Cooper On The Radio
I spent much of Thursday guest hosting the hour-long news magazine, To The Point which is broadcast nationally from the studios of local NPR station KCRW..
You can listen or download the podcast by clicking here.
Topics covered:
-- The U.S. Senate majority hangs on the fate of Tim Johnson (with Kate Zernike of The New York Times)
-- Are American newspapers doomed by the Web? (with John Harris formerly of Washington Post, Ron Fournier, formerly of AP, Prof. Phillip Meyer, and Tom Rosenstiel).
-- A spirited chat with Chuck Todd, editor of The Hotline about the latest '08 presidential polls.
IMHO it was a good show.
December 15th, 2006 at 8:12 am
Okay, listened to this while trying to take a nap and only fell asleep after it was over, so guess that’s the hallmark of a good show.
I must say that I continue to find it bizarre how much time many people spend thinking and talking about the November 2008 presidential election which according to my calendar is nearly two years from now. It seems like a distraction from dealing with the problems of here and now, or could that be the idea? I hate to sound like a sixties holdover but boy does electoral politics ever coopt the consciousness of the people, man.
December 15th, 2006 at 10:33 am
MB why do baseball fans have a “Hot Stove League” to discuss trades and other moves in the off-season?
For some of us politics is fun to watch. If appalling to consider.
Sorry I missed it.
December 15th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
MB: “boy does electoral politics ever coopt the consciousness of the people”
Got that right. The wise and twenty-something Katherine at Obsidian Wings put it well shortly after the election, characterizing the way electoral obsession kills progress on the issues that got us into politics in the first place:
“Before the election we can’t act because we’re powerless and it’s so crucial to gain at least one house of Congress–we just need to win, we can’t worry about anything else. After the election we can’t act because we’re on probation, we have too much to lose. There will never be a right time.”
Well, we’re as far from an election as you can get in this permanent campaign country, and I view everyone who promotes presidential horserace discussions at this point the way I view those who promote discussion of what Celebrity X is doing — wasting my time.
I don’t hold it against Marc too much; it’s his job. And he compensates mightily, unlike many in his profession, with things like the Appeal for Redress story.
December 15th, 2006 at 5:33 pm
Good show. I listened to the podcast last night. The old media/new media segments are assuredly worth a listen for all us media-obsessed types.
Also, the news section on Tim Johnson was good. Today, everyone’s pointing out that, as long as Johnson survives, he can likely stay in office even if he never sets foot in the Senate chambers. But, yesterday somehow most reporters missed that information. I heard it first on your TTP show.
(Good grief, it does feel dreadful discussing this poor mans life and health just in terms of political strategy, but it’s precisely what we’ve come to, and I’m as guilty as the rest.)
.
December 16th, 2006 at 6:26 am
Now, Nell and I have been having a debate about whether the antiwar movement is doing enough, and she has challenged me to make suggestions–which I did do in a previous thread. The White House is getting close to announcing that it will send more troops to Iraq early next year. Let’s not wait until they do, let’s have an emergency protest. And as far as militancy goes, this should mainly mean not getting permission to protest from local authorities, but simply showing up at a designated time–what is the internet for if not for organizing such things, and cell phone text messaging as well.
So I am calling an action for next Saturday, December 23, in front of the White House to protest this escalation of the war in Iraq. Please make picket signs protesting and just show up on Pennsylvania Avenue. West Coasters, show up at the main Federal Buildings in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Other local actions as desired. If the police try to stop you, show us how much you care about the war and do what is necessary.
Pass it on.
December 16th, 2006 at 6:26 am
I am not joking. Be there.
December 17th, 2006 at 11:23 am
Coop:
thanks for the great show. maybe you could sit in for warren olney more often when he’s away. his replacement hosts usually fall flatter then flat, compared to his regular, daily excellent job.
December 20th, 2006 at 8:55 am
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