Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales listens during a farewell ceremony in his honor at the Department of Justice on September 14, 2007 in Washington.

Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

I am still reading through your comments about my interview on Monday with former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. I appreciate that most people understand what I was trying to do, which is basically just get the man's side of things.

Mr. Gonzales has given just four interviews since leaving office in September 2007, to which the New York Timesgood! that'll do! no need to hear more! (you can read what their fairly scathing editorial here).

One of his few interviews was with TMM regular contributor and syndicated columnist, Ruben Navarette. Another was with Evan Perez, of The Wall Street Journal, and one was with NPR's Juan Williams, who was sitting in for Bill O'Reilly on the Fox News Channel.

The fourth was with me.

I have long been interested in Mr. Gonzales' take on things. The Justice Department is an object of awe, fascination and reverence for many Americans, especially to those, I might guess, who remember the department's role in advancing the civil and human rights of minorities.

I wondered how it felt to rise so high -- grandson of immigrants, who were possibly undocumented, son of a construction worker, the second of eight kids -- to go to Harvard Law School, to become a partner at a major Texas law firm, a Texas Supreme Court judge, White House Counsel, Attorney General (the first Latino American to hold such posts, no less).

And how did it feel to do all that only to be forced to resign after members of your own political party complain that they have lost confidence in you?

And because I believe it is best to talk to people, rather than about them, I wanted to ask him.

So I did.

There were no ground rules and no preconditions, except that Mr. Gonzales preferred to conduct the interview live, which was fine with me.

He came by himself, no handlers or spin miesters.

Some people question the amount of time we gave Mr. Gonzales, but I really don't know what to say about that. There was a lot to talk about. I still have more I want to ask him, if you want to know the truth.

I bet many of you do, too.

A little-known newspaper takes note of Monday's interview with former U.S. Attorney Gen. Alberto Gonzales.

Read the editorial here.

Lee Hill, here ...

I'm looking out the window as I jot down this post. It's hard to believe that just a week ago the parameters of our Washington, D.C.-based studios were flooded with epic crowds. Folks were hustling about town taking in the festivities pegged to President Barack Obama's inauguration.

Today, there's snow on the ground. It's still cold out, but traffic has since returned to normal (although still painful to sit through). Washington is just as it was a little more than a week ago.

Then, of course, there's a new President. He just moved in, down the street.

Tomorrow, we'll take a closer look at President Obama's first full week in office and his express executive orders. We'll also discuss some of the Oval Office moves the president is expected to make next, many of which are already fueling some his most vocal critics. ... And in the case of tomorrow's discussion, a panel of liberal critics will explain why they strongly oppose the president's stance on several key issues.

It's a conversation you definitely won't want to miss.

Also, the latest on Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Yes, we're going there.

Meet you back here tomorrow.

Mornings here can be a little hectic. Sometimes -- especially when a guest is stuck in traffic or worse out of pocket - we even teeter on the edge of panic. As you can imagine, we were all a little anxious knowing that former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was coming in house for a LIVE interview.

But he was EARLY! And on top of that, cordial to everyone on staff. Kudos to you, Mr. Gonzales. You saved us a few heartbeats this morning.

Gonzales hasn't given many interviews since he resigned in September 07. It was a rare opportunity, with no shortage questions about his controversial tenure -- and his role as the first Hispanic Attorney General. The right time - we thought - to break format and dedicate most of the show to one guest.

Take a listen ... and have your say. The conversation is just getting started.

Lee Hill, here ...

Needless to say, it's been a long week. "TGIF" is an understatement.

If you were with us on Inauguration Day, hopefully you followed our live blogging event from the campus of Howard University. I was stationed there during the swearing-in ceremony at a campus brunch, where the Inauguration was viewed on a jumbo screen.

As a final installment of TMM's "Post-Inauguration Roundup," below are more elements from Inauguration Day at Howard University. Also, don't forget to check out the audio slideshow by TMM producers Arwa Gunja and Douglas Hopper, featuring stories from attendees on the National Mall.

Corey Briscoe

Lee Hill/NPR

 

"I'm reminded of the great people who paved the way for Obama. ... It tells me that our nation is not done growing, [that we are] literally capable of anything."

Corey Briscoe, 19, student
Major: Political Science/English
Hometown: Charleston, SC

Roberta McCloud

Lee Hill/NPR

 

"Barack is not just our president. It would be unfair to demand that all he does has to be for us."

