To the Point

California Faces Governor Recall, $38 Billion Deficit

Californians from across the state are getting calls from around the country asking, "What's going on out there?" Despite a $38 billion budget deficit that threatens to push the state's credit rating down to junk-bond status, Democrats and Republicans won't compromise on a solution. If that weren't enough, there's a recall campaign against a Governor who was just re-elected. Is this any way to run the world's 5th largest economy? We discuss California's financial crisis, its political paralysis, and the potential gubernatorial candidacy of Arnold Schwarzenegger, with political scientists, a veteran Sacramento journalist and California Assembly representatives John Campbell and Hannah-Beth Jackson. Making News: Liberians Rejoicing at Prospect of US Military Presence Tomorrow, for the last stop on his African tour, President Bush will be in Nigeria, the country that's offered asylum to Liberian President Charles Taylor. Because of that connection, many Liberians believe that Bush will make an announcement about sending American troops to their country. Stephan Faris is in Monrovia for Time magazine. Reporter's Notebook: USS Ronald Reagan to Be Commissioned on Saturday Tomorrow, the Navy will commission the ninth--and the last--of the Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. With a projected lifespan of 50 years, the USS Ronald Reagan took 8 years and $5 billion to build at the Northrup Grumman Shipyard in Newport News. Matt Dolan, who writes for Norfolk's Virginian Pilot, says the 23-story floating city will house a 6000-member crew, 88 aircraft, a hospital, laundry, post office and convenience stores.