Happy Leap Day.

Are you happy, or sad, to have an extra day? They say that time is the one thing they're not making any more of (so is land, actually), but I, for one, like Leap Day because it makes me feel like I am getting an extra 24 hours for free. It's not as fabulous as the Daylight Savings Time. (Fall back? Love it. Spring ahead? Not so much. ... That sleep thing again).

I want to flag a couple of things about today's program and get your feedback ...

The Sean Bell case. I think that perceptions of law enforcement and interactions with police are among the issues where blacks (and to a lesser extent browns) and whites disagree most.

Why do I say that?

Consistently, polls show that African Americans are likely to view interactions with law enforcement as negative, and the police as biased. Whites tend to take a different view (check out the recent Pew poll (pdf), done in association with NPR, on racial attitudes).

Not to make assumptions, but I bet the degree to which you've followed the Sean Bell case depends very much on who you are. Bell, as you may recall, was leaving his bachelor party in New York in November 2006 when he and two friends were shot by undercover police. A total of 50 early morning shots were fired by city police officers, three of whom are now under indictment. Bell, who is African American (as were his friends), was to have been married later that day to his longtime girlfriend and mother of his two daughters.

The interesting wrinkle: the three officers are white, black, and Latino. Although the white officer fired the most shots (30), needless to say, there are very different views of what happened that night.

The prosecution says the officers were reckless to the point of incompetence, causing a needless loss of life. The defense say the officers were in fear of their safety, had reason to believe Bell and his cohorts had a gun (although they didn't) and that Bell was drunk and tried to run them down with his vehicle.

The trial is expected to last for several more weeks, and we thank NPR member station WNYC's Brian Lehrer -- expert on all things New York -- for a rundown.

The question? When something is very important to some people, and not to others, how do you balance it? Are you willing to listen if something very much affects someone else, even if it's something you don't care much about?

Why, or why not? ... And how do you decide?

The second issue we discussed today: our Faith Matters conversation about religion in America. Another Pew poll (they're busy over there, aren't they?) described how fluid Americans are about religious identity. I find this subject fascinating and want to know if you do, too. (I'm not asking you to do my job, just gauging your interest on whether to go deeper on this topic).

Let us know, as Lee Hill says, and blog it out.

Have a great weekend.

Well, this was one of those days that amply demonstrated why I do not need caffeine in my life.

Up first, we had, I thought, a really interesting conversation with two members of the Congressional Black Caucus. As the world now knows, African American voters have been shifting heavily toward Sen. Barack Obama in recent months, as have millions of others (you don't win 10 primaries in a row with only black votes). But black congressional leadership is still very much divided between their support of Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

In the wake of Georgia Democrat John Lewis' recent decision to switch his support to Obama, we wondered about how other members of the caucus were evaluating this question. We were pleased to have Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), a former chairman of the caucus, and one of the newest members, Rep. Laura Richardson (D-Calif.) talk about the divided support.

Then, Rep. Dennis Kucinich ...

Kucinich ran for President with Obama and Clinton, and is a congressman from Ohio. Our question for him: how does his state look leading up to the March 4th primary elections there? But in the course of the conversation, the legislator started talking about his own congressional race happening in the state -- this is a live radio conversation, remember? -- so we didn't have time to talk about his challengers.

For the sake of fairness, here are the folks -- in addition to Kucinich, who currently holds the seat -- also contending in the Democratic primary to lead Ohio's 10th congressional district:

Cleveland Councilman Joe Cimperman

Non-profit business leader Barbara Ferris

North Olmsted Mayor Thomas O'Grady

Political activist and former journalist Rosemary Palmer

In the fall, they will face one of two Republicans -- Former Ohio State Rep. Jim Trakas and conservative activist Jason Werner.

So, there you have it.

As I said, we invited Rep. Kucinich, as a former Democratic presidential candidate, to help explain the race for President in Ohio. Later in today's program, we also talked to a great group of foreign correspondents who are covering the U.S. elections for publications in Mexico, India and Great Britain.

So much fun!

And, while we were talking to the correspondents, word came that a peace deal had been brokered in Kenya. Now, you know how hard we have been following this story. Here's what happened: while in the studio (and on the air) I saw a news wire story on my computer screen (don't ask me how I actually saw it while I was talking to three people at the same time during the broadcast, but I did). I sent an instant message (IM) to Teshima Walker (you know her, our supervising producer) and said, "what about Kenya?"

Continue reading "TMM Thursday Blowout" >

Sen. Barack Obama greets supporters in Springfield, Illinois following his February 2007 announcement that he would seek the Democratic nomination for President.

Getty Images

Lee, here ...

Our top conversation today was a difficult one to have.

Since Senator Barack Obama even looked like he might run for president, there's been this chatter about whether he'd be harmed. For instance, I have an aunt (we'll just call her Aunt G.), who thinks well of Obama -- she finds him competent to lead, she appreciates his politics, what appears to be a solid family life (she adores Michelle Obama) and the historical significance of his campaign. ... But, she also lived through the 1960s and through, in just a ten year period, the assassination of four massively influential leaders -- John F. Kennedy ('63), Malcolm X ('65), the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. ('68) and Robert Kennedy ('68). All of the men mobilized people to thought and action, and offered messages of inspiration in different sociological contexts. The weight of Obama, at some point or another, has been mentioned in relation to all four of those men.

Aunt G. refused to vote for Barack Obama, the candidate she clearly favors. She seems to believe she's doing him, his wife Michelle and young daughters a favor.

I shared that story with a few others, and found that Aunt G.'s reasoning is not at all unique. The truth is, there are many strong feelings out there about a black man's prospects of 1) winning the Democratic nomination, 2) winning the presidency and 3) doing all of the above and walking away with his life.

Today, we talked to U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi and the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security. We also checked in with Mark Potok whose job it is to monitor the activity of hate groups and extremists (just when I thought my days were stressful) as Director of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project. Thompson and Potok offered insight that you might find enlightening. ... But, like I said, it was also a difficult conversation to have, so I can't guarantee that the listening experience will leave you smiling. I can, however, hope that you will walk away knowing a little bit more about the gritty realities of the world we live in. Racism is far from expunged from American culture.

Curious to hear from you ...

Are these sentiments of "concern" only held within African American communities? ... Do other groups think this way about Obama?

And what about Senator Hillary Clinton, who'd also be a "first" if her campaign is successful through November? ... Or others who dare to break through traditionally marble ceilings?

Please, tell us more on where you come out on this.

A most unusual thing has happened to us today. A number of listeners who fired off some furious emails about our conversation with the Kosovar Albanians wrote back ... and apologized.

I have to tell you, this does not happen often. And, it is appreciated. Why? It shows that we're listening to each other.

Point of fact: it was never our intention to air one side of the issue, but we are of the belief that every conversation does not have to be a debate or an argument. We decided to hear from the Kosovar Albanians first because it was their side that gave us the news, if you will, in declaring independence. We wanted to hear how it felt, what it meant to them and why it mattered so much.

Yesterday, we brought in two Serbian students and a well known Balkan analyst, Obrad Kesic. Our apologies and thanks to Mr. Kesic because he had to fight through two hours of traffic to get to us, and still didn't make it to the studio. He talked to us from a cell phone, which is never great. But, we appreciated his insight and that of our two grad students. They grew up in the Slobodan Milosevic era and now have to live with the legacy of what he left behind.

Anyway, to the listeners who wrote back to say sorry, we spouted off too soon, thank you for that. We understand what it's like to feel disappeared from the conversation.

To the listeners who don't agree with what they heard yesterday, we hear you. This is a long and complex argument, better we fight it out with words.

And, today, another controversial and polarizing figure, Ralph Nader. He's running for President. Again. We went back and forth over how many times he's run ... is this the fourth or fifth (and, how did the 1992 write-in campaign figure in)?

What do you think about Nader's candidacy?

Should he stay home, keep going? ... Why?

We are dying to hear from you on this.

And, for the single parents out there, we know you sometimes feel disappeared from the conversations we have about parenting. And, no, this is not a make-up call, but we came across Trey Ellis' book about his adventures as a single dad and felt his perspective was so much his own, and yet something so many of us can relate to. (Cliche, I know. Get the style police to give me a ticket).

And, something soothing to take the edge off ... the lovely Lizz Wright. How can someone so young, be so, so ... cool?

A Raisin in the Sun producer Neil Meron (far left) and director Kenny Leon (third from right) stand with actors Sanaa Lathan (from left), Sean Combs, Phylicia Rashad, Audra McDonald and John Stamos.

Getty Images

"What happens to a dream deferred?"

Do kids still memorize that poem?

I know I did. I know that I could recite it at the age of, I don't know, nine or so. We didn't have MLK day when I was growing up. Reciting poems was the kind of thing that your church or Girl Scouts might have you do. There might be an essay contest, or something. You might win a savings bond (remember those?) for the best essay on what it all meant.

As I think back on it, how could we have known what that poem meant? But in other ways, we knew all too well.

Speaking of Girl Scouts, I was at a Girl Scouts meeting (Brownie troop) the night the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was killed. I remember that all the mothers swooped in to collect us from whatever we were doing that day -- macaroni art or some such. Our troop met at the community room in the apartment house across the boulevard from where we lived, and although the mothers came flying in with an urgency, that made it a bit frightening. I do remember that most stayed around for some time that night murmuring to each other in low, angry and tearful voices. We knew better than to ask what they were talking about (grown folks' business), but we all knew it was serious and we'd know soon enough.