Roberta McCloud, 64
Director, Armour J. Blackburn University Center, Howard University

Ashawntee Dingle

Lee Hill/NPR

 

"I worry about him. The expectations are great. But I'm confident that he will right a lot of wrongs. [I feel] a renewed sense of patriotism."

Ashawntee Dingle, 28, alumna
(Mortgage) Deal Structuring Manager

Ernest Cowan

Lee Hill/NPR

 

"I knew this would happen, but thought maybe [it would happen] when I'm 30. Race is still an issue, but [an Obama presidency] just shows that any race can do anything."

Ernest Cowan, 20, student
Howard University
Major: Applied Speech
Hometown: Largo, MD

Special thanks to Kerry-Ann Hamilton for her help in coordinating logistics for TMM's visit.

Aretha Franklin arrives for the inauguration of Barack Obama on January 20 in Washington, D.C.

PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images

Interesting tidbit:

Apparently, Barack Obama's speech and Michelle Obama's fine garments aren't the only topics still generating post-inauguration buzz. According to the Associated Press, the designer hat worn by Aretha Franklin, aka the "Queen of Soul," is in high demand.

DETROIT (AP) - The calls began to flood Luke Song's hat shop not long after Aretha Franklin finished belting out "My Country, 'Tis of Thee" at President Barack Obama's inauguration.

"She walked through the shop and said 'I want that bow (put) on that hat,"' he said. "She had the coat already, but she needed the hat to set it off."

Witnesses to Tuesday's swearing-in might also be surprised to know that the queen was not pleased with her performance of "My Country Tis of Thee." At least, that's what she told CNN's Larry King.

President Barack Obama signs an executive order to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay Cuba in the Oval Office at the White House.

SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images

So now the hard part (like campaigning for two years wasn't hard). There are appointments to be completed, and staff to be selected and managed, not to mention crises to be faced right now.

The inauguration is over, but the work has just started.

I am not going to lie to you. I think I'm still recovering from Inauguration Day. I think I have been that cold maybe twice before in my life. And it wasn't the cold so much as the having to be still in it (we couldn't exactly roam around while we were on the air.) Even now, I am sitting in the studio wearing a scarf around my neck as I write this. I think I'm having, like, phantom cold or cold memories or something.

But anyway ...

Crises, there are so many.

Our country's economy is still a mess. Iraq and Afghanistan are still in disarray and Gaza is a mess. The oplines would be enough.

But that is not all there is ...

There are other parts of the world and people who are hurting. So in keeping with our mission to tell stories that others might not be talking about, we decided we had to tell you about a woman who worked to bring peace to Liberia, and an American playwright who is trying to give voice to the hundreds of thousands of Congolese women and girls who have been victimized by sexual violence during that country's long civil unrest.

A harsh meal, as one of our former executives would say?

Maybe it sounds like it, but when you hear these women speak I think what you will hear is hope and courage.

That's why we have our international briefing.

Hang in there with us. Stay warm.

TMM producer Brakkton Booker, pictured yesterday on the National Mall, expresses his frustration.

Cory Howard

Cory Howard

TMM producer Brakkton Booker explains why yesterday's happenings will always be remembered ... perhaps, for slightly different reasons.

Thanks, Lee. Brakkton Booker, here ...

I wake up hearing trumpets playing "America the Beautiful" outside my window on the morning of the inauguration for Barack Obama. It was my first sign that Jan.20, 2009, was no ordinary day. The music came from an ensemble playing five stories below my fiance's tightly cramped office overlooking the National Mall. We used her office to save time in getting to our spot amongst the one to two million people expected to descend upon the National Mall and surrounding historic areas in Washington, D.C. and to share this historic moment first hand -- the swearing in of Barack Obama as America's first black President.

The time is 8:00am. It's a pretty late start on this day. But we're in no rush. We're members of a most fortunate group -- we have passes to the Inauguration Ceremony, one of the most coveted possessions in the world right now.

We hit the streets where Obama-mania is already in full swing. Hustlers peddling pins, t-shirts, neckties, sweaters, hats -- everything imaginable with Barack Obama's face on it. The mood is cheerful and excitement is in the air.

I'm standing with people who are in special lines snaking along perimeters for as far as the eye can see. They're all trying to get past the heavily guarded checkpoints and into the promised land -- the "standing room only area" in front of the inaugural stage.

