Nader’s Running Mate Matt Gonzalez on the Dems, the War and the Strategy for November
16 Apr 2008
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. [includes rush transcript]

Law Professor Lawrence Lessig on Net Neutrality, the Rise of Google and His “Change Congress” Project to Take on Corruption in Washington
16 Apr 2008
Renowned Stanford law professor Lawrence Lessig is one of the world’s leading figures in the field of cyberlaw. He joins us for a conversation about today’s FCC hearing on net neutrality; Creative Commons; the rise of Google and its efforts to influence public policy; and Change Congress, his most recent project to take on corruption in Washington.

ABC News Coming Under Criticism for Focus of Obama, Clinton Debate
16 Apr 2008
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. [includes rush transcript]

Headlines for April 17, 2008
16 Apr 2008
20 Palestinians & 3 Israelis Killed in Gaza, Israeli Troops Kill Reuters Cameraman, ABC Criticized Over Handling of Democratic Debate, US Military Releases AP Photographer Held for Two Years In Iraq, Supreme Court Upholds Lethal Injections, Pope Expresses Deep Shame Over Sexual Abuse Scandal, Pope Calls for Fair Treatment of Immigrants in the US, 400 Detained in Immigration Raids, Groups Call for Rice to Resign Over Role in Approving Torture, ACLU Uncovers New Details on US Torture in Afghanistan, Mistrial Declared Again in Miami Terror Case, House Passes International Debt Relief Act, Bush Sets 2025 Goal to Stop Emissions Growth, Three Arrested in Anti-Coal Plant Protest in Virginia, Report: Netanyahu Says 9/11 Has Been Good for Israel, Nigeria Releases US Filmmakers, Tim Robbins Slams State of Broadcasting at NAB Meeting

Stuffed and Starved: As Food Riots Break Out Across the Globe, Part II of Raj Patel on ?The Hidden Battle for the World Food System?
15 Apr 2008
The rise in global food prices has sparked a number of protests in recent weeks, highlighting the threat of worsening already dire levels of global hunger. The World Bank estimates world food prices have risen 80 percent over the past three years and that at least 33 countries face social unrest as a result. The World Food Program has issued a rare $500 million-dollar emergency appeal to deal with the growing crisis. We go to Part II of our conversation with Raj Patel, author of ?Stuffed and Starved: the Hidden Battle for the World Food System.?

Egypt Opposition Leaders Sentenced in Military Court
15 Apr 2008
In Egypt, 25 members of the opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, were sentenced to jail by a military court on Tuesday. Among those sentenced was the group’s second most senior member. In the weeks ahead of Egypt’s municipal vote earlier this month, hundreds of members of the group were arrested. The verdicts come on the heels of food riots in Egypt in response to sky-rocketing prices for food staples such as bread, rice, pasta. We speak with Hossam el-Hamalawy, an Egyptian journalist, blogger and activist.

Maoist Rebels Win Majority in Nepalese Assembly
15 Apr 2008
Maoist rebels in Nepal say an end to monarchy is near following their surprise victory in last week’s national elections. The Communist Party of Nepal is expected to come out with more than half the seats in the Constituent Assembly when final results are released. Maoist officials say one of their first orders of business will be to abolish the monarchy and declare a republic. We speak with New York-based journalist, Kashish Das Shrestha and we go to Nepal to speak with anthropologist, Mary Des Chenes.

Headlines for April 16, 2008
15 Apr 2008
70 Die in Iraq; Bus Bombing Kills 40 in Baquba, Report: Sadr Movement Largest Humanitarian Organization in Iraq, Home Foreclosure Filings Surge 57 Percent, Senate Foreclosure Bill Includes Corporate Tax Breaks, Poll: 70% Disapprove of Bush’s Handling of Economic Crisis, Warning Issued about Chemical Used in Plastic Baby Bottles, Pope Benedict Vows to Kick Pedophiles Out of Church, Report: Sea Levels Could Ride Five Feet by 2100, Bush to Endorse “Intermediate Goal” for Cutting Greenhouse Gases, Gov’t Obtains Phone Records of NYT Reporter, Carter: Engage Hamas & Syria in Peace Talks, Jewish Liberals Form Lobbying Group to Counter AIPAC, Amnesty: U.S. Remains One of World’s Top Executioners

Thousands of Children Pack Seattle Arena to Hear Dalai Lama
14 Apr 2008
The Dalai Lama addressed 15,000 children at the Key Arena in Seattle on Monday. We hear from three of them reflecting on the Tibetan spiritual leader’s message.

