To the Point
Mexican Election
It's a vote too close to call, with contested ballots and left versus right. It's not Florida, 2000, but Mexico, 2006. With more than 99% of the vote counted, it appears that Harvard-educated Felipe Calder--n, of President Vicente Fox's conservative PAN Party, has won Mexico's cliffhanger presidential election. Supporters of Andres Manuel L--pez Obrador were weeping in the streets and the leftist rival has vowed to challenge the count in court. How will Mexico cope with the aftermath of a bitterly contested election? Will the new president be able to govern effectively? How will the election affect the divide between rich and poor? What will it mean for Mexico's relations with the US? Sara Terry guest hosts. Making News: New York Supreme Court Upholds State Gay Marriage BanThe New York State Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to the state's ban on gay marriage. The judges' narrowly-divided decision said the state's constitution "does not compel recognition of marriages between members of the same sex." Also today, Georgia's State Supreme Court upheld that state's ban on gay marriage. Anemona Hartocollis covers the courts for the New York Times. Reporters Notebook: Destroying Stockpiles of Chemical Weapons in US, RussiaIt's taking much longer and costing far more than expected to destroy thousands of tons of chemical weapons, the second-largest stockpile in the world. In fact, the US Army says it wouldn't even be able to meet a five-year extension of the 2007 deadline, set under a 1997 international treaty. The Russians, who have the largest number of chemical weapons, are facing the same problems. Craig Williams sits on the board of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, a co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for the international campaign to ban land mines.
By Warren Olney • • 1h 0m ListenIt's a vote too close to call, with contested ballots and left versus right. It's not Florida, 2000, but Mexico, 2006. With more than 99% of the vote counted, it appears that Harvard-educated Felipe Calder--n, of President Vicente Fox's conservative PAN Party, has won Mexico's cliffhanger presidential election. Supporters of Andres Manuel L--pez Obrador were weeping in the streets and the leftist rival has vowed to challenge the count in court. How will Mexico cope with the aftermath of a bitterly contested election? Will the new president be able to govern effectively? How will the election affect the divide between rich and poor? What will it mean for Mexico's relations with the US? Sara Terry guest hosts.
New York Supreme Court Upholds State Gay Marriage Ban
The New York State Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to the state's ban on gay marriage. The judges' narrowly-divided decision said the state's constitution "does not compel recognition of marriages between members of the same sex." Also today, Georgia's State Supreme Court upheld that state's ban on gay marriage. Anemona Hartocollis covers the courts for the New York Times.
Destroying Stockpiles of Chemical Weapons in US, Russia
It's taking much longer and costing far more than expected to destroy thousands of tons of chemical weapons, the second-largest stockpile in the world. In fact, the US Army says it wouldn't even be able to meet a five-year extension of the 2007 deadline, set under a 1997 international treaty. The Russians, who have the largest number of chemical weapons, are facing the same problems. Craig Williams sits on the board of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, a co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for the international campaign to ban land mines.
Sara Terry is an award-winning writer and photographer, Her latest photo-documentary project is
Aftermath: Bosnia's Long Road to Peace.
New York State Court of Appeals on gay marriage
Perdue v O'Kelley, Georgia State Supreme Court on
Hartocollis' article on courts' decisions
Partido Acci--n Nacional (National Action Party)
PAN candidate Felipe Calder--n
Partido de la Revoluci--n Democr--tica (Party of Democratic Revolution)
PRD candidate Andr--s Manuel L--pez Orbrador
Partido Nacional Revolucionario (Institutional Revolutionary Party)
PRI candidate Roberto Madrazo Pintado
Tobar's article on Calder--n victory in Mexico's presidential election