The riots came soon. My father, a firefighter, did not come home for many days. I remember he told us to keep water jars filled in case the water pressure fell either from the water needed to fight the fires, or the electricity going in and out. We couldn't visit our friends. We stayed inside. I don't remember it happening to any schools, but I do remember a small supermarket near our house being burned. I don't remember who owned it or why it was burned, I do remember it was one that my mother hated to shop in because the food was of poor quality and overpriced. And she thought the people who worked there were rude.

That may be why "A Raisin in the Sun," the play that takes its name from the Langston Hughes poem I quoted above, still makes sense to me, even though it was written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1955, first staged in 1959 and made a movie in 1961. A new adaptation premieres tonight on ABC. It's a made-for-television version of the revised Broadway play that starred Sean Combs (entertainment mogul ... if you've been living on Mars and don't know ... aka Puff Daddy, Puffy, P. Diddy and Diddy), Audra McDonald, and Phylicia Rashad. Lorraine Hansberry was the first African American woman to have a play produced on Broadway; Phylicia Rashad continued the history when she became the first African American woman to win a Tony Award (Best Actress) for her role as Lena Younger, the matriarch of the family, whose insurance check is coming with hopes that it will change their lives.

Dreams. We all have them. Some of us dream of comfort, some for freedom, some for understanding.

We talked about dreams last week in our conversation about Kosovo independence. We featured three young Kosovar Albanians who talked about their happiness at Kosovo's declaration of Independence. We promised you additional perspectives. Today, we featured a roundtable of young Serbs studying and working in the U.S., who offered their perspective. Needless to say, it was a very different perspective. One of loss ... and resentment at being misunderstood. I should mention that Obrad Kesic, one of our guests, is a well-known policy analyst. You will probably hear from him again as this situation unfolds, but we also believe the student perspective is an important one and we hope to bring it to you whenever possible.

Finally, change is coming to Cuba ... or not ...

Continue reading "Some Dream of Comfort, Some for Freedom" >

Sen. Barack Obama, left, and Sen. Hillary Clinton sit for a recent Democratic presidential debate on CNN.

Getty Images

Lee, here ...

Wondering if you caught any of last night's Democratic presidential debate on CNN last night. Many expected it to be quite the smack-down between Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton. But the discourse was civil, for the most part.

Of course, then there was that "... change you can Xerox" line that didn't go over so well with the audience.

But, I have to ask, is it no longer reasonable to expect some civility from an audience at a presidential debate? Since when is it OK to express disapproval, or disagreement, with a unified resounding booooo from the audience? There's something just a little fabulous ... and maybe medieval ... about that.

Agree, disagree?

And ...

In today's Barbershop, we discussed a scuffle between Tavis Smiley (former NPR host) and Barack Obama. It's all over a perceived Obama snub at participating in Smiley's State of the Black Union symposium, happening this weekend. Our popular shop guy, Jimi Izrael, blogged on the ordeal the other day. Check out the post. It offers Jimi's thoughts, and more on how this became a "situation" that so many folks now feel compelled to chime in on.

Also, famed writer, director, producer, Alan McElroy made his TMM Barbershop debut this week. Welcome to the fold, Alan!

Enjoy your weekend ... We hope to meet you back here on Monday.

Three Kosovar-Albanians living in the U.S. -- Artan Ajazaj (l-r), Edona Pacarada and Alban Pruthi -- talked to the program about Kosovo's recent independence from Serbia.

Lee Hill, NPR

In keeping with our focus on international news on Thursdays -- but doing it TMM style -- we wanted to follow up on two major international stories today. But, we wanted to get away from the "experts." We believe in expertise, we believe in earned authority -- folks who've taken the time to master a subject and put careful thought and attention into it -- but we also believe that we are all experts on our own lives. And so, there are times when we just want to visit with people who are living the story, not studying it.

It's why we went back to Gralen Banks in New Orleans this week to ask him how he's dealing with the news that the FEMA-issued trailer he and his family have been living in might be making them all sick. And it's why, today, we went to two academics who live in Pakistan who were part of street protests against Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule ... and it's why we went to the three young Kosovar-Albanians who are studying here in the U.S. to get their take on Kosovo's move toward independence this week. Are they big names you'd know from The New York Times? No, they aren't. But they are experts on their own lives.

In this historic moment for both countries, we appreciate their take on what it feels like, looks like, smells like. We hope you agree, but we also hope if you have other perspectives, you'll share them with us.

We know, for example, that many (maybe most?) Serbs take a different view of Kosovo's move toward independence. We're interested in that perspective also. You can write to us at out blog or call our comment line (202-842-3522) if you want to be a part of that conversation.

And, just in time for the Oscars, it used to be that girls who got "knocked up" often went "away" to deal with their "situations." How did they deal with it? Well, that's exactly why they went away ... to keep from having that conversation.

But times have changed, and many more women who conceive outside of marriage are not hiding that fact, and are, in fact, deciding to keep their babies. ...

Continue reading "Living the Story ... " >

Lee, here...