Portland Considered Most Bicycle-Friendly City in North America
14 Apr 2008
For many, Portland is a haven of green-friendly urban planning. It recently topped Popular Science’s list of the Greenest Cities in the United States. A big part of that is bikes. Portland is widely considered the most bicycle-friendly city in North America, so much so that bikes are on display throughout the Portland airport. Worldwide, it’s seen as only second to Amsterdam. We speak with two local Portland transportation activists. [includes rush transcript]

Torture and Democracy, Part II: Scholar Darius Rejali Details the History and Scope of Modern Torture
14 Apr 2008
As the ACLU calls on Congress to appoint an independent prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration’s approval of torture, we speak with Darius Rejali, a renowned expert on the history and politics of torture. He is professor of political science at Reed College and author of a new book called Torture and Democracy. [includes rush transcript]

Lawmakers Hold Tax Day Press Conference on Cost of Iraq War
14 Apr 2008
On Capitol Hill, several Democratic lawmakers are holding a Tax Day press conference this morning on the cost of the Iraq war. They will present taxpayers with a bill that shows how much each American family owes for the Iraq War. We speak with Illinois Representative Jan Schakowsky. [includes rush transcript]

War Tax Resistance: How a Portland Couple Have Refused to Pay Taxes for Over 30 Years to Protest Military Funding
14 Apr 2008
Today is April 15th, Tax Day, a day when tens of millions of Americans scramble to file their income taxes on time. It’s also a day when people across the country are planning to protest the use of tax dollars to fund war. A recent study shows that more than 40 percent of every income tax dollar in 2007 went towards military spending. We speak with Pat and John Schwiebert, a Portland couple who have refused to pay their taxes for the past thirty years to protest military spending. [includes rush transcript]

Headlines for April 15, 2008
14 Apr 2008
Ban Ki-moon: Global Food Crisis Reaches Emergency Proportions, Food Protests Start in Bangladesh and South Africa, US Food Inflation at Highest Level in 17 Years, US Military to Release AP Photographer After Two Years, Kidnapped CBS Journalist Released in Iraq, Clinton & McCain Accuse Obama of Being “Elitist”, GOP Congressman Describes Obama as a “Boy”, Delta and Northwest Airlines to Merge, Israel Blocks Jimmy Carter from Entering Gaza, Berlusconi Wins Italian Election, Maoist Rebels Win Majority in Nepalese Assembly, Opposition in Zimbabwe Calls for General Strike, Pope Benedict XVI Begins US Trip, Four US Journalists Arrested in Niger Delta

Forty Years After Founding Seattle Black Panther Chapter, Aaron Dixon Still at Forefront of Struggle for Racial Equality
13 Apr 2008
Forty years ago this month, the Black Panther Party formed one of its first chapters outside of its Oakland headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Aaron Dixon was just 19 at the time and he became the captain of the Seattle chapter for its first four years. Today, Dixon is a well-known community and civil rights activist. Dixon joins us as we broadcast from Seattle for a conversation on the struggle for racial equality then and now.

Did Burger King Target and Spy on Tomato Pickers Rights Groups?
13 Apr 2008
In Florida, groups organizing for tomato pickers’ rights say they might have been spied on and vilified online by the fast-food conglomerate Burger King. The Fort Myers News-Press traced threatening emails directed at the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and the Student/Farmworker Alliance to Burger King’s corporate headquarters in Miami, Florida. We speak with the reporter who broke the story and with the coordinator of the Student/Farmworker Alliance who says he received a call from the owner of a private security company posing as a student. [includes rush transcript]

Black Ops on Green Groups: Private Security Firm Run by Fmr. Secret Service Officers Spied on Environmental Orgs for Corporate Clients
13 Apr 2008
A private security firm spied on Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and several other environmental organizations, from the late 1990s until at least the year 2000, according a new investigation by Mother Jones magazine. The security firm was run by former Secret Service officers who infiltrated environmental groups, collected their phone records and confidential internal documents, and even went through their trash. The information was then passed on to public relations firms and corporations involved in environmental controversies. We speak with the rporter who broke the story, James Ridgeway.

Headlines for April 14, 2008
13 Apr 2008
Iraq Fighting Worsens With Killing of Top Sadr Aide, Iraq Dismisses 1,300 Troops Over Basra Desertion, U.S. Suffers Deadliest Week of 2008, Bush Admin: Iran Poses ?Primary Threat? to Iraq, Iraq OKs 35 Firms for Oil Bids, Bush Admits Knowledge of White House Meetings on Interrogation Techniques, Group: U.S. Military Prisoners Sent to Unfair Trials in Afghanistan, Venezuelans Mark 6th Anniversary of U.S.-Backed Coup, Venezuela to Send Food Aid to Haiti, Haiti Announces Rice Subsidy as P.M. Removed, World Bank Launches Emergency Food Plan, Cuba Eases Restrictions on Wages, Home Ownership, 2 Women Journalists Slain in Oaxaca, Dalai Lama: Protest, But Don?t Boycott, Beijing Olympics, 14 Palestinians Killed in Week of Israeli Attacks, Outgoing HUD Secretary Accused of Ignoring Housing Crisis, 2007 Record Year for Lobbying in U.S., Admin Rejects Congressional Challenge to Satellite Surveillance, Jailed Professor Sami-al-Arian Moved to Solitary Confinement Days Before Scheduled Release

