2008 Election

June 23, 2008: The Future of Public Campaign Finance Following Barack Obama’s Decision to Opt Out of System
By turning down $84 million in federal money, Barack Obama will be allowed to raise and spend an unlimited amount during the election. Obama is the first major party candidate to reject public funds since the system started in 1976. The decision marks a reversal for Obama. Last year, he had pledged to accept public financing if his opponent did as well.

June 18, 2008: Ralph Nader on Barack Obama: ‘It is Quite Clear He is a Corporate Candidate from A to Z’
Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader discusses his independent run for the White House, the media blackout of third party candidates, and his stance on the Iraq war, the military-industrial complex, the global food crisis, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and more.

June 04, 2008: ‘America, This Is Our Moment’: Sen. Barack Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination
Barack Obama made history last night by sealing the Democratic presidential nomination to become the first African American nominee of a major party in the United States. Obama clinched the win after a wave of more than seventy uncommitted superdelegates announced their support on Tuesday, pushing his total over the threshold of the 2,118 delegates needed to secure the Democratic nomination at the party’s convention in August. We speak to Ron Walters.

June 03, 2008: Juan Gonzalez on Puerto Rico’s Overlooked Primary and a Bitter Divide Within the SEIU
Back from Puerto Rico, Juan Gonzalez reports on two stories coming out of the island over the past week: the Democratic primary, won by Sen. Hillary Clinton Clinton and overlooked by Sen. Barack Obama. Puerto Rican residents can vote in the contest, yet are not allowed to vote in the November elections for president. As the Democratic primary took place, the Service Employees International Union held its national convention in San Juan. The SEIU is embroiled in an internal battle over allegations its leadership is seeking to increase the union’s size and influence at the expense of rank-and-file members.

May 09, 2008: Author, Blogger Arianna Huffington on How John McCain Has Changed Since Telling Her He Didn’t Vote for Bush in 2000
Blogger, author and nationally syndicated columnist Arianna Huffington revealed this week that Senator John McCain had told her eight years ago that he did not vote for President Bush in the 2000 election. McCain has angrily denied the claim. Huffington joins us to talk about her disillusionment with McCain, whom she says has abandoned his principles in his quest for the Republican nomination. Huffington is author of the new book, Right is Wrong: How the Lunatic Fringe Hijacked America, Shredded the Constitution, and Made Us All Less Safe—and What you Need to Know to End the Madness.

May 08, 2008: Former Senator George McGovern Switches Support from Clinton to Obama
Many political analysts say Tuesday’s primary results in North Carolina and Indiana make Senator Barack Obama the all-but-certain nominee. But Senator Hillary Clinton is vowing to press on with her presidential bid. We speak to former Senator Senator George McGovern, who has dropped his support of Clinton to endorse Obama. Senator McGovern won the Democratic presidential nomination in 1972 and ran against Richard Nixon.

May 07, 2008: Clinton Vows to Stay in the Race as North Carolina, Indiana Primaries Extend Obama’s Lead
Senator Barack Obama scored a landslide victory over Senator Hillary Clinton in the North Carolina primary last night and lost narrowly to her in Indiana. The results moved Obama closer to clinching the Democratic nomination as the contest enters its final month.

May 02, 2008: Secretaries of State Debra Bowen of California and Robin Carnahan of Missouri on Voting Issues in a Year of Soaring Turnout
We speak to the top election officials from two states—California Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan—about some of the contentious issues facing the American electorate ahead of the November presidential election. Earlier this week, the Supreme Court upheld an Indiana law requiring voters to show photo identification. Many Democrats and civil rights groups have opposed the law, saying it is a thinly veiled effort to suppress elderly, poor and minority voters, those most likely to lack proper ID and who tend to vote for Democrats.

April 30, 2008: Obama Repudiates Ex-Pastor over Controversial Remarks
On Tuesday, Senator Barack Obama said he was “outraged” and “saddened” by “divisive and destructive” comments by his former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Since the weekend, Reverend Wright has publicly defended himself after weeks of being lambasted by politicians and pundits for his sermons. We hear from both Obama’s and Wright’s speeches.