Wins in Hawaii and Wisconsin strengthened Sen. Barack Obama's winning streak since Super Tuesday, while Sen. John McCain trailblazes ahead in lead position to win the GOP nomination for president. Sen. Hillary Clinton, with 10 straight defeats, isn't holding back any punches at Obama, brewing recent allegations of plagiarism -- a missive aimed directly at Obama's noted oratory.

And now, there's this rumbling bewteen the spouses. Here's a recent comment by Michelle Obama about being proud to be an American:

... Which appeared to trigger this response by Cindy McCain:

Michelle Obama has since attempted to clarify her comments, and there was clearly some immediate damage control by McCain's troop in the video above.

But it looks like John McCain and Barack Obama are now exchanging direct jabs. Does this at all reflect a presumption that Obama will become the Democratic nominee? ... Is this safe to presume?

Clearly, there are two significant primaries just ahead in Ohio and Texas, although a recent Texas poll shows Clinton ahead of Obama by just two points there, a statistical tie. A recent Ohio poll shows Clinton with a nine point lead in the state.

Bill Clinton is saying that a loss in Texas could mean the end for his wife.

There are a few events and developments, however, that could change (or strengthen) some things for the Democratic candidates. Performance in an upcoming CNN debate (pundits say Clinton typically outperforms Obama in debate formats) could influence undecided voters, as well as new endorsements (Obama just received support from the Teamsters union; Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is expected to endorse Obama soon).

If you're in Texas or Ohio, and are an undecided voter, what does all of this mean to you? And, if you're in another state that has yet to participate in the primary elections process (PA, NC, MS, KY, etc.), we're wondering how your support is being influenced, if at all...

Coming up, TMM's international news day. Hear unique perspectives on Kosovo's newfound independence from Serbia ... from a younger generation.

Cuban leader Fidel Castro exhales cigar smoke during a March 1985 interview at his presidential palace in Havana. Castro announced today that he will not seek re-election as the country's president.

AP

So, 3 a.m. brings word that Fidel Castro is stepping down as the longest serving head of government in the world, for 50 years.

We thought, who can we wake-up this early to talk to us about this? ... Who will a) be great, b) tell us something interesting c) speak to us again in the future, after we have (as I mentioned) awakened them?

This is what's great about working at NPR -- not only is NPR correspondent Tom Gjelten GREAT anyway, he has just finished a book on modern Cuba and is thoroughly up to speed on the story. As an added bonus, he was AWAKE, COHERENT and willing to come to the studio (and not mad at us for calling him). HOORAY!

Thanks, Tom!

(So this just leads us to let the other guests know that we'll be asking them to standby for a few minutes.)

The other conversations today are updates on issues we've previously covered, like the stop and frisk story ... I know that this is an issue that just gets people's blood boiling. If you are one of those likely to be stopped (let's just say it, a young minority male), chances are, you say this practice is outrageous, intrusive and wrong.

If you are one of those who sees himself as a potential victim -- one of those who may have experienced a bad time in New York or other cities -- you are likely to feel that this is a minor intrusion on civil liberties, and a small price to pay for a safer city.

Who's right? Is there a "right" and "wrong" in this?

Check out the original story we did last December on Leonardo Blair.

Also, the FEMA situation. Tests performed by the CDC found potentially hazardous levels of toxic formaldehyde in FEMA-issued trailers. We decided to check-in on one of our regulars, Gralen Banks. He's living in a trailer next to his destroyed home in New Orleans. We check-in on him from time to time to see how he's doing. His attitude may surprise you...

And, finally, what's it like to be BANISHED?

This is the kind of thing we might play for laughs It sounds like a 1960's TV show or a reality show, but it's not. It's a tragic story of displacement and loss told through a new documentary by Marco Williams. Williams previously did a film called the Two Towns of Jasper. Now, this film tells the story of the African Americans who were literally forced off their land in counties across the country.

It's interesting that the film premieres today. Today is also the "Day of Remembrance," which marks when President Franklin Roosevelt signed the executive order establishing internment camps into which Japanese citizens and non-citizens alike were imprisoned along the coast.

Hidden history but, in a free society, not hidden for long ...

So, a lot of news broke since we were on the air yesterday, and it's hard to fit it all in...

Here's what we're working on:

Clearly, the story of ANOTHER shooting at ANOTHER institution of higher learning is traumatic and terrible to think about. A team of NPR reporters is on the scene and will update the entire organization as the story develops. Now our task is to figure out what conversations we can have on THIS program that will add value to our understanding of events. So if you were wondering why we did not have any additional coverage on the broadcast of the NIU shootings today, that's why. We are going to continue to work at it and give it thought. In the meantime -- and unfortunately we find ourselves saying this too often -- our hearts go out to the families of the murdered students and to the survivors.

We are also following events in Pakistan. Elections there are Monday after having been delayed because of the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The issue: results won't be available until we are off the air Monday, so this may wait until Tuesday, or even later in the week. Again, the question we ask ourselves is, what can we tell you? Or what new voices can we bring you?

Other things in the mix...

