To the Point
Barack Obama: Who Is the Democrats' Nominee?
Just four months before the November election, Barack Obama is an unknown quantity to millions of voters. Also the Supreme Court winds down, and a "monumental" deal to restore Florida's Everglades.
By Warren Olney • • 1h 0m ListenJust four months before the November election, Barack Obama is an unknown quantity to millions of voters. Does he share the values of most Americans? What about campaign finance and wiretaps without warrants? Does he represent a new kind of politics or more of the same? Also the Supreme Court issues several key rulings as its term winds down, and accomplishing an "impossible dream" will require trade-offs in Florida's Everglades.
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In this episode
3 storiesHigh Court Issues Key Rulings as Term Winds Down
The US Supreme Court ruled today that the death penalty for raping a child is unconstitutional if the child is not killed. It also cut punitive damages in the Exxon Valdez oil spill from $2.5 billion to $507 million. David Savage reports on the court for the Los Angeles Times .
Read the story6 minObama: A Transcendent Figure or the Conventional Politician?
Despite many months of campaigning and hours of TV exposure, Barack Obama remains a puzzle to millions of potential voters. Is he a high-minded idealist with the vision and the capacity to get America back on track, or another Machiavellian politician who just wants to win?
Read the story37 minEnvironmentalists Elated by Crist's Everglades Conservation Deal
Environmentalists say it's a deal so big it wasn't even on their agenda. But Florida's Governor Charlie Crist has agreed to spend $1.7 billion to buy out the US Sugar Corporation , which pollutes the rivers that feed the Everglades. Environmentalists call today's announcement "monumental." It won't happen without some tradeoffs.
Read the story6 min
