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 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
Left, Right & Center
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.