essayist and author
Essayist and author of The End of Blackness and An American Story
PROFILE
Debra Dickerson
Guest
FROM Debra Dickerson
To the Point
Inauguration Day for President Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama is now president of the United States. Today, we’ll hear excerpts from his inaugural address and talk about what he called “a moment that will define a generation.”
To the Point
From Making History to Governing the White House 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?
To the Point
Barak Obama: Race and Inexperience With just two years in the Senate, Barak Obama is a political star who wants to be America's first black president . He counters the charge of inexperience by saying voters want "a new kind of politics." But his Washington record looks in some ways like business as usual, and African-American opinion leaders say he lacks the cultural history that makes him truly "black" in their eyes. The Illinois Democrat also has been criticized for being too cautious about the war in Iraq. Yesterday, he said he'll introduce legislation for a "phased redeployment" of American troops. It's still not clear whether he'll back Edward Kennedy's bill to cut off funding to increase troops. Can Obama turn sudden celebrity into a credible run against political pros like Clinton and Edwards ? Will his appeal to white voters turn off the black constituency that's crucial to Democrats?
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To the Point
Trump's new look at civil rights and global warming President Trump is reportedly ready to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We look at the possible consequences. On the second half of the program, we hear about cuts in Obama-Era civil rights programs called for by the Trump Administration's first budget plan.
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Human Rights in the era of Donald Trump President Trump’s UN Ambassador, Nikki Haley, said today the US might pull out of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council. Serious violators of human rights are members of the Council itself–and a US resignation could make things worse. Later on today’s show, now that he’s into his second term, comedian turned US Senator Al Franken is telling jokes again.