Huckabee is a Baptist minister -- won't take over their lives and shut out other people's truths?

These are some of the hard questions I think we should grapple with. You'll note I mentioned the whole question of whether the Tom Bradley effect had been in effect in the New Hampshire primary numbers. Not to pick a fight but, when I raised it, certain people got a little huffy.

But I'm not the only one. Look at Andy Kohut's Op-ed in The New York Times. And, and our occasional contributor Eugene Robinson's piece in The Washington Post.

Speaking of race, our college newspaper editors pointed out that Ron Paul has been a popular candidate among college students. Few seem to think he can win, but some reporters are now starting to dig into his record a bit. It isn't a pretty sight. Check this out and tell us what you think.

Disqualifying? Or not?

"Are you black, first, or a journalist, first?"

"What plays a bigger role in your life, being black or being female?"

"Why did you wait so long to have kids? You must have been pretty busy with your career, huh?"

"Wow! You can cook? You seem like such a career gal."

"You're taking time off for Thanksgiving? Isn't that what bakeries are for?"

Now, how are you reacting to these questions? They are actual remarks that have been made to me, some of them very recently. It's a little sampler of insensitivity for you.

Are these worst things I've ever heard? Of course, not.

Any permanent scarring? By all means no, and frankly I'm at the age where it really rolls off my back, and I have so many standard comebacks, I don't even think about it. (What exactly SHOULD I have been doing before I met my husband? Bakeries, yes. But they're for people who can't bake).

But my real issue is that only some of us have to answer these questions and, if you are a white man, I can almost guarantee they have never been said to you.

... Which leads me to the whole Obama-Clinton thing. Elections are ABOUT choice, and I appreciate having a choice. I know some people are annoyed by the size of the field on both the Democratic and Republican sides. They long for the days until the race gets narrower. But I don't. I like hearing what many of our best and brightest have to say about the state of our nation and world -- at least those with the means and ambition to see a job that way. And, I like the fact that we get to enjoy elections without, for the most part, fear of violence and retaliation. This is a luxury much of the world would dearly love to have.

But what about the whole race and gender thing? How does that play out?

One of our most prominent social critics engaged this question recently, and we thought you might like to hear more of what she had to say. Also, read her recent Op-ed in the New York Times, and one of her earlier ones.

We also thought you'd enjoy hearing from a panel of distinguished commentators who have also faced some of the questions I described earlier -- Gwen Ifill, host of PBS' "Washington Week," New York Times Managing Editor Jill Abramson, and Linda Chavez, a commentator for FOX News. Come to think of it, we might need to have this conversation again.

Who else would you like to hear from on this?

Addendum: Today, I was washing my dishes in the kitchen (it's my afternoon ritual ... we get in so early in the morning I usually have my cereal at my desk, and we are so busy that I usually heat-up some soup or leftovers from home for lunch) when a man I've never seen before actually stopped to ask me (jokingly, I assume, he thought) if he could bring his dishes so I could wash them. I asked him if his arm was broken.

Now, I ask YOU. Would he have said that to Robert Siegel?

Michel Martin, in NPR's studio 2A, monitors incoming results from the New Hampshire primary as part of NPR's special election coverage.

Lee Hill, NPR

Michel AND Lee, here...

We're slowly recovering from last night's adventure. If you stayed up for NPR's special election coverage of the New Hampshire presidential primaries -- and we don't blame you if you didn't (actually, we do because it was exciting) -- then you know we went an extra HOUR last night. We stayed on the air until midnight, which was good because I don't think we got to hear Sen. Hillary Clinton's speech until about 11:15 p.m. And, I think Robert Siegel's interview with John Edwards didn't come until after 11, so that was fun.

It was a physical challenge, if you get my meaning, for those of us who had to stay in one place for four hours, with only 60-second breaks between segments, if that -- a big difference from commercial television. All I'll say is ... if I'd KNOWN we were going until midnight, I think I'd have cut down on the Deer Park.

How was your evening Lee?

Things from where I sat were very active. If you've ever wondered what presidential election nights mean in this business, I can tell you: lots of running, lots of shouting and lots of fast digging for information (confirming sources, etc.). But the thing is, at the beginning of the night, we all know what we're getting into. Some might say we're crazy. (OK, maybe more than just "some".) But when the clock struck 8 p.m. ET, we were ready to roll with national LIVE radio coverage and LIVE blogging -- a first for us. It's an amazing experience. ... I'll give the keyboard back to Michel. She can explain more about making election calls and how she managed, amazingly, to juggle information in the studio, along with her co-host Robert Siegel.