Latest developments in politics: It seems that some Clinton supporters are moving to Obama. We happen to know that there are other unusual developments in this race -- folks crossing party lines, for example. We have an interesting story we're working on for next week along those lines, but the bookings aren't solid yet so when they are, we'll bring it to you.

In the meantime we just had to talk about the Hillary Haters -- who are they and what's up with them? And the John McCain haters ... the better-known conservative commentariat is almost unanimously united on this point. But what's behind it? We had a fascinating panel to talk about this.

And we like to leave you with a smile, if we can. That's why we brought perky Paige Davis on to talk to you about her second go round with Trading Spaces.

And of course, the Barbershop.

We will be thinking about the students at NIU and their families ... let's take a moment to pause and think about everyone who has suffered a loss from violence.

In the meantime, it's also important for everyone to rest, recover and rejuvenate, so we truly hope you have a good weekend.

Former ABC News correspondent John McWethy

ABC News

This will be brief because TMM Executive Producer Marie Nelson and I will be leaving shortly to attend the memorial service for our former colleague at ABC News John ("Jack") McWethy, who covered the Pentagon for years. You may have heard that John died in a skiing accident in Boulder, where he moved following his retirement.

I don't know how to feel about this. On the one hand, I'm glad John was doing something he loved; on the other hand, there's something that just twists me up inside -- after all the time he spent in Iraq, this is how we lost him.

It's such a cliche, but it is true that John was both a reporter's reporter and a gentleman. If you saw his coverage, you will know what I'm saying is true. He knew his stuff better than anybody. He was never rude. He never seemed to tip his hand on a story. You trusted him. And, on a personal note, when I was at the Wall Street Journal and contemplating a move to television, more specifically ABC, John was one of the people who talked to me about what it was really like (he had also been a print reporter, for U.S. News & World Report). I didn't see him often, but he was always kind and supportive when I got there. You cannot say that about everybody.

While the shark nature of broadcast television is sometimes overstated, it is definitely there. And when you find somebody who takes the time to help you, or look out for you ... or show you the ropes, you definitely remember it.

Anyway, so sorry to lose you, John. Hope there's some great hills and fresh snow wherever you are.

Marie, do you want to add anything?

I think you put it perfectly. Thanks for the offer.

See you tomorrow.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all. I hope you get all the chocolates you want from the person (people?) you want ...

Lee, here...

So, we made it through the so-called Potomac Primary, our region's own Super Tuesday, when voters in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia participate in the nation's primary elections process.

Of course, Tuesday brought the perfect weather for voting (insert sarcasm here) -- icy, rainy and cold. In fact, I know of at least two of our producers who didn't even make to the polls (yeah, they were pretty upset, too). Why? They were trapped for hours in what became an extended evening rush hour, due to the weather.

Nevertheless, much of the region did have their say at the polls and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain emerged as winners here.

What did the wins suggest for the candidates? And what does it mean for upcoming contests in Hawaii, Wisconsin, Ohio and Texas? We had a conversation with Shailagh Murray, a political reporter for the Washington Post. If you haven't already, take a listen to her observations.

Looking ahead, Thursday is our international news day. You can plan to hear a conversation on love that transcends geographical borders, just in time for Valentine's Day ...

Today is another election day, so we are limited in what we can talk about during the program. The rule of thumb here is that we try not to produce anything that can be construed as advocacy while the polls are open and folks are still voting. So, your NPR station will, no doubt, be keeping you up to date tonight, especially here in the D.C. area.

But, were you as puzzled as I was/am by the whole superdelegates thing? It's an issue on the Democratic side (the Republicans don't have that system). Our two guests, high-powered D.C. lawyer Stanley Brand and author and strategist David Sirota, tell us what superdelegates are all about, and why this is turning into such a mud wrestle.

Also, a new feature, we hope you'll like it as much as we do. It's the ethics column from O, the Oprah Magazine. As you know, we do a monthly feature with who we call the Magazine Mavens, editors of some of the top women's magazines, but we don't get to dig into any one feature as much as we might like. When we started reading the ethics column in O, we just couldn???t get enough. You can read the column for yourself. I hope you get as much out of visiting with the guests as much as I did.

Finally, the Mocha Moms are mad at me! They had lots more to say about the lessons they've learned as the chief administrators of big families. So, we invited them to blog it out.