V to the Tenth: Thousands of Women Gather in New Orleans for 10th Anniversary of Global Movement to Combat Violence Against Women
10 Apr 2008
Democracy Now! broadcasts from New Orleans where thousands of women are gathering to celebrate the 10th anniversary of V-Day, the global movement to combat sexual violence against women and children. V-Day began a decade ago when playwright and activist Eve Ensler held the first benefit performance of her award-winning play, The Vagina Monologues. This weekend, Ensler is organizing a two day celebration at the Superdome called V to the Tenth. Its focus is on helping the women of New Orleans and the Gulf South. We speak with activists from New Orleans, Kenya and Iraq.

Headlines for April 11, 2008
10 Apr 2008
Bush Pauses Iraq Troop Withdrawals, 10 Killed in US Attacks on Sadr City, AP Photographer Remains Imprisoned Despite Iraqi Release Order, ACLU Calls for Probe of Admin Torture Talks, World Bank Warns of Food Price Crisis, Israeli Tanks Enter Gaza as Fuel Shipments Halted, Report: Ex-Secret Service Agents’ Firm Spied on Environmentalists, CIA Kidnap, Torture Victim Takes Case to Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

Report: 40 Years After King, Little Progress in Closing Economic Inequality Gap Between African Americans and Whites
9 Apr 2008
In the late 1960?s, Dr. Martin Luther King recognized that the next phase in the quest for civil rights and equality would focus on the economic divide. A new report from the Institute for Policy Studies titled, ?40 Years Later: The Unrealized American Dream? lays out key elements of the inequality that African-Americans still experience in the United States around education, employment and wealth accumulation. We speak with the co-author of the report, Dedrick Muhammad.

Justice Department Increasingly Avoiding Corporate Prosecutions
9 Apr 2008
The Justice Department has put off prosecuting more than fifty companies suspected of wrongdoing over the last three years. The decline in prosecutions is seen as a deliberate and dramatic shift in policy. While the news reported in a front-page article in the New York Times surprised many, the Justice Department’s use of so called “deferred prosecution agreements” is nothing new. Back in 2005, a report released by the Corporate Crime Reporter profiled dozens of these cases and warned against their use. We speak with Russell Mokhiber, editor of the Corporate Crime Reporter.

China’s Great Leap: Human Rights Watch on the Beijing Games and Olympian Human Rights Challenges
9 Apr 2008
Thousands of protesters turned out in San Francisco to protest the Olympic torch relay and this year’s Beijing Games. Similar protests condemning China”s human rights abuses have attempted to disrupt the torch along its earlier stops in Athens, Istanbul, Paris, and London. We speak with Human RIghts Watch’s Minky Worden, who is editor of a new book, “China’s Great Leap: The Beijing Games and Olympian Human Rights Challenges.”

Telecom Whistleblower Discovers Circuit that Allows Access to All Systems on Wireless Carrier—Phone Calls, Text Messages, Emails and More
9 Apr 2008
Babak Pasdar is a computer security expert who was hired in 2003 to help restructure the tech infrastructure at a major wireless telecommunications company. What he found shocked him. The company had set up a system that gave a third party, presumably a governmental entity, access to every communication coming through that company’s infrastructure. This means every email, internet use, document transmission, video, text message, as well as the ability to listen to and record any phone call. [includes rush transcript]

Headlines for April 10, 2008
9 Apr 2008
Report: Top Admin Officials Approved Assault, Waterboarding of CIA Prisoners, 4 Killed in U.S. Attack on Sadr City, Baghdad Under Curfew on 5th Anniversary of U.S. Seizure, Iraqi Judiciary Calls for Release of Bilal Hussein from U.S. Military Jail, Dems Seek Delay of Colombia Trade Pact, Fighting Renews in Gaza, Jimmy Carter to Meet Exiled Hamas Leader, Haiti Food Protests Enter 2nd Week, IMF: U.S. Mortgage Crisis Worse Shock Since Great Depression, Clinton, Wal-Mart Founder Trade Praise in 1991 Video, Lawmakers Urge Probe of Alleged Cover-up on Halloween Photos