April 30, 2008: The Politics of the Rev. Wright Controversy: A Debate with Melissa Harris-Lacewell and Adolph Reed, Jr.
As the Reverend Wright controversy continues to dominate media attention, we host a debate with two guests. Melissa Harris-Lacewell is associate professor of politics and African American studies at Princeton University. A Barack Obama supporter, she was a member of the Trinity United Church, and Reverend Wright was also her pastor. And Adolph Reed, Jr. is professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania. He makes the case against voting for Senator Barack Obama in the latest issue of The Progressive magazine.

April 23, 2008: Clinton Beats Obama by Ten Points in PA Primary
Senator Hillary Clinton has won the Pennsylvania primary, beating Senator Barack Obama by ten percentage points. Clinton received 55 percent of the vote, Obama had 45 percent. Pennsylvania was seen as a must-win state for Clinton. We get analysis of the results with Will Bunch, senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News.

April 23, 2008: A Roundtable on the 2008 Race with Clinton Supporter Kim Gandy, Obama Supporter Bill Fletcher and McKinney Supporter Ted Glick
The race for the Democratic presidential nomination is continuing following Hillary Clinton’s win over Barack Obama in the Pennsylvania primary. We host a roundtable discussion on the 2008 race with Clinton supporter Kim Gandy, the president of the National Organization for Women; Obama supporter Bill Fletcher, the executive editor of The Black Commentator; and Cynthia McKinney supporter Ted Glick, a member of the Green Party.

April 21, 2008: Recreate ’68: Democrats to Face Protests in Denver At Democratic National Convention
It remains to be seen whether the Democrats will ultimately take their fight for a Presidential candidate all the way to the Democratic National Convention this August in Denver, but for many activists tired of the two-party system and the ongoing war, they will be demonstrating at the convention, regardless of who the final nominee is. We speak with Mark Cohen, an organizer with Recreate ’68, and Mark Silverstein, the Legal Director of the ACLU in Colorado.

April 18, 2008: Great American Hypocrites: Glenn Greenwald on the Corporate Media’s Failures in the 2008 Race
ABC News is coming under intense criticism for its handling of Wednesday night’s Democratic debate in Pennsylvania. During the first forty-five minutes of the debate, the moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos focused on Obama’s comments that some voters in Pennsylvania were bitter, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, Clinton’s Bosnia “sniper fire” story, flag pins and the Weather Underground. We speak with Glenn Greenwald, author of “Great American Hypocrites: Toppling the Big Myths of Republican Politics.”

April 17, 2008: ABC News Coming Under Criticism for Focus of Obama, Clinton Debate
ABC News is coming under intense criticism for its handling of Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Pennsylvania. During the first forty-five minutes of the debate, the moderators focused on Senator Barack Obama’s comments that some voters in Pennsylvania were bitter, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy, Senator Hillary Clinton’s Bosnia “sniper fire” story, flag pins and the Weather Underground, before later turning to the issues. We play highlights of the debate.

April 17, 2008: Nader’s Running Mate Matt Gonzalez on the Dems, the War and the Strategy for November
We speak with independent vice-presidential candidate, Matt Gonzalez, who is running on Ralph Nader’s ticket in November. Gonzalez is a San Francisco-based attorney and the former president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. In 2003, he ran for mayor of San Francisco on the Green Party ticket but lost in a close race to Democrat Gavin Newsom.

March 11, 2008: Fmr. Presidential Candidate George McGovern on the 2008 Race and How He Helped Transform the Democratic Nominating Process
Former Senator and 1972 presidential candidate George McGovern joins us in our firehouse studio to talk about the 2008 presidential race, superdelegates and the commission he chaired in 1968 that helped transform how the Democratic party chooses its presidential nominee.

March 07, 2008: Could Michigan and Florida Decide the Democratic Presidential Race?
Florida and Michigan could go from having no voice in the Democratic presidential primary to providing the deciding votes. Both states have already held their nominating contests but the Democratic National Committee refuses to seat their delegates after they moved up their primary dates. Now calls are increasing for the two states to hold a re-vote. On Thursday, Democratic National Committee chair Howard Dean called for a do-over but said the DNC would not foot the bill. We speak with John Nichols of The Nation.

March 07, 2008: McCain Embraces Endorsement From Anti-Catholic, Anti-Gay, Anti-Muslim Televangelist John Hagee
Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain has openly embraced the endorsement of controversial televangelist John Hagee, the founder of Christians United for Israel and the senior pastor of Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. Hagee has come under criticism for his views on homosexuality, Islam, the Catholic Church and even the victims of Hurricane Katrina. We speak with Sarah Posner, author of "God"s Profits: Faith Fraud, and the Republican Crusade for Values Voters."

