Senate Committee Votes on Health Care
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13 Democrats and 1 Republican on the Senate Finance Committee voted to approve a health care overhaul bill today. Before the vote we spoke with Congressional Correspondent Gail Chaddock of the Christian Science Monitor.
‘Republican Gomorrah’
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Journalist Max Blumenthal spent six years covering the radical right, we speak with him about his new book “Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party.” Blumenthal is also senior writer for The Daily Beast.
Children and Swine Flu
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Doctors are warning parents to be on the lookout for signs that swine flu has taken a deadly turn. While experts say H1N1 is no more dangerous than seasonal flu, children seem to be catching it more easily. And the flu can become deadly when it causes pneumonia or other respiratory infections. Dr. William Schaffner of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine tells us what symptoms to look for and explains why the flu can turn deadly.
Five Farms, Part Two
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Our week long series “Five Farms” continues with a visit to the 106 acre hog farm run by Eddie and Dorothy Wise in Nash County, North Carolina. Eddie Wise is a fourth generation African-American farmer and he and his wife are trying to figure out how to entice one of their three children to take up the operation when Eddie is no longer able to work. It’s a challenge that’s especially wrenching for African-Americans, and so far Eddie’s only son won’t say for sure if he’ll leave his job in the city to raise hogs. Our producer is John Biewen.
On Broadway

Actors Daniel Craig, left, and Hugh Jackman take their bows at the curtain call for the Broadway opening performance of 'A Steady Rain', Sept. 29. (AP)
Here and Now’s Critic-At-Large, Ed Siegel is just back from the Great White Way and he fills us in on three of this season’s most talk ed about Broadway productions – “Hamlet” with Jude Law,” “A Steady Rain” with Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman and “Superior Donuts,” a new comedy from Tony Award winning playwright, Tracy Letts.











A HUGE thank you to Robin Young for having Max Blumenthal on, even if briefly! He confirmed a personal hunch about the new Republican right that I’ve wondered about for many years. This is an issue very close to my heart, after having grown up with adults who are SO DECIDEDLY Republican– or Democrat!
Posted by Morgan Zazow, on October 13th, 2009 at 12:53 pmFunny that Lyndon Larouche is tagged with being from the “far right” yet he ran for president as a Democrat and U.S. Labor Party…hardly “far right” organizations.
Posted by Jon, on October 13th, 2009 at 1:17 pmThank you so much for having Max Blumenthal on your program. I lived in Colorado Springs for 5 1/2 years and am very aware of Dr. James Dobson. The community is dominated by folks of a like mind to Dr. Dobson. For example, when I lived there we were not allowed to watch NYPD Blue because they didn’t deem it appropriate (all because of that naken butt scene). I was also active in the Middle School Sex Ed program and as a result attended a school board meeting to show my support of keeping the sex ed program. The meeting was dominated by these good Christians from Focus on the Family and Colorado for Family Values. We were called names and threatened. When we, the supporters of sex ed, left the meeting it was like walking a gauntlet with those opposed to sex ed on both sides of the hallway as we walked out. I was also a member of Citizen’s Project and attended a general meeting where those from Focus actually stood outside with video cameras and taped us going in and attending the meeting. I thought you might be interested in hearing what someone who has actually faced this group’s wrath has gone through. By the way, I came back to San Diego and became a registered Democrat.
Posted by Maura, on October 15th, 2009 at 2:41 pmKudos to Mr. Blumenthal. I have a copy of his eye-opening book, which should be required reading at all Focus on the Family meetings. (LOL)
The “death rattle” of the far right of the Republican party? For everyone’s sake, I hope so. These charlatans have had their day infecting America’s body politic for the past three decades. Someone hand out the innoculations … and copies of Republican Gommorah.
Posted by Bruce, on October 24th, 2009 at 9:11 pm