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Camilo Mejia on Atrocities in Iraq Jul 27, 2007

After serving almost nine months in a military prison for desertion, Camilo Mejia, a veteran of the Iraq conflict, talks about why he refused to return to the war in a web-exclusive interview.

Judy Shepard: Hate Crimes Law Jul 12, 2007

Ahead of a much-anticipated vote in the Senate, Judy Shepard, whose homosexual son was beaten to death in 1998, talks to NOW about why she believes the government is "giving permission" for people to harass homosexuals. The Matthew Shepard Act, which would expand the coverage of federal hate crimes to include violent attacks against homosexuals, cleared the House in March. If the Senate approves the measure, President Bush is expected to veto the bill. In a web-exclusive audio interview, Shepard talks to Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa about the need for expanding the law, and her son's lasting legacy.

Reggie Cervantes: Desperate for Health Care Jun 28, 2007

Reggie Cervantes, a 9-11 volunteer emergency responder featured in Michael Moore's new film "Sicko" says she's desperate for health care. Cervantes, who traveled to Cuba for Moore's new film about health care in America, says she was forced to seek medical treatment in Havana because she could not afford it in the U.S. As criticism mounts that ground zero rescue workers were not sufficiently protected from toxic pollutants, Cervantes told NOW: "We're sick, we're dying, we're begging for help."

Robert Redford: Business Warming Up To Environment Jun 15, 2007

In a Web-exclusive interview, actor, director, and environmentalist Robert Redford talks to NOW's David Brancaccio about why he thinks "change is in the air" as businesses find value in going green. Redford says environmental issues are gaining traction as social entrepreneurs discover "there [is] money to be made by doing good." An executive producer of the new documentary "The Unforeseen," Redford also talks to NOW about why he thinks global warming will be "huge" in the 2008 presidential election.

Robert Reich: Last Chance for Immigration Reform? Jun 08, 2007

In a NOW on the News web-exclusive interview, a former secretary of labor, Robert Reich, calls the current Senate immigration bill "the last opportunity we have probably for the next ten or 15 years" to deal with immigration reform. Reich, who served under President Bill Clinton, told NOW's Senior Correspondent, Maria Hinojosa, that the divisive issue may be "too hot for politics."

Cindy Sheehan: "We'll Come Back Stronger" Jun 01, 2007

Days after leaving the anti-war movement Cindy Sheehan says she'll "come back stronger." Sheehan tells NOW that she plans to rest up, spend time with her family, and then continue her struggle against the Iraqi war. "We're going to pull back and regroup and figure out a better way to come at this," Sheehan told NOW on the News in a web-exclusive audio interview. Sheehan -- whose son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, died in Iraq in 2004 -- announced on Memorial Day that she was done being the public face of the movement. "I think my mission, my activism has reached a brick wall," she told NOW's David Brancaccio. Sheehan gained national attention when she camped outside President Bush's Texas ranch in August 2005 demanding to talk with the President.

Bill Drayton on Social Entrepreneurs May 25, 2007

Bill Drayton, the innovator who popularized the term "social entrepreneur," talks to Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa about what he thinks social entrepreneurship is the next big thing. Drayton runs Ashoka, an organization that finds and fosters social entrepreneurs around the world. He is Bill Clinton's pick to become a winner of a Nobel prize.

Matthew Burden on Military Blogging May 14, 2007

Matthew Currier Burden, a military blogger and author of "The Blog of War," talks to Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa about new Army regulations for military bloggers and why he fears the rules will keep the truth from coming out of Iraq.

Chris Simcox on Undocumented Immigrants May 04, 2007

Chris Simcox, founder and head of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, which considers its mission to be "assisting Border Patrol in better defending" the border with Mexico, talks to Senior Correspondent, Maria Hinojosa, about his views on illegal immigration.

Ellen Bravo on Women's Pay Apr 27, 2007

Activist and Writer Ellen Bravo, author of "Taking on the Big Boys," talks to Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa about why women make less money than men in the United States and what to do about it. Bravo shares her opinions on why corporations need to be redesigned "not just to shatter the glass ceiling" but to improve the lives of all working Americans.