We scout out a spot to tactlessly cut the line where so many others had been standing in for hours. If anyone gave a fuss, we had our press badges handy. My cockiness was delivered a swift smackdown, though. Come to find out, today especially, my trusty press badge gets me nowhere. And neither will our so-called "coveted" passes to the Inauguration Ceremony.

"We're not accepting those passes here" a policeman says to me about 100 feet from the entry way to the promise land.

"What? Are you serious?" I ask. My pass reads: "The 56th Swearing-In Ceremony."

"The pass is yellow," I tell the officer," ...the sign overhead says 'Yellow Passes Here.'"

"No. I'm sorry sir, that's not the right pass."

My first stirring to those trumpets earlier and the pleasant feelings I carried into this day give way to disbelief and rage.

My dreams of having a front row seat to history are gone!

My anger causes me to overheat. The three layers of clothing I wear to insulate my body from the frigid temperatures are now working against me. Beads of sweat begin to sprinkle down my forehead. We walk for blocks, and never find another way in.

It's too late. The time is now 10 minutes to noon.

The new President will be sworn in just minutes from now. I'm taking it much harder than my fiance. She anticipated this might happen and seems happy that we are together for this historic moment.

We make one more desperate attempt to get inside the perimeter but failed. Right then, I hear thunderous cheers and applause. Mr.Obama must have made it to the stage by now. I begin to sulk and take a rest alongside one of the thousands of street barricades set up to keep traffic from getting this close to where Barack Obama takes the oath of office.

I see people running towards the gates. Their smiles and eyes fill with exhilaration. This is the moment they've been waiting on too. Just hearing Barack Obama's voice though loudspeakers was all they needed. It didn't matter that they didn't have a bird's eye view. They could feel the magnitude of this moment.

And then I sat there, still sulking, I realized I was being how shallow and selfish I was being. This was a first in the nation's history. I let my anger fade and started to take in the moment.

Chills ran down my back. I look up at my fiance and give her a kiss. I'm happy I could share this moment with her, too. We were there, maybe not exactly where we wanted to be, but we were there. We were witnesses to history.

-- Brakkton Booker

So, is this the day after, or the first day?

We'll have reflections on the day's events. I am going to turn the virtual mic over to some of our folks who were out and about yesterday, beginning with TMM producer Brakkton Booker.

Take it away, Brakkton ...

Lee Hill, here ...

I'm live blogging here at a watch event on the campus of Howard University, a leading historically black college (and in full disclosure, my alma mater) located in the heart of Washington, D.C. Michel is posted up at the Canadian Embassy, an arm's throw from Capitol Hill.

We thought of Howard as an ideal place to virtually set up shop for a number of reasons, but mainly because it is an important connector of today to yesterday. Certainly not hindered by its location in the nation's capital, the university has made major contributions to both American and African-American history. Learn more here...

Stay tuned... Throughout the day, we plan to bring sights and perspectives from a number of angles -- here at Howard, and on the National Mall -- as people everywhere (not just in Washington bear witness today to a new chapter in American politics, underscored by the swearing-in of the nation's first black president.

Standby ...

10:30 AM

Howard University's inauguration viewing brunch.

Lee Hill/NPR

 

So, I'm posted here at an Inauguration watch event in the Armour J. Blackburn student center here on campus. About 400 alumni, students and faculty are gathered here in the main ballroom for a viewing brunch. At the front the room, a CNN feed is being projected onto a jumbo screen. The audience is definitely in high anticipation of the start of the swearing-in ceremony, which appears to be moments from officially getting underway....

10:50 AM

Bernard Richardson, dean of the Howard University Chapel, just offered an opening prayer to bless the occasion here (the sound from CNN was muted, of course).

Also (from keeping one eye open during the prayer), it seems the Obamas are now headed to the Capitol for the swearing in. They attended a brief prayer service at St. John's Episcopal Church, just across the way from the White House.

10:56 AM

TMM producers Arwa Gunja and Douglas Hopper are braving the cold out on the National Mall, taking in the scene... Earlier, they thawed their fingers long enough to write what they're seeing:

Douglas and Arwa, here ...

Lee, first of all, it is really cold.

We are in the middle of the mall with crowds of people on all sides. Most people are roaming around trying to find a great spot to stake their territory. Others are desperately searching for warmth ... A building to our right just opened its doors and throngs of people literally ran to the steps. (Again did I mention how cold it is??)

