Stories tagged "region north america"

Confirmation hearings for the Obama Cabinet begin today with former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who is up for secretary of Health and Human Services, first to face the congressional firing squad. Daschle is likely to be confirmed, but how will the new administration make health care reform a priority as the economic crisis persists? Len Nichols, director of the Health Policy Program at the New America Foundation, joins The Takeaway with some insight.

Join the discussion here and on change.gov.

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Former Illinois Attorney General and U.S. Senate appointee Roland Burris certainly is accumulating a lot of frequent flyer miles these days. After heading to Washington only to be turned away from the Senate by Democratic leaders, he’ll be back in Illinois today testifying before the state house committee that is considering the impeachment of Governor Rod Blagojevich. Committee members say their decision on impeachment could come as early as today. We are joined by Amanda Vinicky, the statehouse reporter for Illinois Public Radio.

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The new Congress is in session, and do we have change we can believe in? Not so much. Todd Zwillich, reporter for Capitol News Connection, says its the usual bickering and partisan sniping, slightly enlivened by the question of whether or not Roland Burris, appointed to the Senate by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, will be seated.

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Today one of the biggest power lunches of the year will take place in the Oval Office. President Bush, President-elect Barack Obama, and former Presidents Clinton, Carter and George H.W. Bush will all gather for a private midday meal. For a look at what it takes to cater to their presidential palates, The Takeaway turns to Chef Roland Mesnier. For 25 years he was the Executive Pastry Chef at the White House.

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President-elect Obama kicked off the week on Capitol Hill, pitching his economic stimulus plan. It’s a plan that leading Democrats are eager to have signed first thing on January 20th. To jump-start the stimulus debate, House Democrats are holding a number of informal hearings, starting today. Mark Zandi, Chief Economist for Moody’s, will be among the many experts who are testifying today. He joins us now for a preview of what he will say on the Hill.

For more on Mark Zandi's take on the economic crisis, buy his book Financial Shock: A 360º Look at the Subprime Mortgage Implosion, and How to Avoid the Next Financial Crisis.

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President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to present a stimulus package to the country. Yesterday he warned the nation that between the bailout plans and the stimulus packages, it is likely we could see a multi-trillion dollar deficit. Today the Congressional Budget Office is set to release it’s latest budget estimates. To go over the numbers, The Takeaway is joined from Washington, D.C. by New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny.

If you want more on this topic, read Jeff Zeleny's article Obama Warns Trillion-Dollar Deficit Potential in the New York Times.

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Roland Burris, the would-be or could-be junior Senator from Illinois, makes his Washington, D.C. debut today. It’ll be an uphill battle for Burris who is facing a lot of resistance from Democratic Senate leaders who are arguing that Burris’ appointment to the Senate is tainted because he was hand picked by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Blagojevich has been accused by federal authorities of offering to sell the vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. For a preview of this power struggle on the Hill we turn to Clarence Page. Mr. Page is a syndicated columnist for the Chicago Tribune. He’s on the line from Washington, D.C.

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President-elect Obama has named Leon Panetta, a former congressman and Chief of Staff to President Clinton, to run the CIA. It’s a controversial choice because Panetta is not an intelligence professional, but supporters say he will bring an outsider’s perspective and an understanding of how to run a massive federal agency to the job. New York Times reporter Mark Mazzetti joins The Takeaway with a look at Panetta's history and confirmation prospects.

For more about Leon Panetta, read Mark Mazzetti's article, Panetta Chosen as C.I.A. Chief in Surprise Step, in today's New York Times.

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Governor Tim Kaine will become chair of the Democratic National Committee when Howard Dean steps down later this month. Kaine's an energetic, gregarious leader who threw his support behind President-elect Obama. Anita Kumar, a staff writer for the Washington Post who covers Virginia state government joins The Takeaway to provide some insight into a local leader stepping up to the national stage.

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In 2003, the Columbia space shuttle disintegrated in the skies above Texas. All seven astronauts were lost. A 400-page NASA report released yesterday investigates the equipment failures during the final moments aboard the shuttle. New York Times science journalist John Schwartz joins The Takeaway to discuss.

For more John Schwartz, read his article in today's New York Times. He also has an article covering the future of NASA.

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Yesterday embattled Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich defied expectations and appointed a respected senior statesman in Illinois politics to fill the Senate seat of President-elect Barack Obama. Roland Burris was the first African-American to be elected to statewide office in Illinois and he has served as both comptroller and attorney general in that state. Amanda Vinicky, Statehouse Reporter for Illinois Public Radio, joins The Takeaway with an assessment of this latest development in the unfolding Blagojevich scandal.

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Most pharmaceutical drugs only work for about half the people who take them. Why? Because our DNA can inhibit them from functioning in our bodies. But personalized medicine -- in which each person's individual genes are matched with appropriate pharmaceuticals -- might offer a solution. Joining The Takeaway to explain more is Andrew Pollack, a reporter for the New York Times and author of today's front page story on the topic.

For more on this fascinating subject, read Andrew Pollack's article.

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These are dark days for credit card companies--people are buying less on credit and having trouble paying their bills. Bad times for them may be good times for struggling borrowers, though, since credit card companies are increasingly willing to negotiate payment terms. Rozanne Andersen, Executive Vice President of ACA International, a professional association for collection agencies, joins The Takeaway to explain.

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Retailers were not supposed to begin filing for bankruptcy until after January 1. But it seems the fallout from poor holiday sales has already begun. On Monday, the Parent Company became the first well-known retailer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after Christmas. New York Times reporter Stephanie Rosenbloom joins The Takeaway with the details.

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The auto industry's troubles are threatening the well-being of African-Americans more than any other racial or ethnic group. New York Times contributor Mary Chapman joins The Takeaway with a look at how car manufacturing job losses are affecting the black community.

Want more? Check out Mary Chapman's article in The New York Times.

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Ever since Hurricane Katrina pounded the Gulf Coast, the news coming out of New Orleans has been grim. The crumbling infrastructure, rising crime, and a housing crisis exacerbated by contaminated FEMA trailers are among the familiar gloom and doom dispatches. But in the last few weeks the story coming out of the Big Easy has been remarkably sunnier. Thanks to Prospect.1, the largest biennial of international art ever, New Orleans is being seen as a vital city with an unparalleled artists’ community. The biennial lasts through January 18th. For a look at how Prospect.1 has transformed New Orleans we are joined by Lolis Eric Elie, the metro columnist for the Times Picayune.

For more information check out Prospect.1's website.

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Happy days are here again for a group of former senior government officials who were involved in the savings and loan bailout of the 1990s. Now they are lawyers, investors, and lobbyists perfectly positioned to profit from the $700 billion being handed out by the U.S. Treasury Department. Eric Lipton of the New York Times gives The Takeaway his analysis.

Want more information? Check out Eric Lipton's article in the New York Times.

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The legendary singer and dancer, Eartha Kitt, passed away yesterday. Famous for her on-stage growls and purrs, Orson Wells called her "the most exciting woman alive." She left an indelible mark on generations with her portrayals Helen of Troy in Faust, Catwoman on Batman, and her iconic Christmas song, Santa Baby.


There's more of Eartha Kitt in our Amazon.com store

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During the holidays, weather problems have stranded passengers throughout the nation. But what does future travel have in store for passengers? To tell us about what 2009 may bring is Barbara Peterson, the senior aviation correspondent for Conde Nast Traveller.

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Does a pragmatic Barack Obama mean that he won't challenge the status quo and make real change? For a look the next year, we turn to Christopher Hayes, the Washington editor for The Nation and fellow at The New America Foundation.

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