The oil damaged shoreline in the Northern reaches of Barataria Bay, La. (AP)
A Look At The Week In Oil: Oval Office Address, Escrow Fund And BP Hearings
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A look at how President Obama fared in a week that included a visit to the Gulf, an Oval Office address, a $20 billion escrow account from BP, and a Texas Republican Congressman who was rebuked by his own party for apologizing to BP. Meanwhile are the Democrats getting sticker shock on other initiatives? Even relatively modest spending proposals, like extending benefits to the unemployed and giving aid to schools are stalled in Congress. We take stock and look to the week ahead with Rick Klein, senior Washington news editor for ABC World News and host of the network’s political webcast, “Top Line.”
Federal Response To Oil Gusher Marred By Disagreement And Indecision
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The federal government sprang into action early following the blowout of the BP well. But along the Gulf, there are plenty of signs that the response has faltered, from the installation of boom to use of oil-dispersing chemicals and the building of berms to block the oil. Jeffrey Ball, environment editor at the Wall Street Journal, concludes that responders are failing because institutions and equipment are not designed to handle a disaster of this magnitude.
Controversy Hangs Over Little-Known South Carolina Senate Nominee
South Carolina Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Alvin Greene. (AP)
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The future is anything but certain for South Carolina’s Democrat Alvin Greene, despite last night’s vote by the state’s Democratic executive committee to allow the political newcomer to keep his victory in South Carolina’s primary for the U.S. Senate seat.
Greene won his party’s nomination in this month’s primary, but the results were challenged by his opponent, Democrat Vic Rawl, who said unreliable electronic voting machines were responsible for Greene’s victory. Democrats rejected Rawl’s protest Thursday, meaning Greene will now face incumbent Republican Senator Jim DeMint in November for the U.S. Senate seat. Greene is an unemployed veteran who faces a felony obscenity charge, along with calls for a state examination of how he came up with the $10 thousand filing fee he needed to get on the primary ballot. We speak with Politico.com’s David Catanese.
Lakers Celebrate 16th Title, Celtics Bemoan Missed Opportunity
Los Angeles Lakers guard Derek Fisher, center, holds the Larry O'Brien Trophy as Kobe Bryant, right, holds the MVP trophy as they celebrate after beating the Boston Celtics, 83-79, in Game 7 of the NBA basketball finals. (AP)
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The Los Angeles Lakers edged past the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter last night to win the NBA title. Boston Globe sports columnist Dan Shaughnessy joins us to talk about the dramatic series that ended in frustration for the Celtics.
Listener Letters: Was BP’s ‘Small People’ Comment Lost In Translation?
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We hear from listeners after our recent segments about Swedish BP board chair Carl Henric Svanberg’s use of the phrase “small people,” and BP’s $20 billion escrow fund.
Haitian-American Violinist Moves Beyond Classical To Lady Gaga
Violinist Daniel Bernard Roumain at WBUR studios in Boston. (Doug Shugarts)
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Haitian-American Violinist and composer Daniel Bernard Roumain, or DBR, studied at Vanderbilt and with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer William Bolcom at the University of Michigan. But wanted to move beyond the world of conventional classical music, and has worked with dancers Bill T. Jones and Savion Glover and performed with Lady Gaga on “American Idol.” DBR combines this eclectic mix of experiences on his new CD “Woodbox Beats & Balladry” and brings his specially-made six string violin, Bernadette, to our studios.
Music From The Show
- Peter Dixon, “Nagog Woods”
- The Wee Trio, “About a Girl”
- Paul Simon, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”
- Charles Mingus, “Pedal Point Blues”
- DBR (Daniel Bernard Roumain) “Armstrong”
- DBR, Jim Robertson, & Kenny Growhowski “Spaceships Over Haiti”
- Jim Robertson, Kenny Growhowski, & Wynn Bennett (Co-arrangers) “Our Country”
- DBR “The Loss”
- DBR “Moonshine”