March 05, 2008: As Clinton Stages Comeback, Democracy Now! Hosts Debate Between Vermont’s Former Governor Madeleine Kunin and Obama Superdelegate Chuck Ross
Senator Hillary Clinton won the crucial Ohio and Texas primaries Tuesday night, ending a string of twelve straight defeats in the race for the Democratic nomination against Senator Barack Obama. Clinton also won Rhode Island, while Obama won in Vermont. The final results of the Texas caucuses are not yet known, with the outcome likely to stay up in the air until later today. We host a debate between the only woman ever elected governor of Vermont, Madeleine Kunin, and Senator Patrick Leahy’s state director, Chuck Ross.

March 04, 2008: Super Tuesday II: Today’s Primaries and Caucuses Could Decide the Democratic Nominee; We Get Reports From Texas, Ohio and Vermont
Dallas Morning News reporter Wayne Slater, Harvey Wasserman of FreePress.org in Ohio and journalist David Goodman of Vermont discuss today’s vote. In Texas, Slater explains the state’s complex voting system and why the Clinton campaign is pressuring the Democratic Party not to release partial results from tonight’s caucus; in Ohio voter integrity activists have secured new victories in their attempt to prevent more stolen elections; and in Vermont, town meeting members in Brattleboro vote on whether to “indict” President Bush and Dick Cheney.

February 28, 2008: Jeremy Scahill: Despite Anti-War Rhetoric, Clinton-Obama Plans Would Keep U.S. Mercenaries, Troops in Iraq for Years to Come
Jeremy Scahill reports Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will not “rule out” using private military companies like Blackwater Worldwide in Iraq. Obama also has no plans to sign on to legislation that seeks to ban the use of these forces in US war zones by January 2009. Despite their anti-war rhetoric, both Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton have adopted the Congressional Democratic position that would leave open the option of keeping tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq for many years.

February 27, 2008: Clinton, Obama Hold Final Debate Before Pivotal Votes Next Week
In Cleveland, Ohio, Democratic presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama sparred last night over healthcare, NAFTA, the Iraq war, campaign tactics, Louis Farrakhan and other issues in the final debate before next week’s vote in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island. We play excerpts.

February 25, 2008: Barack Obama’s Senior Foreign Policy Adviser Samantha Power on Obama’s Call to Increase the Pentagon’s Budget, Hugo Chavez, Funding the Iraq Occupation and Attacking Pakistan
Samantha Power discusses Obama’s foreign policy platform and why she temporarily left her post at Harvard University to advise the presidential candidate.

February 22, 2008: Behind the John McCain Lobbying Scandal: A Look at How McCain Urged the Federal Communications Commission to Act on Behalf of Paxson Communications
On Thursday, the New York Times revealed McCain repeatedly wrote letters to government regulators on behalf of Paxson Communications and other clients of the telecommunications lobbyist, Vicki Iseman. We speak to Angela Campbell, the attorney for the Alliance for Progressive Action and QED Accountability Project, the community groups that sought to block Paxson’s takeover of a Pittsburgh public television license.

February 19, 2008: Democratic Race Heats Up as Wisconsin Holds Deadlocked Primary
John Nichols of The Nation magazine joins us from Wisconsin where voters go to polls today in possibly the tightest contest in the Democratic race since Super Tuesday. Sen. Hillary Clinton is hoping to end Sen. Barack Obama’s string of eight straight victories over the past two weeks.

February 18, 2008: In Tight Democratic Race, Could Campaign Donations and Personal Views Influence Potentially Decisive Superdelegate Vote?
With neither Democratic presidential candidate expected to win the 2,025 delegates needed to clinch the nomination, it’s all coming down to superdelegates, the nearly 800 former elected officeholders and party officials who are technically free to choose who they like. While Obama leads in the overall delegate count and among pledged delegates, Clinton has more superdelegate support. About 300 of the 795 superdelegates have yet to take sides. And both campaigns are in a heated battle to win their support. In fact, many of the superdelegates have already been plied with campaign contributions by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, according to a new study by the Center for Responsive Politics.

February 13, 2008: Antiwar Candidate Donna Edwards Defeats Incumbent Rep. Albert Wynn in Key Maryland Vote
Antiwar Democrat Donna Edwards joins us to talk about her defeat of eight-term Congress member Albert Wynn in Tuesday’s primary vote. The Maryland race had been described as “a bellwether contest in the fight for the soul of the Democratic Party.” If Edwards wins in November, she’ll be the first African American woman elected to Congress from Maryland.

