
From Making History to Governing the White House
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This year's race for the White House has been an epic story that may continue for a long time to come. Have voters charted a new direction? What are the prospects for the next administration?
Banner image: President-elect Barack Obama stands on stage along with his wife Michelle and daughters Malia (red dress) and Sasha (black dress) during an election night gathering in Grant Park. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
An African-American rode to the White House yesterday on what pollsters call "a storm of voter dissatisfaction" and the promise of change. The challenge facing Barack Obama is to transform his iconic status into effective leadership on war, the economy, health care and global warming. We talk about how he mobilized a diverse coalition of blacks, Latinos and whites, including young people across ethnic lines. What's the reaction from those African-Americans who thought it would never happen? What's left of the Republican Party? Will fellow Democrats help or hinder the Obama Administration?
Guests:
- Peter Baker: White House Correspondent, New York Times
- Walter Shapiro: Washington Bureau Chief, Salon.com, @waltershapiroPD
- Thomas Mann: Senior Fellow of Governance Studies, Brookings Institution
- Wayne Bennett: blogger, The Field Negro, @fieldnegro
- Debra Dickerson: essayist and author
- John Ridley: Founding Editor, ThatMinorityThing.com, @John_Ridley
- Fernando Guerra: Director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University, @LMU_CSLA
- Heather Smith: Executive Director, Rock the Vote
Links:
- Obama's victory speech
- John McCain on election results
- President Bush on election results
- Secretary of State Rice on Obama's victory
- Baker's article on the challenge facing Obama
- Shapiro's article on 'Obama's epic win'
- Mann on the Presidential and Congressional elections
- Bennett on Obama's election victory
- Dickerson's 'The End of Blackness'
- Rock the Vote on youth turnout
CD copies of To the Point are available by calling 1.888.600.5279.
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