Oooohh. Shouting? There was shouting, really? Who was shouting? (Never mind, we'll talk about that later.) No shouting in the studio. In fact, I think people might have taken off their shoes to come in and bring us stuff. It was a very serene scene in there. Everybody was VERY focused. We had two hosts -- Robert Siegel and me -- and then they'd rotate so-called "anchor buddies" in and out, like Andy Kohut, president of Pew Research, Michael Continentti, a writer for National Review (his Democratic counterpart, E.J. Dionne, was in New Hampshire), Ron Elving, our Supervising Senior Washington Editor (in other words, the big cheese honcho). They'd take the chairs opposite us when they had something new to bring in.

Frustrating for me, I'm used to being the one who gets to read the exit polls and decipher them and figure out what's interesting to talk about. No time for that. I asked for them and I looked, but I couldn't focus on them long enough to come up with a real analysis. Oh, right, I guess that's why I have my own show.

Continue reading "Behind New Hampshire Primary Coverage" >

DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

Last call...

It's just past midnight and things are wrapping up in New Hampshire and here at NPR headquarters in Washington.

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, a Democrat, and Arizona Sen. John McCain, a Republican, emerged as winners at this particular landmark in the race for the White House -- Clinton leading with 39 percent of the vote among Democrats, McCain with 37 percent among Republicans.

As with Iowa, tonight's results leave little room for any of the candidates to truly feel comfortable in his or her pursuit for the Presidency. Despite polls showing Sen. Barack Obama leading his party, Clinton was able to come from behind after being mightily defeated in Iowa. And, although McCain did ease a win in New Hampshire, the majority of his support, according to exit polls, did not come from his party's core, conservative Republicans -- former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, technically, won the conservative vote in New Hampshire with 38 percent, compared to McCain's 31 percent. A similar, but slightly different, outcome is true for Clinton and Obama -- Obama was the clear winner among the state's voters identifying as Independent with 43 percent, compared to Clinton's 31 percent.

So, what shall we say to these things? Or, more appropriately, is it safe to say anything?...

Continue reading "Long Night, New Winners in New Hampshire" >

With 63 percent of precincts reporting in New Hampshire, NPR News is projecting New York Sen. Hillary Clinton as the winning Democrat in New Hampshire. We're told Illinois Sen. Barack Obama might step to the podium soon...

Standby.

ELECTION UPDATE: Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama concedes New Hampshire to New York Sen. Hillary Clinton. Clinton shows a 3 percent lead.

Checking-in again...

The polls have now been closed for about two hours in New Hampshire, with more than half of the precincts reporting. As we reported earlier, Republican Sen. John McCain is the projected winner in the state's Republican primary. Things, however, don't seem quite as certain on the Democratic side -- poll numbers for Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois are too close to call. John Edwards appears to be holding steady in third place.

Already, we do know this election represents a record turnout for voters in New Hampshire. The projection is that 48 percent of the state's voting-age residents participated in today's primary elections, compared to 42 percent in 2004.

I'm here with another one of our producers, Beneva Schulte. We like to think of Beneva as the resident go-to person for all things political at Tell Me More. Before coming to NPR, she spent about 15 years in politics, 10 of those years on Capitol Hill. You might remember Beneva from the editorial position she took (which put her in "friendly" opposition with Michel) with our December interview with Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE).

Here's Beneva with her anaylsis on tonight's results, so far:

It's an early, but not too surprising, win for Sen. John McCain in New Hampshire. But there's a much closer race between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama that no one was really expecting, considering the recent polls showing Obama with an almost double-digit lead. ... For Republicans, the McCain win could mean a more protracted battle for the nomination. From New Hampshire, they go to Michigan, where Mitt Romney is hoping to win his first "gold" (his Dad was the governor there), and then to South Carolina, where Huckabee is hoping to shine once again (being from the South and all). And then, to Florida, where Giuliani is hoping to begin his ascendancy. All that to say, this is a historic election folks. We could go into Super Tuesday with three or four potential front runners on the Republican side. As for the Democrats, the only thing we know for sure right now is Sen. John Edwards looks like he will be third. Clinton and Obama are neck and neck and it could go either way. If Obama wins, but its close (just a few points), expect the Clinton campaign to share the Comeback Kid mantle with the McCains.

Thanks, Beneva.

ELECTION UPDATE: John Edwards concedes in New Hampshire.

Back in a little bit...

A young supporter shows her support for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, in Bedford, NH. Arizona Sen. John McCain, also a Republican, is the projected winner in the state.

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Lee, here...