There are still hours to go before Obama takes the stage. But people are walking around with their heads held high. One African-American woman we spoke with is here from New York and remembers as a child having to ride in the back of the bus. She brought her son to witness this historic event.

Another group of ladies traveled all the way from Indiana. They call themselves "cosmopolites." They were 70+ in age, but said they wouldn't miss this for the world.

(Okay my hand is too cold to type anymore on this blackberry but we're going to check back in later ...)

Thanks, guys.

11 AM

The crowd here just burst into cheer after seeing the President-elect and his family arrive at the Capitol.

(Interesting to realization while watching all of this: Barack Obama enters the Capitol area as "President-elect" and will leave there as "Mr. President." Wonder if that's crossed his mind, heh?)

11:20 AM

Former presidents Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, along with their wives, are stepping out onto the inaugural platform. Light applause here for the Clintons.

11:30 AM

Sasha and Malia, the two young daughters of Barack and Michelle Obama might just be the real stars here... According to the reaction here when seen stepping onto the platform, they have acheived "junior" rock star status.

... Okay, Michelle Obama is the true rock star, according to this crowd... A huge cheer for her.

As Joe Biden enters, people are already pumped here for the grand entrance of the President-elect.

Douglas Hopper's view from the National Mall:

Douglas Hopper/NPR

 

11:40 AM

President-elect Barack Obama steps out onto the platform. The Howard crowd gets a glimpse of him as he waits to be formally announced and the crowd roars ... and snaps photos of the big screen (hey, I guess it's the next best thing to being there) ...

11:50 AM

From boisterous cheers to complete silence here. The Rev. Rick Warren, of Saddleback Church offers the invocation.

11:53 AM

Tears in the room as songstress Aretha Franklin renders an emotional performance.

12:07 PM

Barack Obama takes the oath of office to become 44th President of the United States.

Josephine Leonard, 47, whose mother, Jannie B. Hugee Leonard, was born on the same year and day as the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., is overwhelmed with emotion.

Lee Hill/NPR

 

Throngs flock to the National Mall for a glimpse of the historic presidential inauguration of Barack Obama.

Monika Evstatieva/NPR

 

Marie Nelson, here...

Greetings from the Canadian Embassy, which sits on Pennsylvania Avenue here in D.C., and along the inaugural parade route. We are also fortunate to have great view of the Capitol from here.

I am trying to appreciate the splendor of the moment, but I must admit it's still tough to type in 30 degree weather. We got these nifty hand warmers in our survival pack, but gloves and typing don't mix. So, for the love of you, our blog family, I am trying to "blog it out."

This morning was quite a journey. I took the train into the city around 4 o'clock this morning -- the moon was still out -- and it was filled with early birds. People were delighted to get their commemorative METRO cards which bear a picture of the 44th President.

Security is tight around the National Mall, which everyone expected. The crowds are filing in patiently. You can hear helicopters hovering overhead. Right now, we are set up in a rotunda, facing the parade route and, mercifully, we are far enough away from a virtual village of port-a-potties.

Michel and company (including Kim, our engineer, and producer, Monika) are all set and ready to start the program in a few minutes. We have an exciting line up of guests, including South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Wish us luck and warmth as we continue our journey to tell you more. Fingers too numb to keep going ... more later.

-- Marie (Executive Producer, TMM)

Rescue crews secure US Airways flight 1549, pictured floating in the water after it crashed into the Hudson River yesterday in New York City.

Chris McGrath/Getty Images

So we're pulling our hair out trying to figure out how to make sure all of our guests get through the security screening and settled where we need them for our inauguration day program.

Actually, let me put it this way: I'm watching my staff pull their hair out trying to figure out how to get our guests to our inauguration location (team, I love you guys!). And I will not lie, we're feeling a little bit frazzled and maybe a teeny tiny bit sorry for ourselves because it is so much work.

... And then in the middle of all that, a US Airways Airbus A320 plane lands into the Hudson River.

Everything stops.

Word is everyone is off the plane and, more or less, without injury. Amazing.

I can't stop watching the news coverage because it is pushing all my mommy buttons. I have flown with my children at least a couple of times a year since they were born, and the thought of having to figure out how to keep them safe through something like that is more than I can take at the moment, especially having spent a part of yesterday combing through competing pictures of what we are told are mutilated Palestinian children and Israeli children cowering from rocket attacks. (There are also pictures of what we are told are Palestinian kids being indoctrinated as suicide bombers. I interviewed a woman who happened to be in town, who was one of the key activists who helped bring about peace in Liberia. Her stories of watching children swept off the street to be used as child soldiers and sex slaves come to mind.)