February 08, 2008: Will Conservative Republicans Back McCain? Following Romney’s Departure, John McCain Appears Set to Become GOP Nominee
A day after John McCain is booed at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Michael Tomasky, editor of Guardian America, examines the Republican race and McCain’s relationship with the three wings of the GOP: the neoconservatives, the theo-conservatives and the radical anti-taxers.

February 08, 2008: Examining Clinton & Obama’s Stances on the Subprime Mortgage Crisis, Universal Healthcare, Privatizing Social Security and Nuclear Energy
With Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in a dead heat, we look at their stances on some of the most pressing domestic issues with Robert Kuttner of the American Prospect, Max Fraser of The Nation and Paul Gunter of Beyond Nuclear.

February 07, 2008: With Obama-Clinton Race Deadlocked, Focus Turns to Delegates (And Super Delegates)
As Democratic Party chair Howard Dean says the party might try to make “some kind of arrangement” between Obama or Clinton if no clear nominee emerges by mid-March or April, we speak with Duke University Professor David Rohde on the race for the delegates and the role of super delegates.

February 06, 2008: After Super Tuesday, Obama and Clinton Race a Deadlock; McCain Declares Himself GOP Frontrunner
Voters in twenty-four states across the country took to the polls in a day that many had once predicted would determine the Democratic and Republican presidential nominees. While John McCain has proclaimed himself the Republican frontrunner, the Democratic race remains deadlocked.

February 06, 2008: Super Tuesday Roundtable with Bill Fletcher of The Black Commentator, Sociologist Frances Fox Piven, Roberto Lovato of New America Media, and Progressive Democrats of America Director Tim Carpenter
We host a Super Tuesday roundtable with four guests: Bill Fletcher, executive editor of The Black Commentator and former president of TransAfrica Forum; Frances Fox Piven, a distinguished professor of political science and sociology at the Graduate Center, CUNY, and author of many books; Roberto Lovato, a writer with New America Media and a frequent contributor to The Nation magazine; and Tim Carpenter, national director of the Progressive Democrats of America.

February 05, 2008: Super Tuesday: Voters Head to Polls in Biggest-Ever One-Day White House Nominating Contest
Voters in more than twenty-four states across the country will head to the polls in the biggest one-day White House nominating contest in history. We speak to Georgetown University Professor Stephen Wayne, author of over ten books, including The Road to the White House 2008.

February 04, 2008: ‘The Myth of a Maverick’: Matt Welch on GOP Frontrunner John McCain
Ahead of Super Tuesday, Senator John McCain is leading Republican polls, a significant comeback for a campaign that appeared expired just six months ago. We speak to Reason Magazine editor Matt Welch, author of “McCain: The Myth of a Maverick.”

February 04, 2008: Former Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney Seeks Presidency as Green Party Nominee
Former Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney is now seeking the Green Party presidential nomination. McKinney is among the most outspoken critics of the Bush administration and one of her her last measures in office was to introduce a bill for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. She joins to talk about her new campaign and why she left the Democratic Party after more than a decade in public office.

February 01, 2008: Democratic Presidential Nomination Could Hinge on Divided Latino Vote
With Super Tuesday just four days away, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are actively courting support from Latino voters across the country. We speak to Dolores Huerta, a longtime labor activist and co-founder of the United Farm Workers of America who is supporting Clinton; Federico Pena, a former Clinton cabinet member and Denver mayor now co-chairing Obama’s campaign; and California State Senator Gilbert Cedillo, who is also backing Obama.

January 31, 2008: Edwards’ Campaign Manager Bonior Explains Sudden Departure From Presidential Race
John Edwards has dropped out of the presidential race after running what has been called the most progressive Democratic campaign since Jesse Jackson’s run in the 1980s. We speak to Edwards’ national campaign manager, former Michigan Rep. David Bonior.

January 31, 2008: Ralph Nader Launches Presidential Exploratory Committee to Mull ’08 Run*":
The same day John Edwards exited the race, longtime consumer advocate Ralph Nader launched a presidential exploratory committee to decide whether to run as an independent candidate. Nader joins us to talk about his potential run, and gives his assessment of the remaining candidates in the presidential field.

