Disconnect between Public, Policy Makers on Iraq?

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The President's speech on Tuesday, which was meant to rally Congress to support a possible invasion of Iraq, was also aimed at winning over public opinion. Yet polls suggest that there may be a disconnect between Washington policy makers and voters outside the beltway. Is the government setting priorities the public doesn't share, or are our representatives keeping the country secure? Does the debate on Capitol Hill reflect the debate around the country? We speak with pollsters and journalists in Orlando, St. Louis, San Francisco and Dallas. Conan Nolan of KNBC News guest hosts. Newsmaker: West Coast Dockworkers Must Overcome Huge Backlog From Seattle to San Diego, longshoremen are heading back to work after the President invoked the Taft-Hartley Act, forcing an end to the labor dispute. Mark Nero, trade and transportation reporter for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, says that the backlog, which could last up to two months, will continue to have an adverse affect the economy. Reporter-s Notebook: Pakistani Elections Reinforce Military Rule When Pakistanis go to the polls tomorrow to vote for their parliament, they-ll go under the watchful eye of that country-s military and its President, General Pervez Musharraf. Paul Watson, South Asia bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, reports on the likelihood of a return to civilian rule and the affect of cross-border tensions on Pakistan-s internal politics.
The President's speech on Tuesday, which was meant to rally Congress to support a possible invasion of Iraq, was also aimed at winning over public opinion. Yet polls suggest that there may be a disconnect between Washington policy makers and voters outside the beltway. Is the government setting priorities the public doesn't share, or are our representatives keeping the country secure? Does the debate on Capitol Hill reflect the debate around the country? We speak with pollsters and journalists in Orlando, St. Louis, San Francisco and Dallas.
Conan Nolan of KNBC News guest hosts.
  • Newsmaker: West Coast Dockworkers Must Overcome Huge Backlog
    From Seattle to San Diego, longshoremen are heading back to work after the President invoked the Taft-Hartley Act, forcing an end to the labor dispute. Mark Nero, trade and transportation reporter for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, says that the backlog, which could last up to two months, will continue to have an adverse affect the economy.
  • Reporter-s Notebook: Pakistani Elections Reinforce Military Rule
    When Pakistanis go to the polls tomorrow to vote for their parliament, they-ll go under the watchful eye of that country-s military and its President, General Pervez Musharraf. Paul Watson, South Asia bureau chief for the Los Angeles Times, reports on the likelihood of a return to civilian rule and the affect of cross-border tensions on Pakistan-s internal politics.
Conan Nolan, reporter for KNBC in Los Angeles, has covered national and local news stories since 1986. Nolan has reported on Capitol Hill, the Columbine massacre, the capture of -Unabomber- Ted Kaczinski, the infamous police chase of O.J.Simpson, and the Loma Prieta-San Francisco earthquake.

Prior to joining NBC-s LA team, Nolan reported for the network-s Salinas affiliate. He-s also worked as a television news reporter and sports anchor, as well as a public radio political reporter, in San Luis Obispo. The graduate of UC Davis grew up in Los Osos, in California-s central coast. He and his family live in the Los Angeles area.

Taft-Hartley Act

International Longshore and Warehouse Union

Pacific Maritime Association

Government of Pakistan

Pakistani Elections

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