It's all too much.

When will it stop? When can mothers get up in the morning and their biggest problem be getting their kids to school wearing matching socks?

I am thankful that my biggest problem today is getting our fabulous guests to sit on our chair.

Here's what we're balancing this week:

There's a euphoria in the air. You can feel it. People I have not heard from in years are writing to tell me they are headed this way for the inauguration and ask do I have time for coffee, brunch, lunch, tea (um, sorry, no I don't!) and if can they see the kids. (Sure, if they'll babysit them ... kidding, just kidding.)

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a story.

It would be wrong to ignore it, in my view. Some media writers are on the watch for excessive Obama exuberance. Well, they can be snarks if they want but you have to cover what is, and if what is is that there is this feeling in the air, then you have to cover it. Just like you would cover a forest fire.

On the other hand, not everyone is feeling that love. And why should they be? This was a hard fought election and, yes, Obama won in an electoral college landslide, but it was not by acclamation (and we are glad it was not because the only countries where one candidate gets 100 percent of the vote, are ones where they'll kill you if you vote wrong). So those voices deserve attention, too, as well as those who feel the whole thing has nothing to do with them and wake them when it's over.

Plus, people are still dying -- in Gaza, in Zimbabwe.

Attention must be paid, but how much and when?

We're working on it.

I have no opinions today, so I'm going to ask Lee Hill to take the blog. Seriously, I'm out, I'm done. I've got nothing.

(I'm mad because I want a new dress and I don't have time to get one. I'm pouting.)

Thanks, Michel. Lee, here ... As I mentioned in an earlier post, we're cracking away at targets for TMM's inaugural coverage (thanks to those who wrote to us with suggestions.) I can't spill all the beans here, but I think folks will appreciate what we're putting together. Trust me. Also, looking ahead ... meet Myron Rolle. Myron, if you're out there and reading this, expect a call from us!

Thanks, Lee.

More tomorrow ...

John Moore/Getty Images

We've been thinking a lot about how to stay on top of the stories related to the economic downturn. This is not an abstraction for us. As you may remember, NPR itself has downsized; we are losing 64 of our colleagues, many of whom are starting to leave us this week. It has not been a pleasant experience watching these trusted and, in many cases, loved colleagues walk out the door.

But it's not about us, or not just about us.

We're not alone in this. So we decided to spend most of the day talking about what's going on in the business world. We spent some time with outgoing Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, got an update on the Univision trial and then "had a good visit" as our soon-to-be former President liked to say, with three young women -- all college graduates -- who are all having trouble finding jobs, or have lost jobs in this tough economy.

And, yes, we know that college grads aren't the only ones hurting! More stories as we go. ...

The Mommy Bloggers who visited with us earlier this week advised us the best blog postings are short, advice which I routinely ignore of course.

But today I am going to try, so here's a sort of Haiku about Friday's show:

The fighting continues -- in Gaza, in Oakland and on Capitol Hill.

Yet we hope and sometimes, laugh.

Happy Friday!

Credit: Coco Sala

 

Not to sound like a French existentialist from the post-WWII school but I am struck, after both yesterday's and today's programs, by how much perception is reality or shapes reality. I'll explain:

On yesterday's program, we had a very spirited discussion about gay marriage and whether the pursuit of gay marriage or marriage equality -- as opposed to civil unions or other rights like social security survivorship benefits, or more expansive hate crime language -- is the right fight for right now in the fight for civil rights for same-sex loving people. It was a discussion that, frankly, could have gone on much longer.

But I was struck in the comments (that are still coming in and you are welcome to join in) by how many people were annoyed by Jasmyne Cannick's focus on race, as well as by her tone. Now, she can speak for herself on that if she wants to. But a lot of people noted that she seemed angry. And they said her anger made it hard for them to hear what she had to say, or that they dismissed what she had to say because she seemed angry.

But she is angry. And I think her anger is part of the story. And one of the reasons we called her to take part in the discussion, is that she has written very frankly and incisively about her view that the white gay male leadership of the leading gay rights organizations marginalizes and dismisses the concerns of people other than, well, people like themselves -- upper to middle-class white gay men -- and that that reality has deep consequences. Jasmyne feels that it is an extention of white male privilege and, as a black lesbian, she is tired of having to react to agendas set by others when she feels they have little relevance to her reality.

