Blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng's daring escape from house arrest late last month set off a round of diplomatic tug-of-war between Chinese and American officials attempting to conduct high level strategic talks. After at first agreeing to stay in China, Chen changed his mind, publicly declaring his desire to leave the country last week. Details of Chen’s travels to the U.S. have not been finalized, but behind the scenes, intense negotiations and preparations continue. Jerome Cohen has been working to help make arrangements for Chen to travel to the US to study at NYU, and has been in touch with Chen regularly.

In the summer of 2009, Van Jones, special adviser on the environment and green jobs to President Obama, faced a media firestorm. It was fueled by investigations into his past. Jones, a committed environmental activist and civil rights attorney, resigned the following September. "On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me. They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide," he said at the time. Since Jones resigned over two years ago, President Obama has faced mounting criticism from environmental activists, while contenders for the GOP nomination claim that the president is too extreme in his efforts to protect the environment.

President Obama’s role in the debt ceiling compromise is prompting howls of criticism and scorn from some Americans, especially those on the left. They’re complaining that the president sold out to Republicans, who are crowing about their victory. Jim Warren, columnist for Chicago News Cooperative and our partner The New York Times, and national correspondent for The Atlantic, has a simple message for the president’s critics: get over it. Warren argues that since his days as a community organizer, Obama has always favored pragmatic deal-making over partisan point-scoring.

This spring, we’re having discussions some of America’s most fascinating elder statesmen: older Americans who are long past retirement age, but who are nonetheless still working to change how we live and work in this country. We’re calling this series “In My Experience.” Today, our guest is screenwriter, novelist, essayist, playwright, and gay rights activist, Larry Kramer. The Broadway revival of his 1985 critically acclaimed play “The Normal Heart,” opened this week.

We’re kicking off a new series of discussions on The Takeaway called "In My Experience." We'll be talking with older Americans who are long past retirement age, yet are nonetheless still looking to change how we live and work in this country. Philosopher and civil rights reformer Grace Lee Boggs joins us for the inaugural edition.

"I love that Detroit is one of the few cities in America that is thinking critically and rethinking what a city is and can be. You'll find some of the most amazing thinkers and people in the world right here in Detroit redefining what the word 'city' means."
 - Brian, Takeaway listener in Detroit, Mich.

We’ve gotten scores of responses to our question: What makes Detroit a great city? Listeners cite a strong work ethic, great arts institutions and yummy restaurants. And so we’re taking a closer look at one neighborhood that embodies the complexity of a city that struggles with poverty and unemployment, yet is alive with a cultural heritage that its citizens embrace and celebrate: Southwest Detroit's Mexicantown.

Noam Chomsky, a linguistics professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology whose own political activisim has intersected with that of historian Howard Zinn, speaks to us on Zinn's final critique of President Obama.