New York Times
Reporter in the Washington Bureau of the New York Times
PROFILE
John Broder
Guest
FROM John Broder
To the Point
Iraqi Prime Minister Maliki Visits the White House At today's White House news conference with Iraqi President Nouri al-Maliki, President Obama said that history will decide if it was right for the US to have invaded Iraq nine years ago. Honoring the sacrifice of those who made this day possible, the President called today the beginning of "a new chapter in the history between our two countries: a normal relationship between sovereign nations." Jonathan Broder is defense and foreign policy senior editor for Congressional Quarterly.
Which Way, L.A.?
FEMA, Disaster Relief and the Politics of Global Warming Hurricane Irene is the most recent in a string of natural disasters, including the tornado in Joplin, Missouri, flooding in Minot, North Dakota, drought in Texas and wildfires in the Southwest. President Obama is promising federal help to victims of Hurricane Irene, but the Federal Emergency Management Agency is running out of money and House Republican leaders say any new federal assistance will have to be paid for with cuts elsewhere in the budget. We hear about disaster relief in the short term and the long-term politics of global warming.
To the Point
Disaster Relief and the Politics of Global Warming Climate scientist won't attribute a given weather disturbance to global warming, but the consensus is that rising temperatures will lead to bigger and stronger storms. Tornados in Joplin, Missouri; flooding in Minot, North Dakota; drought in Texas, wildfires in the Southwest and, now, Irene all raise the question of whether global warming is creating "weird weather." Most Republican Presidential candidates are skeptical of global warming, especially the idea that it's caused by human activity. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA , is short of money, and House Republican leaders say any new federal assistance will have to be paid for with cuts elsewhere in the budget. With President Obama promising help to all those affected, will disaster protection and climate change be issues in next year's campaign?
To the Point
Congress Debates Cap and Trade A sweeping bill on climate change – one that would cut greenhouse gas emissions by two-thirds by 2050 -- is being debated in the US Senate this week. But opponents are focusing on the economic costs of the bill. In the meantime, the debate is drawing scores of lobbyists, representing everyone from Alaskan Indians to venture capitalists. New York Times correspondent John Broder has been covering the hearings.
To the Point
Iraq and State Department at Odds over Contractor Immunity The Associated Press and several newspapers report that State Department investigators offered immunity to Blackwater security guards in exchange for statements about last month's shootout that left 17 civilians dead on the streets of Baghdad. Denying the allegations, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said, "The Department…would not have asked the FBI and the Department of Justice to get involved in a case that we did not think that they could potentially prosecute." John Broder wrote the immunity story in today's New York Times .
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To the Point
Venezuela spirals into economic and political chaos Venezuela, a country whose potential for prosperity is unmatched, finds itself on the verge of civil war. What sustains the repressive government? With time running out, guest host León Krauze looks at what the international community can do to pull the country from the edge of collapse.
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.
To the Point
What happens when America retreats from the world? Is President Trump taking his "America First" agenda to extremes, withdrawing the country from the international stage on trade and climate change, distancing America from its traditional allies across the Atlantic and even threatening to physically isolate the country through the building of a wall along its southern border? León Krauze guest hosts.