Continue reading "Perception And Reality, And Substance" >

Lee Hill, here ...

The historic swearing in of Barack Obama on Jan. 20th is approaching fast. In just two weeks, millions are expected to flock to the nation's capital to witness the former Chicago community organizer and U.S. Senator be sworn in as the nation's 44th president ... and to, um, get their party on like it's nobody's business.

(Funny, I keep getting e-mails. Of course, every group's ball, luncheon, after party, etc. is the modestly branded the "must attend" event of the week.)

Around here, we're thinking a lot about how to distinguish our coverage of Inauguration Week -- Jan. 19th through the 23rd -- from what, quite honestly, you're likely to be exposed to via many other news outlets. We're contemplating our flavor, if you will.

With all of the Obama fanfare, we're also mindful that Monday, Jan. 19th, is the day we honor the life and sacrifice of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. -- just over 40 years since his assassination.

Questions for you:

What types of inauguration stories would you like to hear from TMM?

If you're making the trip to Washington, great! ... But if not, tell us how we can help make you feel as close to the news as possible with our reporting -- on the radio, and here on the Web.

At a time like this, which voices are you longing to hear from? ... Are there personal experiences, thoughts or observations you think we should consider?

And, if you aren't an Obama fan (in other words, if you'll be holding your applause), how are you thinking about all of this, and what are your hopes for the next administration?

Working hard to tell you more ...

In our discussion about Mommy bloggers today, I asked one of the bloggers to offer any advice for people who might want to get started in regularly posting online. She said, "Keep it short."

Oh, great, now they tell me.

OK, here. So today:

Illinois Senate appointee Roland Burris is rejected today on Capitol Hill. What now? And ... Franken? Senator Al Franken? He says yes, GOP says no.

Bailout, what happened?

A new Frontline documentary, about Katrina. Check out The Old Man And the Storm:

And, mommies who blog ... how fun is that?

Tomorrow we are working on: more about Congress...a story about gay marriage...is Gay Marriage the right fight for right now?

We got started on this idea by some opinion writers who were critical of the gay political leadership for putting so much emphasis on gay marriage to the exclusion of other issues. The columns questioned whether the gay marriage fight is helping or hurting the efforts to achieve full civil rights and social acceptance for same sex-loving men and women. So we invited a roundtable of folks who've been having this discussion/debate to have it with us.

Too long already? Sorry.

We are welcoming our new CEO Vivian Schiller today, so we must rehearse our spontaneous witty remarks. ... So this will be brief.

I have to give kudos to my staff for pulling together some important bookings for today's show over the weekend. It's not as easy as you might think, especially since last week was New Year's. And although we were here on Friday, Jan. 2, a lot of the people we wanted to reach were out of pocket.

Today, We wanted to follow up on the stories that reached critical mass last week -- one here, one abroad.

We wanted to talk to some voices that are easily disappeared during a time of conflict, the peace activists on both sides. Listen to our conversation with advocates of non-violence Abu Sammi and Vivian Silver. Silver is an Israeli. Abu Sami, which is, of course, a family name he uses because there are still concerns about his safety owing to his activism in Gaza, is a Palestinian who has since relocated to Ramallah. As we were speaking to him on the air, he was on his way to a hospital to locate a child who had been sent from Gaza after being told a child was being sent there without any family.

You can hear the strain in both their voices.

And the carnage at home: another in our conversations about why the murder rate among young black males has surged in recent years when that does not seem to be happening in other groups and in other communities. Last week, we reported on the study. Today, we wanted to go deeper so we found two mothers who have both lost sons to gun violence -- Sylvia Banks in Detroit, and Karen Graham in Milwaukee. We also spoke with Ron Moten, an ex-offender and co-founder of Peaceaholics, an anti-violence group that works to try to stop urban violence.

We'll have more to say in the days ahead because we can't sit here and act like we don't know this is happening in our own communities.

Among our staff, we talked about whether having a conversation about obituaries was a bit too much, but I hope you'll agree with us that the stories we talked about were not depressing at all.

I bet you all know an unsung hero whose passing deserved notice. How wonderful that these 11 Washingtonians' lives were memorialized by this fine writing. Here they are. Tell us what you think.

Let's hope your new year is getting off to a good start.