Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian
Historian and author of The Cartel: Inside the Rise and Imminent Fall of the NCAA, the Pulitzer Prize-winning three-volume history of the civil-rights movement, Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-63, and The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement and The King Years: Historic Moments in the Civil Rights Movement
Fifty Years Later: The Legacy of JFK Much of America will stop for a moment today to observe the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination . Tens of thousands turned out for a moment of silence in Dallas, and the media hype is unavoidable. The President was gunned down in Dealey Plaza in the midst of the Cold War, at the beginning of the civil rights revolution. His presidency of less than three years had its ups and downs, but polls consistently show most Americans call it one of the greatest. Historians aren't so sure. So why is JFK so highly regarded? Why haven't negative revelations tarnished his image? We separate the man from the myth and look at how the memories of presidents are shaped by symbolism as well as historical facts.
US Supreme Court and the Convoluted History of Civil Rights The Civil Rights Era arguably began in 1954, when the US Supreme Court desegregated the public schools — in a decision that was unanimous. This week the US Supreme Court made history with rulings on the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and two cases involving same-sex marriage, but what kind of history? The court is so sharply divided that legal scholars are still trying to figure out what the decisions will mean. Can states and local agencies now get away with denying minorities the right to vote? What's next for same-sex marriage? We talk with civil-rights historian Taylor Branch and others about what happened this week and what to expect in the future.
Barack Obama Begins His Second Term America's first black president was sworn in for a second term today, on the national holiday dedicated to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Barack Obama's traditional call for unity and equality echoed King's words at the same time he acknowledged what he called, "skepticism of central authority." He renewed commitments to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, promised response to climate change and emphasized the equality of gay Americans. Did he reach out to Republicans or challenge them to more political conflict?
Penn State, Football Culture and the NCAA The NCAA crackdown on Penn State is so harsh that a return to competitive football could take a decade if it ever happens at all. But will it “restore the balance between athletics and academics” by changing “the culture of football?” Don’t bet on it. The nationwide issue is impunity—driven by money—with TV revenues rising and coaches paid more than college presidents. What about athletes who don’t share the proceeds of bowl games and March Madness? Is “amateurism” a hoax? What would real reform look like? Joe Paterno’s former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky has been convicted of multiple counts of child sex abuse. Former FBI Director Louis Freeh found a culture of excessive reverence for football and fear of bad publicity. With unusual suddenness, the NCAA has imposed a $60-million dollar fine, reduced numbers of scholarships, and a four-year ban on bowl games. And it stripped the late coach Joe Paterno of 111 wins. The penalties on Penn State are unprecedented for the NCAA—and the intent is to go well beyond football.
Penn State, Football Culture and the NCAA The NCAA crackdown on Penn State is so harsh that a return to competitive football could take a decade if it ever happens at all. But will it “restore the balance between athletics and academics” by changing “the culture of football?” Don’t bet on it. The nationwide issue is impunity—driven by money—with TV revenues rising and coaches paid more than college presidents. What about athletes who don’t share the proceeds of bowl games and March Madness? Is “amateurism” a hoax? What would real reform look like? Joe Paterno’s former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky has been convicted of multiple counts of child sex abuse. Former FBI Director Louis Freeh found a culture of excessive reverence for football and fear of bad publicity. With unusual suddenness, the NCAA has imposed a $60-million dollar fine, reduced numbers of scholarships, and a four-year ban on bowl games. And it stripped the late coach Joe Paterno of 111 wins. The penalties on Penn State are unprecedented for the NCAA—and the intent is to go well beyond football.
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.
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.
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.
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.