Gore Vidal on the Virginia Tech Tragedy Apr 20, 2007

Writer, activist, cultural critic and iconoclast Gore Vidal talks to Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa about what the killings at Virginia Tech, and their aftermath, say about the state of America today. Vidal also shares his strong views on President Bush, a potential war with Iran, and 'the loss of the republic.'

Paul Rieckoff on V.A. Crisis Apr 06, 2007

This week Paul Rieckoff, the Executive Director of IAVA, whose group represents tens of thousands of veterans, sheds light on the military's "personality disorder" diagnosis, which keeps injured soldiers from collecting benefits. Rieckoff also weighs in on what he calls unacceptable, dangerous behavior on the part of the V.A. Also, Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa speaks with Jon Town, a soldier who was wounded in Ramadi, Iraq in a rocket attack and received a purple heart from the military, only to find out that he lost all his benefits and actually owes the Army money.

Saad Eskander on Rebuilding Iraq Mar 23, 2007

Saad Eskander, the Director of the Iraqi National Library and Archives, discusses the painstaking struggles he faced rebuilding a looted and burned library after the U.S. invasion in 2003. Eskander, who returned to Iraq after the war started, talks about how a modern, fully-staffed library was able to emerge under his leadership, and the dangerous challenges that remain.

Bud Cummins on the U.S. Attorney Firings Mar 16, 2007

Maria Hinojosa speaks with Bud Cummins, a former U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, who was one of eight federal prosecutors fired by the Justice Department. Cummins, a Republican, shares his beliefs on the involvement of senior administration officials, why he thinks the Justice Department has severe credibility and morale problems, and his concerns for the future of the Patriot Act.

Todd Gitlin on the Libby Verdict Mar 09, 2007

This week, Maria Hinojosa speaks with political writer and Columbia University Professor Todd Gitlin about the I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial and its wider historical perspective.

Greg Mortenson on Building Schools in Afghanistan Mar 02, 2007

This week, Maria Hinojosa speaks with humanitarian Greg Mortenson about his efforts to educate children, particularly girls, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mortenson also shares his views on this week's arrest of a former Taliban defense minister.

Angela Davis on Race in America Feb 23, 2007

This week, Maria Hinojosa speaks with longtime activist Angela Davis on Race in America, Presidential Candidate Sen. Barack Obama, and the growing movement against the war in Iraq. Davis, who was once on the FBI's 'most wanted' list, tells us why she thinks young people today need to take more risks.

David Kang on North Korea's Nuclear Program Feb 16, 2007

Maria Hinojosa speaks with David Kang, an expert on North Korea, about why the North Korean nuclear deal took so long, and how Pyongyang could still sell its arms to Al Qaeda.

Elizabeth Warren on Debt and the Middle Class Feb 09, 2007

Maria Hinojosa speaks with Elizabeth Warren, a leading expert on bankruptcy, debt and the middle class, about why so many American families are ending up in major financial trouble, and what should be done about it.

Jeannette Walls on Poverty and Homelessness Feb 02, 2007

Jeannette Walls, author of the award winning memoir "The Glass Castle," talks to NOW about the need to help get homeless people off the streets and into housing and describes how the suffering she endured as a child helped her become a successful journalist. Walls believes the best way to help homeless people in America is to give them skills and education. "As far as I'm concerned the best public policies are the ones that help people help themselves," Walls tells NOW Senior Correspondent Maria Hinojosa.

Lt. Col. Isaiah Wilson III on More Troops in Iraq Jan 19, 2007

This week, Maria Hinojosa talks with Lt. Col. Isaiah Wilson III, a former planner with the 101st Airborne in Iraq and a war historian, about his concerns over U.S. policies in Iraq. He questions President Bush's proposal to send over 20,000 more troops to fight on the frontlines, and has pondered some novel strategy options. Wilson was also the first military insider to publicly state that the U.S. government did not have a strategy to follow combat operations in Iraq.

Patty Casazza on 9/11 Commission Recommendations Jan 12, 2007

This Week, Maria Hinojosa talks with "Jersey Girl" Patty Casazza about her reaction to Democrats' attempts to implement 9/11 Commission national security recommendations. The "Jersey Girls" are a group of women whose husbands died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Casazza is also a member of the steering committee keeping an eye on the 9/11 Commission's work. Casazza's husband John F. Casazza, a Cantor Fitzgerald employee, died at age 38. She has a teenage son.

