To the Point

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The Democrats and Prospects for Change Nov 09, 2006

Show notes

Democrats call their victories a "mandate for change," and President Bush says he recognizes voter unhappiness with the war in Iraq. Thursday, on To the Point, will changes at the Pentagon mean a "new direction?" How long will bipartisanship last in a newly divided government? Plus, how did Arnold Schwarzenegger buck the Democratic tide?

A New Look for Politics and New Leadership at the Pentagon Nov 08, 2006

Show notes

Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco will be the next Speaker of a Congress controlled by Democrats. The Senate is still too close to call. We look at yesterday's voting, the prospect for re-counts and the politics of the immediate future. Plus, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld steps down.

America's Elections, as Seen from Overseas Nov 07, 2006

Show notes

When citizens of the Superpower go to the polls, the rest of the world takes notice, even if it's only a mid-term election. Will today's voting be seen as a referendum on the war in Iraq? Do other countries want to see change in American policies or more of the same? We go to the Middle East, Asia, Europe and Mexico. Plus, a look at election glitches that are frustrating voters around the US, and Daniel Ortega appears close to victory in Nicaragua. Has he changed since Ronald Reagan supported the Contra rebels?

Electoral Challenges and Confidence in Democracy Nov 06, 2006

Show notes

With more and more races getting closer and closer, lawyers for both parties are ready to challenge various stages of the electoral process. How long will it take before we know who controls the next Congress? Will challenges and delays damage confidence in American democracy? Plus, sectarian response to Saddam's death sentence, and ballot measures challenging judicial independence.

Money in Politics: More than Ever Nov 03, 2006

Show notes

Despite a year of corruption scandals on Capitol Hill, there’s more money in this year’s campaigns than ever before. We find out where it comes from and where it goes--and how difficult it can be to prove that campaign contributors are paying for public policy, even when votes go their way. Plus, gay prostitution charges have forced the resignation of a national religious leader, and the new "marriage" between Tom Cruise and United Artists: can they revive each others' fortunes?

National Issues and Local Elections Nov 02, 2006

Show notes

Nationwide polls spell trouble for Republicans. But control of the House and the Senate will depend on local voting. We look at some close races around the country. How important is the war in Iraq? Are candidates addressing the issues voters want to hear about most? Can President Bush still make a difference? Plus, a Virginia sheriff and 18 deputies are indicted for selling confiscated guns and drugs, and Starbucks is accused of blocking Ethiopia’s bid to trademark coffee.

As Close Elections Go Down to the Wire, Campaigns Go Negative Nov 01, 2006

Show notes

With control of the House and the Senate too close to call, Republicans and Democrats are falling back on an American tradition: negative campaigning. There’s no doubt that it works, but does it have any other redeeming characteristics? Does it increase partisan mistrust that makes it harder to govern? Plus, Israel stage a retaliatory assault in Northern Gaza, and a Turkish intellectual is cleared of insulting Islam with remarks about 5000-year old Sumerian culture.

Iraq, Iran and Patterns in Foreign Policy Oct 31, 2006

Show notes

The Iraq Liberation Act got little attention when Congress passed it in 1998, but it was used later to help set the nation on the path to war. What is the Iran Freedom Support Act, also passed with little attention just one month ago? Will it set the stage for confrontation--as opposed to diplomacy--over Iran’s nuclear program? Plus, North Korea surprises the world by agreeing to rejoin the six-nations talks, and NASA changes its mind on the Hubble Telescope.

Would a New Democratic Majority Go Left... or Right? Oct 30, 2006

Show notes

If Democrats regain their majority, Republicans warn about high taxes, weak defense and social liberalism. But the Democrats have recruited candidates who promise to take their party back to the right. Would conservative newcomers put liberal veterans in check? Would grassroots liberals have to be satisfied with the lesser of two evils? Plus, thousands of weapons are unaccounted for in Iraq, and an update on local violence and national politics in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Will Next Month's Elections Be Free and Fair? Oct 27, 2006

Show notes

Electronic voting is the latest device to make sure that elections are free and fair, but new technology means new opportunities for rigging the outcome. Is partisanship a worse threat than incompetence and mismanagement? Are ID cards needed to prevent voter fraud? Plus, an update on the Esperanza Fire in California’s Riverside County, and the New Jersey Supreme Court gives gay rights new prominence on the campaign trail.

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