Stories tagged "region north america"

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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Ater the presents are opened and the Christmas parties are over, take a moment to think about restoring homes back to order. But before stuffing the wrapping paper into a trash bag, or tossing your Christmas tree to the curb, listen to Meaghan O’Neill, the founder and editor of Treehugger.com, for suggestion to green up our Christmas cleanup.

Read Meaghan's 10 tips for recovering from holiday clutter.

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Brett Favre made big news last spring when he bid a tearful farewell to his 17-season football career. By summer he'd made news once more when he signed with the New York Jets. To make room for Favre, the Jets jettisoned quarterback Chad Pennington, who now plays for the Miami Dolphins. This is a move that could haunt the Jets for years to come and one that could break Favre's legacy — while making Chad Pennington's. This Sunday, the Jets play the Dolphins. Our own Jay Cowit previews the showdown.

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As the Obama administration takes hold of the White House in 2009, which economic levers might it pull? And when might we see signs those changes are working?

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Treasury and the Fed said they would be open about where the taxpayers' trillions of dollars are going. But two months into the bailout, we still don't know important details about the government's agreements with financial institutions. Newsweek's Daniel Gross tells The Takeaway what information is being kept under wraps, and why it matters.

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Seattle native Carla Saulter doesn't have a car, and her city doesn't have a subway, so she gets everywhere by bus. She says it's changed her life--for the better. Carla has become a transit advocate and writes the "Bus Chick" blog for The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. She joins The Takeaway to tell us how she's getting around in Seattle.

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Advocates for everything from healthier school lunches to more humane treatment of farm animals to sustainable agriculture see an ally in the future President, but so far there's not much evidence that Obama himself is interested in reforming the U.S. food system. Kim Severson of The New York Times joins The Takeaway to talk about what foodies want from the new administration.

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