Here's Mocha Moms co-founder and TMM regular Jolene Ivey:

... I think it's important for children to contribute to the household. Parents can't do it all, and kids need to learn these life skills! ... For several months I had my older boys each cook dinner one night per week. They each cooked the same meal each week until they mastered it. (We did get tired of quiche, while one of them struggled with the crust, so we switched him to chicken pot pie.) Now, I can call home and give basic instructions, and I know dinner will be cooking before I get home! ... Laundry is my least favorite, and never-ending, household chore. I hate folding, I despise putting away, and I never feel like I'm completely on top of it. I've done a few things to take some of the pain away, though. For instance, one great way I've found to avoid Stray Socks Syndrome is to buy a bunch of those mesh laundry bags meant for delicate clothing. I have my boys put several pair in each bag, as they take them off, and when they're washed and dried, they're already mostly matched. I also have two dirty clothes hampers in each bedroom -- one white, for things that will be washed in hot water, and one is another color, for things that will be washed in cold water. No sorting! Whenever possible, I call the boys up to help fold. The youngest is 8, so they can actually get most of it done with minimal yelling on my part. ... It's also important to lower your standards, in the interest of sanity. I look back on the days when I had one baby, and I used cloth diapers and actually hung them on the line to dry, then FOLDED THEM! How stupid was that? The hanging to dry was actually therapeutic, and they smelled so good coming off the line. But folding diapers? What was I thinking?! Rookie mistake. I even went through a phase, when we had two boys, that I made the cats' food. I was obsessed with it being organic. I mean, most of us have made baby food, but cat food? I clearly needed more children. ...

From Mocha Mom Cheli English-Figaro:

Continue reading "Plenty of Lessons this Tuesday" >

I'm never sure exactly how much people want to know about how the sausage is made ... but I thought you might want to know how we got that interview with Barack Obama yesterday. The short answer is patience. We have a system here where the shows compete for interviews with the people everybody wants. Those interviews have to be discussed with news executives, who figure out which show should pursue and which should stand back. The logical, obvious reason is that the campaigns or the newsmakers should not be bombarded by five or six calls from NPR shows and that we also should not give the power to choose to newsmakers, that is, we shouldn't make it easy for people to cherry pick and decide which of us they like more than others ... let's face it ... we assume they're making decisions based on what's in their best interest, but we should do the same.

Anyway, sometimes it makes sense for more than one show to pursue a guest IF they have different things to talk about and / or IF the interviews might not be on the same stations and so on ... so it was decided we could pursue Obama ... (we had had on Sen. Clinton already ... still like to see Sens. McCain and Gov. Huckabee ... hey guys? LOVE to CHAT).

And so then we started pitching to them. Long story VERY short there ensued a merry chase that began with a call at 8 am, gathering at my house with a TMM team while everybody actually living in my house was still in pajamas ... my kids demanding to know why was I dressed for work on a Sunday and why wasn't I having breakfast with them (oh, the guilt!), a mad dash to Richmond, Virginia, to catch the campaign bus ... turning around at a gas station for granola bars when we realized we would NOT catch that bus. Then a mad dash back to Alexandria, Virginia, a pleasant pause at Starbucks before we realized that the stream of cars, the very thick stream of cars we saw out the window were all headed EXACTLY where we were headed ... a panicked gaze at parking, long long long lines ... Finally we got in to the "event" when we continued advancing our cause ... listened to the speeches ... talked to lots of folks in the crowd ... chated up some colleagues for future guest appearances ... then FINALLY ... a five minute pull aside at the end of the day (the candidate wagon warming up with ALOT of big beefy guys waiting). As I say to my kids when I finish reading them a story ... so that's what happened.

We're thinking about where to go next in this story. We figure that many of you can't read or hear enough about the campaign. And others of you are like, enough already ... are the shows back on now that the writer's strike is over?

We're trying to walk that fine line ... but we also want to call attention to a lovely conversation we had with four friends who all found out they had cancer. A simple suggestion: get the check up on your birthday. All of us can remember that.

See you tomorrow...

PS ... Here are some souvenirs we brought back from our trip. One is official, one clearly isn't. Gotta have fun somehow on those 20 hour days.

And here's some photos we took (I didn't take any -- Senior Producer Teshima Walker did. My camera though. Glad somebody used it!).

This is Veronica Salazar at the rally. She's orginally from Peru and now lives in Haymarket, Va.

And we just had to show you this one! Amber Moeller lives in Alexandria, Va.

Michel Martin, right, is pictured with comedienne and actress Mo'Nique during a recent visit to NPR. Credit: George Lyle, NPR

Oh! One more more thing. Comedienne and actress Mo'Nique was in the house the other day to talk about her new film, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, and a new season of "Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance."

In case you missed the interview (she's hilarious!), you can still check it out ...

Mo'Nique's new film opens in theaters Feb. 8th.

There's a lot going on today, so this is going to be quick. We have a very special guest coming, so I have to clear out of the studio so they can set up.

All of our guests are special, of course, but most don't travel with TRUNKS of equipment. Check this out: there are six music stands in here, five mic stands -- each outfitted with headphones and a console -- a drum kit, a bunch of locked trunks containing I know not what, and reams of chords and plugs.

There will be MUSIC in the house later on. You'll get to hear it on our program next week.

Want to know who it is?

Not. Telling.

But, we are sure you'll like it.

Want a hint?

The title of the artist's first album is something most of us use everyday. That's all I'm going to say right now.

Moving on ...