January 30, 2008: As McCain Wins Florida Primary, Ex-Frontrunner Giuliani Expected to Quit GOP Race
McCain’s win positions him as the Republican frontrunner heading into “Super Tuesday” next week with contests in more than 20 states. At third place, former frontrunner Rudolph Giuliani is widely expected to drop out of the race today and endorse Senator McCain. We speak with Florida radio host and television reporter Jim DeFede and Village Voice senior editor Wayne Barrett, author of two books on Giuliani.

January 24, 2008: Where Do the Presidential Contenders Stand on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict?
As the news out of Gaza makes international headlines, we take a look at where the Republican and Democratic presidential contenders stand on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We speak with the co-founder of the online publication Electronic Intifada, Ali Abunimah.

January 17, 2008: Showdown in Nevada: Unions Face Off Over Casino Caucus Sites
A federal judge is expected to rule on a lawsuit that seeks to ban caucus sites in nine Las Vegas strip hotels ahead of Nevada’s caucuses Saturday. Critics say the suit would disenfranchise the mostly Latino and female workers organized by the powerful Culinary Workers Union, which has endorsed Barack Obama. The suit was filed days after the endorsement by the Nevada State Teachers Union and several individuals backing Hillary Clinton.

January 17, 2008: At Times, Romney’s Bain Capital Profited Through Offshore Tax Havens, Closing U.S. Factories, Laying Off Workers
During his campaign, Republican candidate Mitt Romney has preached a message of economic populism by vowing to fight to keep jobs in America. We take a look at Romney’s days heading up the buyout firm Bain Capital with Los Angeles Times reporter, Bob Drogin. He writes, “From 1984 until 1999, Romney led Bain Capital, a Boston-based private equity group that earned jaw-dropping profits through leveraged buyouts, debt hedge funds, offshore tax havens and other financial strategies. In some cases, Romney’s team closed U.S. factories, causing hundreds of layoffs, or pocketed huge fees shortly before companies collapsed.”

January 16, 2008: Breaking the Sound Barrier: Democracy Now! Re-Hosts NBC Las Vegas Debate to Include Kucinich After NBC Wins Appeal to Exclude Him
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich was missing from the stage at last night’s Democratic debate hosted by MSNBC in Las Vegas after he lost a last-minute legal fight with the network over his participation. Last week, NBC told Kucinich that he had met the criteria for the debate. Then, less than two days later, the network changed the criteria and declared that Kucinich was no longer qualified. On Monday, a Nevada judge ordered NBC to include Kucinich, but then NBC appealed the ruling and actively fought to keep him off the stage. On Tuesday night, less than an hour before the debate, the Nevada Supreme Court sided with NBC. Democracy Now! decided to break the sound barrier and give Kucinich a chance to take part. In an exclusive broadcast, we re-braodcast excerpts of the debate and give the Ohio Congressman a chance to answer the questions he might have faced if he hadn’t been silenced.

January 14, 2008: Race and Gender in Presidential Politics: A Debate Between Gloria Steinem and Melissa Harris-Lacewell
In the race for the Democratic nomination, a victory for either Senator Hillary Clinton or Senator Barack Obama—as the first woman or African American Democratic nominee—would be unprecedented in U.S. history. We host a discussion on race and gender politics with feminist pioneer Gloria Steinem and Princeton University Professor Melissa Harris-Lacewell.

January 10, 2008: Study: Of Over 2,000 Sunday Talk Show Questions to Candidates, Only Three on Global Warming
A new study by the League of Conservation Voters found that the five major Sunday morning political shows asked the presidential candidates well over 2,000 questions in 2007. Just three of the questions mentioned global warming.

January 10, 2008: Will Your Vote Be Counted in 2008? Electronic Voting Machines and the Privatization of Elections
With less than a month before Super Tuesday, every vote counts. But will every vote actually be counted? One-by-one, states across the country are finding critical flaws in the accuracy and security of electronic voting machines.

January 10, 2008: Supreme Court Considers Voter ID Law that Could Disenfranchise Thousands of Poor and Minority Voters
The Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday on a case that many describe as the most important voting rights case since the decision that sealed the 2000 presidential election. It’s over a challenge to a 2005 law in Indiana that requires voters to show government-issued photo identification when voting.

