Director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' Scientific Integrity Program
Senior Scientist and Director of the Scientific Integrity Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, a nonprofit advocacy group of scientists and citizens
PROFILE
Francesca Grifo
Guest
FROM Francesca Grifo
Which Way, L.A.?
Is Ideology Trumping Science in the Bush White House? More than a decade ago, Dr. James Holsinger wrote a paper for the Methodist Church claiming that gay-male sex was inherently unsafe. Now President Bush has nominated him to become the country's leading doctor . Facing tough questions at a Senate confirmation hearing this morning, Holsinger insisted his views had changed and that he held no biases against gay men or lesbians. However, his testimony came only a few days after statements by his predecessor that White House officials had fought his attempts to discuss issues like secondhand smoke and had tried to force him to repeatedly mention the president by name in his speeches. Richard Carmona's is just the latest in a string of charges that the Bush White House has been hostile to science and has put political biases ahead of sound health policy. Guest host Jim Sterngold explores the proper role the of science in making national policy.
To the Point
Is Ideology Trumping Science in the Bush White House? More than a decade ago, Dr. James Holsinger wrote a paper for the Methodist Church claiming that gay-male sex was inherently unsafe. Now President Bush has nominated him to become the country's leading doctor . Facing tough questions at a Senate confirmation hearing this morning, Holsinger insisted his views had changed and that he held no biases against gay men or lesbians. However, his testimony came only a few days after statements by his predecessor that White House officials had fought his attempts to discuss issues like secondhand smoke and had tried to force him to repeatedly mention the president by name in his speeches. Richard Carmona's is just the latest in a string of charges that the Bush White House has been hostile to science and has put political biases ahead of sound health policy. Guest host Jim Sterngold explores the proper role the of science in making national policy.
Recommended
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.
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
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.