Today, we wanted to dig into one of the nagging questions in this election: how will Latinos vote, and how will that vote be influenced? There has been a lot of debate about this percolating in various forums ...

There's a column by one of our regulars Ruben Navarrette.

There's another piece by Gregory Rodriguez, whom we've also had on the program.

And there's The New Yorker piece that's gotten a lot of attention.

... One in the Chicago Tribune.

... And, Gebe Martinez's recent piece for Politico.

The gist of it seems to be, will Latinos vote for a black candidate?

Do Latinos identify more with white than black? Or, is this all nonsense and a matter of which candidate is running a stronger campaign?

Is the strength of name recognition at work?

And just how big is this sleeping giant of Latino voters, and when will it wake up? Or, has it already?

Those are some of the issues we talked about today.

Enjoy your weekend.

Lee, here...

As you might know by now, there are new developments in the race for '08. Mitt Romney has announced that he is bowing out, or "suspending" his GOP presidential campaign. In pretty strong words (and maybe the most energetic that we've heard from him, until now), says that remaining in the race would hinder the Republican party's bid for the White House and, in turn, increase the chances of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama winning the presidency ... which would translate into "aiding a surrender to terror."

Talk about famous last words.

And, check in with us as we wrap up the week in our Political Chat, we'll talk about the Latino vote. According to CNN exit polls on Super Tuesday, Clinton overwhelmingly won the Hispanic vote in California (69 percent, compared to Obama's 29 percent) and New York (73 percent, compared to Obama's 26 percent). But some dispute any assumptions that Latinos feel closer to Clinton as a candidate. We plan to bring you two Latino voices who'll offer a unique perspective on this...

iStock

Lee, here...

Folks everywhere are still mulling over Super Tuesday results and looking ahead to what's next in the increasingly nail-biting race for the White House. Two political experts came on to help us sort through Tuesday's results. Stephanie Cutter directed communication efforts for Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and Sarah Taylor was a White House political director under President George W. Bush.

Arizona Sen. John McCain seems to have reinforced his standing as GOP frontrunner, but not with as much comfort as he might have expected. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee proved to the naysayers (especially Huckabee, whom many pundits all but discounted completely) that they are still to be taken seriously about their presidential pursuits, although both trail McCain by about 400 delegates.

I heard Huckabee compare his ambitions to the those of the New York Giants going into Super Bowl XLII to face the undefeated (until they lost, of course) New England Patriots.

There's nothing wrong with hope, right?

Things aren't as clear for the Democrats. New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama both had significant victories -- and losses -- on Tuesday. Clinton's wins in California, New York and Massachusetts (despite the Kennedy and Kerry endorsements of Obama) were helped with her favoring among women and Latino voters. Obama's win in 13 states, compared to Clinton's win in eight, flexed his pull among both voters under 40 and black voters.

From where we stand, Clinton and Obama are working hard to make certain that any advances between the two of them are razor-thin (the contest in New Mexico remains too close to call), likening the Democratic race to an edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller ... Who will "survive" to represent the party in November?

Grab the popcorn. Looks like it's going to be a long one.

Have you already participated in the presidential primaries? If not, aren't you just itching to vote? I am. And, it looks like for the first time in a while, our region ... the Potomac region (Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia) might actually have a significant say in who becomes the next president.

We're usually up after Super Tuesday, so we vote willingly, but knowing that the picture is sometimes pretty much painted by the time we pull out our brushes. Not so, this time. Neither the GOP race, nor the Democratic race (especially) is a done deal ... candidates are counting delegates like beans.

And, aside from the political fare, we also thought it would good to bring you stories in commemoration of Black History Month. Harvard professor and renowned author Henry Louis is at the center of a film airing tonight on PBS, African-American Lives 2. Gates journeys with an impressive list of celebrities -- Tina Turner, Tom Joyner, Chris Rock and Don Cheadle, to name a few -- as they uncover mysteries of their African lineage. Gates tells us Chris Rock's discovery even takes an emotional turn...

Chris Rock? Emotional? No...

We'll check in with you again later. Until then, drop us a line and tell us your thoughts on thee '08 elections, and how you're commemorating Black History Month.

Do you ever get sick of yourself? That's how I feel right now. This cold is making me nuts. The hacking is not only disgusting, it's painful. ... Enough already!

But thanks for the suggestion of Throat Coat -- one of our bloggers (P. Umunna) recommended it and one of our producers, Douglas Hopper, ran out to the grocery store near here to get me some (don't worry, he was also getting his own lunch ... I wouldn't do him like that!) and it seems to be helping. And it's yummy, too.

OK, back to work. Chad. We promised we'd try to shed some light on that situation, where rebel forces -- some of them actually relatives of incumbent President Deby -- attacked the capital city Ndjamena in an attempt to overthrow the government. We had great guests today, but we hope to do more and still hope to make contact with folks on the ground. If we do, we'll certainly bring you those voices right away. Listeners have been helping us, and we appreciate it.