January 09, 2008: In Upset Victories, Clinton and McCain Win New Hampshire Primaries
Defying the pundits and the polls, Senator Senator Hillary Clinton narrowly beat Senator Barack Obama in New Hampshire’s Democratic primary.

January 09, 2008: New Hampshire Primary Results Fuel Talk of Most Unpredictable Presidential Race in Decades
We go to New Hampshire for a discussion on last night’s primary results with University of New Hampshire professor Dante Scale and longtime TV and radio host Arnie Arnesen.

January 09, 2008: Barack Obama and the African-American Community: A Debate With Michael Eric Dyson and Glenn Ford
Does Barack Obama present a hope for dealing with African-American issues? Or has he watered down his platform to appeal to white voters? Georgetown University professor Michael Eric Dyson and veteran journalist Glenn Ford debate.

January 08, 2008: Student Volunteers for McCain, Paul Campaigns Voice Support for Candidates
n New Hampshire, voters have begun casting their ballots in the country’s first primary of the 2008 election. State election officials have predicted a record turnout of more than 500,000 voters. Student volunteers have flooded the state to campaign for their candidates.

January 08, 2008: How Do Front-Loading the Primary Calendar and Record Campaign Spending Affect the 2008 Race?
As candidates make their last-minute push in New Hampshire in the first primary of the 2008 election, we take a look at the “front-loading” of the primary calendar with the New Hampshire and Iowa contests only five days apart and campaign financing—a staggering $400 million spent by the candidates so far. Where’s the money coming from?

January 07, 2008: ‘I Respect the Distance He is Trying to Create’–Jesse Jackson On Why He Supports But Hasn’t Been Asked to Campaign For Obama
The Reverend Jesse Jackson and his son, Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., support Barack Obama, but his other son, Yusuf, is a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton, and his wife has just cut a radio ad for her. Why isn’t Jesse Jackson out stumping for his man? He hasn’t been asked.

January 07, 2008: The Youth Vote in 2008: Students Flood New Hampshire on Eve of Primary
Students from across the country have flooded New Hampshire on the eve of the nation’s first primary there. We speak with three Princeton University students who are campaigning for different Democratic candidates and the teacher who brought them there.

January 04, 2008: Obama, Huckabee Score Victories in Iowa Caucus
Senator Barack Obama and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee have won the Iowa caucuses, the first of the 2008 campaign. Obama won 37 percent of the delegate support in the Democratic caucus easily beating his top rivals. He is the first African American presidential candidate to ever win in Iowa, a state that is 95 percent white.

January 04, 2008: After Iowa: A Roundtable Discussion on the Democratic Race with Danny Glover, Wayne Ford and Ellen Chesler
Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards placed ahead of Sen. Hillary Clinton just months after polls showed Clinton enjoying a wide lead. We host a roundtable discussion with supporters of each of the three frontrunners.

January 04, 2008: Peace Activists Take Action to Keep Focus on War During Presidential Campaign
Over a dozen antiwar activists were arrested this week at the Iowa offices of Mike Huckabee, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. The protests were part of a campaign called Seasons of Discontent: A Presidential Occupation Project.

January 03, 2008: Vote for Change? Atrocity-Linked U.S. Officials Advising Democratic, GOP Presidential Frontrunners
Independent journalist Allan Nairn and American Conservative correspondent Kelley Beaucar Vlahos discuss a little-addressed facet of the 2008 campaign: many of the top advisers to leading presidential candidates are ex-U.S. officials involved in atrocities around the world.

January 02, 2008: Community Activists in Des Moines Speak Out on Thursday’s Iowa Caucus
Hugh Espey and Robin Ghormley of the Citizens for Community Improvement and Deepak Bhargava, executive director of Center for Community Change, discuss Thursday’s caucus.

January 02, 2008: Robert Parry: Hillary Clinton Signals Free Pass for Bush
“Former President Bill Clinton’s comment that his wife’s ‘first thing’ as President would be to send him and former President George H.W. Bush on a worldwide fence-mending tour has a political subtext,” reports investigative journalist Robert Parry. “It signals that a second Clinton administration would give a free pass to the second Bush administration on its abuses.”

December 20, 2007: Mike Huckabee Equates Environmentalism with Pornography
David Corn of Mother Jones discusses Huckabee’s past writings and why the former Baptist minister’s sermons are being kept secret. In 1998, Huckabee wrote: “Abortion, environmentalism, AIDS, pornography, drug abuse, and homosexual activism have fragmented and polarized our communities.”