Elvis Mitchell on the Top Films of 2006 Dec 22, 2006

Elvis Mitchell discusses his top holiday movie picks, the role of politics in film, the legacy of Robert Altman, and what to look forward to in 2007.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman on America's Energy Policy Dec 08, 2006

Maria Hinojosa talks to Sen. Jeff Bingaman about how he plans to tackle global warming, America's dependence on oil, and possible criminal activities surrounding collecting royalties from Big Oil companies, in his new job as head of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Lila Azam Zanganeh on Engaging Iran Dec 01, 2006

Maria Hinojosa talks to journalist Lila Azam Zanganeh about President Ahmadinejad's letter to the American people, the need for dialogue between Tehran and Washington, and what Iranians really think of Americans.

Charles Rangel on What's Next for the U.S. Nov 17, 2006

Maria Hinojosa talks to Rep. Charles Rangel, the incoming chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, about the wrong way to wage a war, goals of the new Democratic Congress, and what he'd say to Vice President Cheney.

Matt Taibbi Decries Negative Campaigns Nov 10, 2006

Journalist Matt Taibbi: "The reason I didn't see this as that much of a victory was the tone that was brought to this election...I think the way that they [the media] cover politics in this country is bad and creepy."

Lynne Stewart on her Prison Sentence Oct 20, 2006

Maria Hinojosa talks to Lynne Stewart, the veteran civil rights lawyer, about why she broke the law for a jailed terrorist sheik and whether or not she would do it again.

George Packer on World Threats Oct 13, 2006

Maria Hinojosa talks to George Packer, journalist and author of "The Assassins' Gate" about his experiences in Iraq and his perspective on world affairs.

Rose Ann DeMoro on New Labor Ruling Oct 06, 2006

David Brancaccio speaks to Rose Ann DeMoro of the California Nurses Association about an important new labor ruling.

Noam Chomsky on U.S. Foreign Policy Sep 29, 2006

Leading American intellectual Professor Noam Chomsky talks about the newly disclosed intelligence report on Iraq, the Clinton-FOX debate and why America is its own worst enemy.

Mark Hanis on The Crisis in Darfur Sep 22, 2006

At the United Nations annual summit this week the issue of Darfur was high on the agenda as African Union peacekeepers expanded their mandate in the war-ravaged region and President Bush named a special envoy to Sudan. But Mark Hanis, the 24-year-old head of Genocide Intervention Network, which seeks to help victims in Darfur -- where over 200,000 people have died and two million have been displaced in three years -- said heads of state are failing Darfur with empty rhetoric. "This has been going on for three years and it seems to be the same old story. They talk the talk but they don't walk the walk."

Maziar Bahari: The U.S. & Iran Sep 15, 2006

Iranian journalist Maziar Bahari -- who is Newsweek magazine's Iranian correspondent -- said in a NOW on PBS exclusive podcast that Iranians were relieved at the small sign of hope that the nuclear standoff between his country and the West could be resolved. "People are just happy that there won't be a war, that the country will not be attacked ... like Iraq was invaded," Bahari told NOW's Maria Hinojosa in a web-exclusive audio interview from his home in Tehran. In his interview with NOW's Maria Hinojosa, Bahari said the main concern for Iran's future lies not in its nuclear standoff or relationship with the West but in the survival of its economy. "I'm mostly worried about what's happening inside the country, that the government is just intoxicated on oil money, and people are just apathetic at the moment," Bahari said. Bahari argues his presidents and President Bush have more in common than most people would think. "I think they're very similar people. They're both very provincial politicians," he said. Bahari believes both Bush and Ahmadinejad lack a broad world vision of the world, including a solid knowledge of historical events. "I don't think that your president really has a much better perception of the world and what's going on in the world either," he said of Bush.

Mary Robinson: America Five Years After 9/11 Sep 08, 2006

Maria Hinojosa interviews Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997-2002 for a look at how the world views America five years after September 11.

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