And, on to books...

The American Library Association president Loriene Roy stopped in, as she does on her swings through Washington, and brought us some goodies -- the award-winning, or as she called them "honor" books, the association and other groups selected this year. I want all of them. Clip and save this list for your Christmas shopping!

We also brought you the second of our conversations about mental illness. Yesterday, we talked with author Terri Cheney about her book, Manic. Today, Terrie Williams talked about her book Black Pain. Having known Terrie for years, believe me when I say that she very convincingly wore the mask. I didn't see her a lot, by any means, but I saw her enough to know that she is a top player in New York public relations circles. So imagine my shock to discover that all that time, she was struggling with depression.

What a gift it is, in my view, for Terrie to be willing to share her story. Of the things Terrie has done, this may be her greatest achievement -- to let everyone know that one does not have to be perfect to be successful, and that success sometimes comes at a price ... but that one can decide that the price is too high.

Thank you, Terrie.

NO politics today, per NPR rule -- it's an election day. But we did want to remind everybody that the right to vote did not come for everyone in this country at the same time, and in the same way. The 15th Amendment was ratified this week, 138 years ago. Hear one of the country's most eminent civil rights leaders, Ted Shaw of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, explain how it happened. It's a more complicated story than I knew.

See you tomorrow. Keep those throat remedies coming!

New York Giants players hold up the Vince Lombardi trophy after the Giants beat the New England Patriots 17-14 to win Super Bowl XLII

AP

GO GIANTS! GO GIANTS!

Sorry I'm from New York. Can't help it.

Go GIANTS! Go GIANTS!

I had to listen to my husband, all season, talk nonsense. He was calling my team the New Jersey Giants, and so on. He's from Pittsburgh, so I thought I had to put up with it. NO MORE, though.

I can't tell a lie, I like the JETS, but still ... Can I help it if we native New Yorkers are blessed with not one, but two, professional football and baseball teams? Do not hate, emulate...

Take that! See ya, and raise ya!

Now that we have THAT out of the way, on to more serious matters...

Our weekly visit with the writers from the Washington Post Magazine couldn't be more serious. Writer Michael Leahy describes the pain of a group of former NFL players whose injuries have far exceeded the scope of their pensions and disability payments. These are players from the 70's and 80's, when salaries were far below what they are now. These players are now saying that they gave their all for the game, and now need the league and their union to do something for them. The NFL and the players union say they are already doing more than is required, and that this whole issue is a matter of balancing the interests of past and present players. They say they are doing the best they can.

Anyway, I think it's a very fair, compelling, balanced piece. I would be interested to know how you respond to it. We certainly could have spent more time on the issue. If you haven't already seen the piece, read it and let me know what you think.

I want you to know we are following events in Chad that happened over the weekend, where rebels have advanced on the capital. We will bring you more when we know more, or have found the right guests to add to what you have heard on our newscasts and flagship programs.

We also think it's important to stay on top of a) the sub prime mortgage crisis and b) important cultural events.

Our lead segment was a check-in on the fact that law enforcement is now investigating the sub prime crisis. Illinois's top law enforcement official helped us understand why, along with civil rights leader Wade Henderson.

I also had a conversation with the makers of a fascinating new film about an all but episode in history. ...

Continue reading "Go Giants, Go!" >

Do you think it's the sin of pride? Or just a virus?

Here's what happened: here I was feeling all spicy and independent -- I finished my show yesterday, fired off the blog, jumped in the car with production associate Wendy Johnson (she makes it happen every day ... Hey Wendy!) and Tyrone Martin (our spring intern ... no relation that I can tell, although I would claim him) and rode on up to Baltimore to Morgan State University, where Talk of the Nation was hosting a special program. The subject was Sen. Barack Obama's prospects among Black voters. I was invited to be a guest, having just come back from South Carolina and covering the presidential primary there. That went well, I thought.

So ... I jumped back in the car with Wendy and ran an errand for the show on the way back to the office (see more information below). I did some more work, later hung out with the kiddies and got myself all ready for today's show. (I watched the debate last night, looked at some scripts and fired off some e-mails.) I thought, I AM WOMAN! HEAR ME ROAR!

Until today. Then, it was hear me CROAK.

It's happened again. I've lost my voice. Right now, I cannot talk above a whisper. The funny thing is, I feel absolutely fine, except for some congestion in my chest and a slight cough. In fact, I didn't even know I had a problem until I came in this morning and the security guard and the parking garage attendant said hello. I realized, no sound's coming out! Holy Smokes!Aaron, the parking garage attendant, is normally not even HERE when I get in (that's how early I get here -- sad, isn't it?). But it also explains why I didn't know anything was wrong, because nobody's awake in my house when I leave normally. Anyway...

So, I'm looking at Aaron and he's looking at me. He says, "What are you going to do?"

I said, "I have no idea!"

Continue reading "Running on Fumes ... With no Voice" >