December 20, 2007: ‘He Should Have Known’–Mother of Woman Murdered by Rapist Says Huckabee Should Not Have Ordered His Release from Jail
We speak with Lois Davidson. Her daughter Carol Sue Shields was murdered by Wayne Dumond in 2000 after he was released by Mike Huckabee. As governor of Arkansas, Huckabee aggressively pushed for the early release of Dumond, a convicted rapist, in 1999.

December 17, 2007: Harvey Wasserman on New Ohio Voting Report: ‘The 2004 Election Was Stolen… Finally We Have Irrefutable Confirmation’
Ohio’s top election official, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, announced Friday that the voting systems that decided the 2004 election in Ohio were rife with “critical security failures.” We speak with Harvey Wasserman, author of “What Happened in Ohio: A Documentary Record of Theft and Fraud in the 2004 Election.”

December 14, 2007: Richardson Admits Errors in Wen Ho Lee Case Contradicting Earlier Stance
The final Democratic Presidential debate of the year was held in Iowa on Thursday. We play highlights of the debate, including Governor Bill Richardson’s admission that he made some mistakes in the handling of the case of Wen Ho Lee while serving as President Clinton’s energy secretary. Lee is the nuclear scientist who was falsely accused by the Clinton administration of spying for the Chinese government.

December 10, 2007: What is Blackwater’s Role in the 2008 Presidential Race?
Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney cited Cofer Black, the former head of Counterterrorism at the CIA, as his advisor on issues involving prisoner interrogation during a recent presidential debate. Black is now the vice chairman on private military firm, Blackwater.

December 06, 2007: James Ridgeway on the 2008 Democratic Contenders
With the Iowa Caucus less than a month away, James Ridgeway, co-author of The Contenders, discusses “the two John Edwardses,” Governor Bill Richardson’s “run” for the vice presidency and Sen. Chris Dodd’s ties to the banking industry.

November 30, 2007: Giuliani, Romney Clash Over Immigration at GOP Debate
Immigration was the key issue at Wednesday night’s Republican debate hosted by CNN and YouTube. Republican presidential hopefuls sparred over sanctuary cities, driver’s licenses, border security and education. We play an excerpt of the debate.

November 29, 2007: Romney, McCain Spar on Waterboarding and Torture at GOP Debate
At the Republican debate hosted by CNN and YouTube Wednesday night, Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain were asked about waterboarding and torture.

November 15, 2007: Indictment, Lawsuit Cloud Presidential Hopes of Ex-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani
With the Iowa caucuses 50 days away, more questions about Giuliani’s past have emerged in recent days that could threaten his candidacy. On Friday, his personal friend and business partner Bernard Kerik was indicted on 16 counts of federal corruption charges, including bribery and tax fraud.

November 09, 2007: Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Effort to Impeach Vice President Cheney Still Alive
On Tuesday, Dennis Kucinich nearly forced the full House to vote on his measure to impeach Cheney. House Resolution 333 accuses Cheney of deliberately manipulating intelligence and deceiving the public to build support for the invasion of Iraq and now towards a possible attack on Iran. We also speak with him on his presidential bid.

November 02, 2007: Latino Support for GOP Drops Amidst Increasing Hysteria Over Immigration
Although immigration is not yet a major campaign issue, it is one that presidential hopefuls cannot afford to ignore. At fifteen percent of the population, Latinos form the largest non-white community in the United States, and Latino voters are an increasingly important constituency.

September 13, 2007: The Race for 2008: A Look at the Presidential Playing Field
Presidential hopefuls have participated in more than a dozen debates so far–and the primaries are still over four months away. What does the presidential playing field look like right now? Where do candidates from both sides of the aisle stand? And what is the current political landscape?

August 08, 2007: AFL-CIO Host Democratic Presidential Debate in Chicago
The longest and sharpest argument came over foreign policy and Senator Barack Obama’s comments last week that he would be willing to attack areas in Pakistan with or without approval of the Pakistani government.

July 09, 2007: Ralph Nader on the Candidates, Corporate Power and His Own Plans for 2008
Today, we spend the hour with consumer advocate, corporate critic, and three-time (will it be more?) presidential candidate Ralph Nader.

June 28, 2007: Tavis Smiley to Moderate First Presidential Debate to Feature Panel Consisting Entirely of Journalists of Color
Television and radio host Tavis Smiley is set to host the third presidential debate tonight between Democratic candidates. They will be questioned for the first time by a panel made up entirely of journalists of color.

