National Issues and Local Elections

Making News

VA Sheriff, Deputies Indicted for Selling Confiscated Drugs and Guns ()

Fifteen people--including the Sheriff of Henry County and 12 deputies--have been arrested in western Virginia for selling drugs and guns confiscated from criminal suspects.  The US Drug Enforcement Agency says the indictments are the result of a five-year investigation.

Guests:

• Joe Zupan: Reporter for WVTF

Main Topic

National Issues and Local Elections ()

Absentee ballots already are being cast, but most voting won't happen until Tuesday.  With less than a week before the mid-term elections, the war in Iraq means big trouble for Republicans, according to nationwide polls. But control of the next Congress will depend on local voting for Senate seats in 33 states and for House seats in 435 different districts. Many races are so close that control of the Congress and Senate could depend on some last-minute development nobody's thought of before. Despite dwindling support nationwide, can President Bush still make a difference? Are the candidates addressing the issues their constituents want to hear about most?  What are prospective voters seeing on TV? We take a look at some cliff-hangers around the country to see how local issues and circumstances might impact the outcome.

Guests:

• Andrew Kohut: President of the Pew Research Center, @pewresearch
• Ken Warren: President of The Warren Poll
• Stuart Elway: Head of Elway Research
• Tom Baxter: Chief Political Correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• Jonathan Riskind: Washington Bureau Chief for the Columbus Dispatch
• Todd Gillman: Washington Correspondent for the Dallas Morning News, @toddgillman

Links:

• Pew Research Poll on the midterm congressional vote
• CBS News/New York Times Poll on midterm election
• Baxter's article on President's favorable ratings in Georgia
• Riskind's article on Democrats trying to match GOP turnout prowess

Reporter's Notebook

Is Starbucks Blocking Ethiopia's Bid to Trademark Coffee? ()

Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, applied to trademark three of its most famous varieties.  After a protest by the National Coffee Association, the US Trademark and Patent Office denied the request. Starbucks, an Association member, advertises its good relationship with suppliers. With estimated revenues of $80 billion a year, coffee is the world's most valuable trading commodity after oil, according to Oxfam, which says that multinational companies are ripping off farmers in poor countries. The British charity claims Starbucks was behind the trademark denial.

Guests:

• Seth Petchers: Leader of Oxfam's Coffee Program

Links:

• Oxfam on Starbucks' opposition to Ethiopian plan to control its coffee trade