Inside the Republican National Convention, the official line is that the Iraq war is a success. But in the back hallways of Madison Square Garden and in swing states around the country, criticism of the war is mounting. Independents and even Republicans are questioning the administration’s motives and their handling of the war.
How will [...]

It was George W. Bush who championed “compassionate conservatism” in his 2000 White House run. But in the intervening four years, the Bush White House governed from the right. The administration put a historic, albeit divisive, stamp on American politics by enacting sweeping social, economic, and foreign policies.
Pundits, politicians, and voters of all stripes [...]

The GOP faithful have gathered this week in New York City for the 2004 Republican National Convention.
How will the Republicans make their case for the Bush-Cheney re-election this week? What case will they make about the economy, Iraq, homeland security and more?
Click one of the “Listen” links to hear a conversation on how the Republican [...]

The 2004 Republican National Conventions kicks off today in New York City. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and maverick Senator John McCain are among the speakers on tap for the opening night.
Inside the convention hall, there is a sense that after a hard season, George Bush may now be finding his way forward in his [...]

Republican delegates around the country are boarding planes and heading to funky New York City, where Democrats outnumber Republicans five to one, for next week’s Republican National Convention.
There will be lots of Convention activity to keep them busy, from early morning breakfast meetings to political meet-and-greets to swanky uptown parties.
But to help them decide how [...]

This week, new reports on abuses at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq raised more questions about the U.S. military’s interrogation practices.
Chris Mackey, a senior interrogator with the U.S. Army, has written a book about his experience questioning prisoners in Afghanistan after September 11th. With National Security Correspondent Greg Miller of the Los Angeles [...]

The remarkable story of Iraq’s soccer team at the Olympics came to a disappointing end today for the players who lost 1-0 in a bronze medal game against Italy.
Just before kickoff the two teams exchanged condolences for an Italian journalist who was killed by Iraqi militants. The Iraqis go home without a medal but leave [...]

Four years after Florida’s voting irregularities scarred the nation’s democratic process, election watchers fear an encore performance. Numerous scandals concerning voter drive initiatives, voting technology, confusing ballots and no-voter rolls have caused widespread concern both in the state and on a national level.
In a presidential race that could once again come down to the last [...]

Another 1.3 million people fell below the poverty line last year. That’s according to a census report out today. The numbers also reveal the gap between the rich and the poor in the country is growing.
Guests:
Joel Havemann, reporter with The Los Angeles Times

Roman Diaz is a soldier with the Army’s First Armored Division in Iraq. Throughout his deployment, his mother has chronicled his ordeal, and her own, in a series of radio diaries. In this final chapter, writer Sue Diaz welcomes her son home.
Guests:
Sue Diaz, writer, mother of Roman Diaz, a soldier just home from Iraq

Two planes in Russia crashed on Tuesday just minutes apart. Initially, the Russian government downplayed the likelihood of terrorism. That changed today as a high-level Putin official said that terrorism is the most likely cause of the catastrophe.
Russian media are talking about “Russia’s 9/11″. As of yet, no evidence has been found to confirm suspicions [...]

In 1996, it was soccer moms. In 2000, it was the NASCAR dads. This year, both parties are after WalMart women. These are unmarried voters: single mothers, widows and young professionals.
While they’re a diverse group, many remain politically undecided longer than their male or married counterparts, making them an ideal constituency in a tight race.
Click [...]

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani returned to Iraq today and has asked all Iraqis to march on Najaf and rescue the city from Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
Guests:
Scott Baldauf, Baghdad correspondent The Christian Science Monitor

A second report on the Abu Ghraib prison scandal released today finds more evidence of torture and ties millitary intelligence personnel to the abuse.
Michael Hirsch, senior editor for Newsweek magazine, discusses this report’s findings.
Guests:
Michael Hirsch, senior editor Newsweek magazine

U.S. gymnast Paul Hamm’s golden moment has been tarnished in a scoring controversy that just won’t go away. Hamm won the coveted “all round” title over South Korea’s Yang Tae Young through what was later found to be faulty scoring.
The Koreans have protested. Hamm has been booed by crowds and gone on television to plead [...]

Olympics judging may be in dispute but the TV ratings are pure gold for NBC. Last week, when gymnast Carly Patterson became the first American woman to win the all-around since Mary Lou Retton in 1984, viewership topped 31 million.
Between the events and races, NBC is churning out a constant stream of packaged “Olympic [...]

Conservatism reaches deep into American culture and politics, rooted in Puritan morality, Christian religiosity, and even the Wild West.
Adrian Wooldridge of The Economist, says that those on the right are the ruling party in the country. And that it is conservatism not liberalism that illuminates the character of the nation. And, he argues, [...]

Preliminary hearings for Osama bin Laden’s driver were held today in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in the first US military tribunal since WWII.
Salim Ahmed Hamdan, a 34-year-old Yemeni, was formally charged with conspiracy to commit war crimes.
Los Angeles Times reporter John Hendren was in the courtroom covering the hearing. He joins us live with today’s [...]

Images from three decades ago are dominating this year’s presidential campaign. With the Swift Boat Veterans questioning John Kerry’s service record, and MoveOn ads accusing President Bush of not fulfilling his National Guard duties, the debate over Vietnam has been revived even as the nation is split over the current war in Iraq.
On Point’s [...]

Since the chilling images of torture at Abu Ghraib prison first became public, there have been a slew of investigations and reports but so far only one person has been convicted and no one at the Pentagon has lost their job.
The latest report came today from the Schlesinger panel. Despite being appointed by Donald [...]