I'm blogging LIVE from NPR's special election coverage of the New Hampshire primaries. I'm here in the newsroom. Tell Me More host Michel Martin and All Things Considered host Robert Siegel are steps away co-hosting tonight's coverage in Studio 2A.

Tonight, we're offering you LIVE coverage -- on the radio and on the Web -- with updates on the latest information, as we know it.

First, let's go to where the real action is -- New Hampshire. Earlier today, we spoke with Felice Belman, Executive Editor of the Concord Monitor. Belman checked in with us moments ago from Concord, NH. Here's her take on how things are playing out there and what voters are saying:

In Concord, by all accounts, turnout has been huge. At St. Peter's Church, where I vote, it was crowded first thing in the morning. At the Concord City Auditorium, where they held "early bird" voting at 6:30 a.m., the line was so long that many commuters gave up and went to work. And at several city polling places midday, ballots were in short supply. Voters were excited to participate, but many didn't make up their minds until the last minute ... One man from Franklin [New Hampshire] told us midday that he liked Ron Paul, but voted for Mitt Romney ... A woman from Canterbury said she'd taken a Democratic ballot for the first time in her life; her vote went to Obama. ... Independents will be the big story of the night. Another demographic to watch out for: kids. They came out in a big way for Obama. And if the excitement in downtown Concord among 20-somethings is an indication, they may well do the same thing here.

Thanks, Felice.

ELECTION ALERT: At this moment, NPR News is calling the Republican race in New Hampshire for Arizona Sen. John McCain.

Stay logged in, and feel free to tell us what you're thinking and hearing, especially if you're logged-on in New Hampshire.

Be back in a little bit with more...

Continue reading "Watching the Polls in New Hampshire" >

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Countdown to 8 p.m., when the polls close in New Hampshire. Early voting in the state has already taken place -- towns with fewer than 100 voters can open the polls beginning at midnight. The early (early, early!) voting has John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama in the lead.

It's amazing, really. A campaign that was all but written-off a few months ago (John McCain), and another viewed as entertainment and merely a campaign for vice president (Barack Obama) are now the main events.

As my father would say, some country, this America!

So who better to break it all down for us than two veterans of the New Hampshire political scene -- Dee Dee Myers, a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and Felice Belman, Executive Editor of the Concord Monitor?

And, for added flair, my Spanish teacher! It's a long story but here it is: Charlene Clinton was my Spanish teacher at St. Paul's School in Concord, NH. She is not only a MA in Spanish, but an attorney who has worked in college administration and private school administration. But, in all the years I've known her, she's never been interested in politics, until now. She went to her FIRST EVER political rally on Sunday in Derry, NH. We'll let her tell you why.

Also, we continue our conversation about slavery with both sides of the New Jersey debate on whether states should apologize for slavery (pdf). It was a feisty conversation. That's all I'm going to say...

And, the Mochas; I found this week's chat to be a helpful, helpful conversation. I hope you do, too. We plan to have a "Part II" conversation next month because we just feet there is more to talk about on this subject. So, if you have questions or comments about how to talk to your teen (or a teen you are close to) about sensitive subjects such as sex and responsibility, please, send them to us. We'll compile them and have them ready for the Mochas and our guest Mocha, Jennifer Lippincott (co- author of 7 Things Your Teen Won't Tell You).

PROGAMMING NOTE: Check me out later during NPR's special election coverage of the New Hampshire primaries, tonight 8-11 p.m. ET. Also, we'll have live updates to the TMM blog. So, meet us back here.

I need a nap...

I'm excited to tell you I'll be co-hosting NPR's New Hampshire Election special Tuesday night with the incomparable Robert Siegel. We'll be on from 8-11 p.m. ET, so if you're by a radio, check us out if you can.

That's another way of saying this is going to be brief, because in addition to preparing for tomorrow's show, I have to start an intensive program of worrying that I might mess up.

OK, not really. This is not my first time in the chair. I worked a number of election specials anchored by Peter Jennings when I was a correspondent at ABC News and side-kicked the HD coverage with Chris Cuomo (now Good Morning America news anchor) on election night 2004. That was crazy. I think we were on the air for what, five hours straight? ... Six? And, remember, you're on camera -- on a tiny set -- for the whole time. I later told Cuomo I admired his ability to maintain a sense of humor as well as, well, you can figure it out, what else needs to be under control. Of course, Peter, my late colleague, was the original iron man. Wasn't he on the air for 24 hours, straight, during New Year's Day in 2000? I was on the air for three, and I had had enough. Of course, that day we were talking about a story that wasn't -- all the Y2K glitches that were predicted that never happened. Which is not the case here.

