Will Internet Democracy Help Choose People's President?

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Today-s Los Angeles Times reports that Howard Dean is sweeping across the nation with an early show of strength. The Presidential candidate is challenging his Democratic rivals with a four-day -Sleepless Summer Tour- of 10 cities in eight states. Political pros say big crowds are an impressive demonstration of organization and fundraising-and it all got started online. Though Dean-s use of the Internet, which is being compared to Republican domination of talk radio, may have changed American politics forever, can it make a former dark horse like Dean competitive with the record-setting, traditional fund-raising blitz of President Bush? We hear more about the high-tech transformation of traditional politics from Republican political strategists and experts who study politics, political ethics and the Internet. Making News: NASA Report Faults Foam, Misguided Management for Columbia Shuttle Disaster The final report on the Columbia disaster predicts special caution for the next series of space shuttle expeditions, but retired Admiral Harold Gehman, who led the investigation, is still concerned about what might happen next. Brian Berger, reporter for Space News, a weekly space industry publication, calls the report a -top-to-bottom indictment of NASA management- that, nonetheless, strongly urges a recommitment to human space flight. Reporter's Notebook: Mars-Gazers Prepare for Once-in-a-Lifetime View Not since Neanderthals walked on Earth has Mars come as close as it will tomorrow night. That the Red Planet will be closer to Earth than it-s been in 59,000 years-almost the length of human history, has produced unprecedented public interest in astronomy. What will it mean for science? One of those watching with special interest will be Dr. Ed Krupp, director of the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, California.
Today-s Los Angeles Times reports that Howard Dean is sweeping across the nation with an early show of strength. The Presidential candidate is challenging his Democratic rivals with a four-day -Sleepless Summer Tour- of 10 cities in eight states. Political pros say big crowds are an impressive demonstration of organization and fundraising-and it all got started online. Though Dean-s use of the Internet, which is being compared to Republican domination of talk radio, may have changed American politics forever, can it make a former dark horse like Dean competitive with the record-setting, traditional fund-raising blitz of President Bush? We hear more about the high-tech transformation of traditional politics from Republican political strategists and experts who study politics, political ethics and the Internet.
  • Making News: NASA Report Faults Foam, Misguided Management for Columbia Shuttle Disaster
    The final report on the Columbia disaster predicts special caution for the next series of space shuttle expeditions, but retired Admiral Harold Gehman, who led the investigation, is still concerned about what might happen next. Brian Berger, reporter for Space News, a weekly space industry publication, calls the report a -top-to-bottom indictment of NASA management- that, nonetheless, strongly urges a recommitment to human space flight.
  • Reporter's Notebook: Mars-Gazers Prepare for Once-in-a-Lifetime View
    Not since Neanderthals walked on Earth has Mars come as close as it will tomorrow night. That the Red Planet will be closer to Earth than it-s been in 59,000 years-almost the length of human history, has produced unprecedented public interest in astronomy. What will it mean for science? One of those watching with special interest will be Dr. Ed Krupp, director of the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, California.
Political Internet sites discussed on this program:
DraftWesleyClark.com
Meetup
MoveOn
Recall Gray Davis
Dean-s Sleepless Summer Tour
Dean Defense Forces

Viewing Mars:
The best time to view Mars is 2:51am PDT Wednesday, August 27, but the planet will be highly visible through September.

Columbia Accident Investigation Board report

Los Angeles Times- article on Howard Dean

Federal Election Commission

KCRW's Election Connection (websites of all the candidates)

Griffith Park Observatory's Mars observing page

NASA-s Rover Mission to Mars

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney