Presidential Politics: Eight Weeks from the Starting Line

Making News

Suspects in Madrid Subway Bombing Sentenced ()

Three years ago, four terrorist bombs killed 191 people on the Madrid subway. Today, after four and a half months of testimony from 300 witnesses, three lead defendants and 18 lesser ones were convicted. But seven were acquitted, including all three of those accused of organizing the attacks. Giles Tremlett, a former reporter for the Guardian, is author of Ghosts of Spain.

Guests:

• Giles Tremlett: Reporter for the Guardian of London, @gilestremlett

Main Topic

Presidential Race Livens Up on Both Sides ()

Enshrined as the Democratic front-runner by the media and by Republicans Hillary Clinton was on the defensive in last night's debate.  John Edwards accused her of double-talk and representing the status quo. Barack Obama called her secretive—like George Bush. Will the predicted confrontations make a difference? Is Clinton's lead really all that solid? On the Republican side, can born-again conservative Mike Huckabee make a run at Rudy Giuliani? In a little over eight weeks, voters in Iowa and New Hampshire will finally be heard from.  Is either party speaking to the anger of voters two months before they start going to the polls?

Guests:

• Lynn Sweet: Columnist, Chicago Sun-Times
• Walter Shapiro: Washington Bureau Chief for Salon.com, @waltershapiroPD
• Ana Iparraguirre: Senior Associate, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner
• David Yepsen: Political columnist, Des Moines Register, @DavidYepsen
• Dean Spiliotes: Political scientist, analyst and blogger

Links:

• Sweet on the debate
• Shapiro on the 'Democratic duel'
• Greenberg Quinlan Rosner on the state of the US, Democrats one year before election
• Yepsen on the debate
• Spiliotes on the debate
• 2008 Presidential Candidates

Reporter's Notebook

The Fed Lowers Interest Rates ()

Despite strains in the housing and credit markets, the economy picked up speed this summer, growing at 3.9%, the fastest rate in one and a half years. Nonetheless, the Federal Reserve was widely expected to lower interest rates at today's meeting and it did—by.25% to 4.5%. We find out why from Peter Coy, economics editor at BusinessWeek.

Guests:

• Peter Coy: Economics Editor for BusinessWeek