I know there was a lot of breaking news today...

Continue reading "On to New Hampshire..." >

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Lee, here...

Happy Friday!

We wanted to end the week on an energetic note, which wasn't too difficult considering yesterday's results from the country's first Presidential contest in Iowa. Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, a Republican, both came out on top.

On the Democratic side, there was a gap of eight percentage points between Obama (28 percent) and his closest opponent John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina. To the surprise of many, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton finished with 28 percent of the state's Democratic vote -- almost 10 points behind Obama, the front runner.

Similarly, Huckabee won with a significant lead (34 percent) among Republican candidates in the state. His closest opponent, former Massachussetts Governor Mitt Romney, trailed him by nine percentage points. Fred Thompson, a past senator from Tennessee, finished third. And so forth, and so on...

Clearly, the heat is on in the race for the White House. The results in Iowa have shaken what some Washington insiders predicted. And, regardless of what happens on the journey ahead of him, Barack Obama has made history in a number of areas -- as the first black candidate to win Iowa (with whites making up 93 percent of the voter turnout there, that's pretty significant) and, arguably, the first black man with a serious chance at winning the Presidency.

But what does this all mean ... to you?

It's only Iowa, right? Demographics in the state don't necessarily reflect the composite of the U.S.

But you tell us. Were you surprised, or swayed, by yesterday's results? ... Will the rest of the country follow suit?

Think about it over the weekend (or right now) and let us know what you think.

Lee, here ... New year, new features.

If you take a look at the margin to the right of this blog entry, you'll notice something new -- subscriptions (free, of course) to the Tell Me More blog! The new feature sends an e-mail to subscribers with the latest TMM blog entry posted to the program's Web site.

It's quick and painless. Here's how to sign-up:

1. Enter a valid e-mail address in the text box to the right labeled, "Subscribe to the 'Tell Me More' Blog via E-mail"
2. Click the "Subscribe" button
3. Within moments, you should receive an e-mail asking you to confirm your free subscription

There. You're done!

Also...

Share your thoughts from today's program.

Yesterday, we mentioned that we are following the political clashes in Kenya. One of our conversations today offered analysis on the bloody aftermath of the presidential elections there. The incumbent, Mwai Kibaki, won the presidency. But his victory has been largely overshadowed by the surge of killings in the days since. Of course, we're monitoring any updates.

On a much lighter note, you must listen to Michel Martin debut the coaching she received from auctioneering pro Denise Shearin. She didn't do too bad...

Happy New YEAR! We're back.

Actually, we never left. We were here all along, but some of you did not get to hear our magnificent offerings because -- for reasons that escape me -- a number of the NPR member stations preempt our programming, even when it's original, to put on other stuff during holidays.

Who knew? I sure didn't. A sign I'm still new, I guess.

But please, if you didn't get to hear some of the holiday programs, do check them out online, or on your MP3 player, if you have one. (I don't. I am not a technophile; the last new gadget I mastered was my breast pump. ... Sorry, that's another story.)

Other TMM ducklings are all heading back to the nest from their adventures. One of our producers is in Peru (and I do hope he brought me a present), somebody else went skiing. A lot of folks nipped out to spend time with family. I was here.

...And what would the holidays be without a trip to the emergency room with a sick kid, I ask you? Now that is quality time! (Everybody's fine now, thanks.)

But we're ready for action. We're talking politics. We're excited about Iowa, but we're very disturbed about what we see coming out of Kenya in the aftermath of presidential and parliamentary elections there. We gave you a preview when the voting began last week, but I don't think anybody anticipated this. We hope to have more for you tomorrow.

And, a bicentennial you may not have heard much about: On January 1, 1808, Congress outlawed the importation of slaves to the U.S.

Did this end slavery? Not by any means.

Even though we are a news program, we feel that history offers us important lessons for the present and the future. And I am fascinated by what I call the hidden history that scholars take for granted, but that the rest of us don't know. We have a bit of that history today. We have all heard about the Underground Railroad. But did you know about the "watermen"? They were whites and blacks who ferried messages and helped enslaved Americans escape to freedom. Well, now you will.

I got excited about telling these stories when I attended a conference last fall at Pace University. (A former colleague of mine asked me to sit on a panel. I wasn't that busy, so I said yes.) My head was spinning from the stories that so many of the scholars there all knew, about people and events I'd never heard of. I decided then and there that if the opportunity arose, I'd do my best to bring this new scholarship to life. And when I say new, it has to be said; it's been there all along. The stories are like stones from the river, waiting to be picked up...

Happy New Year. I hope your new year will be everything you desire.