June 28, 2007: Renowned Princeton Professor Cornel West Assesses the Democratic Presidential Field
Cornel West, the renowned professor of religion and African American studies at Princeton University, joins us to give his assessment of the Democratic presidential field.

June 27, 2007: In Blow to Campaign Finance Reform, Supreme Court Throws Out Restrictions on Special Interest Campaign Ads
The Supreme Court has thrown out part of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law that placed restrictions on corporations and unions from buying television ads close to elections.

June 25, 2007: Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson Slams His Friend Mitt Romney for “Flip-Flopping” on Abortion, Stem Cell Research, Torture in Attempt to Win GOP Presidential Nomination
Anderson and Romney became “great friends” after they closely worked together on the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They have campaigned for each other, despite their party difference, but now Anderson says Mitt Romney’s support for the Iraq war, torture and the doubling of the size of Guantanamo is “unconscionable.”

May 31, 2007: The Nation: Clinton Campaign Strategists Closely Tied to Union Busters, GOP Operatives, Conservative Media
A new expose in The Nation magazine finds that while Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is publicly trying to win support of unions in her presidential campaign, behind the scenes she is being advised by a team of strategists closely affiliated with unionbusters, GOP operatives and conservative media.

May 23, 2007: Leading GOP Candidate Romney Taps Blackwater’s Cofer Black as Campaign Adviser
Leading Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has tapped Blackwater executive Cofer Black as a senior campaign advisor. Romney has called for a doubling of the US prison camp at Guantanamo.

March 28, 2007: ‘This Isn’t American Idol, We’re Choosing the President of the United States’–Kucinich on Corporate Media Campaign Coverage
ep. Dennis Kucinich (D–OH) was one of eight Congressmembers to vote against the House war-spending bill last week that set a timetable for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. We go to Capitol Hill to speak with Kucinich about the bill, why he thinks impeachment “should be on the table,” the corporate media’s coverage of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination and more.

March 02, 2007: Gen. Wesley Clark Weighs Presidential Bid: “I Think About It Everyday’
We spend the hour with General Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general. He was the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO during the Kosovo War. In 2004 he unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic presidential nomination.

March 01, 2007: New York Times Columnist Bob Herbert on Al Sharpton’s Ancestral Link to Strom Thurmond, Sean Bell, and the Clinton-Obama Race
New York Times columnist Bob Herbert joins us in our firehouse studio. He is the author of “Promises Betrayed: Waking Up from the American Dream,” a collection of his columns from 1995 to 2004.

February 13, 2007: Sen. Hillary Clinton Refuses to Acknowledge Making Mistake Over Voting for Iraq War & Says No Options Should Be Taken Off The Table on Iran
At a town hall meeting in New Hampshire resident Roger Tilton asked Clinton: “I want to know if right here, right now, once and for all and without nuance, you can say that war authorization was a mistake.”

February 06, 2007: Two Longtime Chicago Journalists On The Rise of Sen. Barack Obama
Chicago Sun-Times Washington bureau chief Lynn Sweet and Salim Muwakkil, senior editor of In These Times, discuss how Obama rose from a community organizer in Illinois to a state legislator to a Senator to a presidential candidate.

February 05, 2007: Ralph Nader on Why He Might Run In 2008, the Iraq War & the New Documentary ‘An Unreasonable Man’
Consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader says he will decide later this year whether to run for president in 2008. Today he also looks back at his childhood and his new book “Seventeen Traditions.”

January 03, 2007: As Rudy Giuliani’s Secret Presidential Campaign Plan is Revealed, A Look At His Run for the White House & the Untold Story of Giuliani and 9/11
Journalist Wayne Barrett, author of “Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11,” and filmmaker Kevin Keating (“Giuliani Time”) discuss Giuliani’s run for president and his handling of the 9/11 attacks.

July 15, 2004: Barack Obama: A Look at the 2004 DNC Keynote Speaker Who Could Become One of the Only Black Senators in U.S. History
Illinois State senator and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Barack Obama, was chosen to deliver the keynote address at this year’s Democratic National Convention in Boston. Obama currently faces no known opponent in the November election and if elected he would become only the fifth black senator in U.S. history. We take an in-depth look at Obama with longtime Chicago columnist Salim Muwakkil