On The Media - Covering The Capital

Re-upping the Patriot Act (On The Media)

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:52 GMT

President Obama recently signed into law the re-authorization of three contentious provisions of the Patriot Act. Shane Harris, author of The Watchers, returns this week to discuss the implications for the future of American surveillance.

Scaling the Summit (On The Media)

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:37 GMT

With the stage set and the script written and revised, the actors hit their marks on Thursday for the President’s first bipartisan Health Care Summit. After much anticipation both Republicans and Democrats sat through a more than six hour discussion of the labyrinthine reform proposals. But what sound does a policy debate make when (finally) everyone can hear it?

Up With People (On The Media)

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:11 GMT

For over a century, politicians trying to rally their base and refocus voter anger have relied on a durable rhetorical tactic - populism - the framing of virtually any issue as us vs. them. President Obama used the strategy in his State of the Union address. Historian and author Michael Kazin describes the tradition and tactics of rallying the masses.

Is 60 the Magic Number? (On The Media)

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:20 GMT

The media reminded us over and over this week that the Democrats' 60th vote was at stake in the Massachusetts special election even though a bill only needs 51 votes to pass the Senate. It is ending a filibuster that requires 60 yay's. James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic magazine, says the media have done a poor job of clarifying this point, thereby obscuring a historic shift in the democratic process.

Book Club (On The Media)

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:18 GMT

Two books about the Vietnam War are reportedly shaping the policy debate about Afghanistan. One is circulating among military circles and the other is being passed around the White House. All this reading is making The New Yorker's George Packer a bit nervous. He explains why.

The Other Provision (On The Media)

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:30 GMT

Much attention has been paid to three provisions of The Patriot Act set to expire this year, but civil libertarians say the focus should be on a lesser noticed portion of the law having to do with National Security Letters. Greg Nojeim, senior counsel at the Center for Democracy & Technology, says the NSL's are often misused.

A Torture Narrative (On The Media)

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:39 GMT

In an attempt to keep the public interested in the vast amount of information about the government's interrogation practices and rendition policies, the ACLU recently launched The Torture Report. The report's chief author, Larry Siems, hopes to draw people in by writing an accessible story about what some call "enhanced interrogation" but most simply call torture.

A New Privilege (On The Media)

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:47 GMT

The state secrets privilege allows the government to ask judges to dismiss trials for national security reasons. Civil libertarians say the government abuses the privilege in order to avoid lawsuits. On Wednesday, Attorney General Eric Holder laid out the ways President Obama will reform the privilege, but lawyer and professor Jonathan Turley says the reforms don't go far enough.

President, Interrupted (On The Media)

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:38 GMT

Much of the media coverage of the President's address before a joint session of Congress focused on an outburst from Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC). Fred Beuttler, deputy historian for the United States House of Representatives, talks about other famous interruptions from the floor. Plus, Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, who had a front row seat, describes what it was like in the room.

Just Read It (On The Media)

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:41 GMT

Some opponents of the President's health care plan have been berating lawmakers with entreaties to "read the bill," implying that members of Congress often don't read the laws they vote on. Harper's Ken Silverstein says the protesters are probably right, but they're missing the point.

Movie Critic (On The Media)

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 21:02 GMT

The Supreme Court will hear arguments this week about a controversial 2008 film, "Hillary: The Movie," whose broadcast was stopped when federal election officials determined it was paid political speech. But New York Times legal correspondent Adam Liptak says the case is about more then a movie, the court is actually looking to make a much broader decision about whether the precedent for campaign finance regulation needs to be rethought entirely.

The Wrong Debate? (On The Media)

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:11 GMT

The C.I.A. inspector general's report released this week exposed gruesome interrogation techniques used on detainees. But as the press combs through the report, is the discussion whether these practices are illegal or whether they're effective? Bob asks LA Times reporter Greg Miller whether the debate over efficacy is beside the point.

In Sickness and In Health (On The Media)

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:23 GMT

In discussing national health care plans, reporters, politicians and especially critics have been fond of invoking the failed Clinton plan of '93 & '94. Paul Starr, Princeton professor and author of The Social Transformation of American Medicine, says the history of national health care and its discontents is at least a century old and that for proponents and critics alike, most everything old is new again.

Covering Recovery (On The Media)

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 19:05 GMT

The Obama Administration promised that Recovery.gov would make the massive stimulus package transparent and highlight how well (or poorly) it's working. But Eric Umansky, senior editor at ProPublica, says it's hard to track the stimulus money because the numbers on the website just don't add up.

Pollbearers (On The Media)

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:46 GMT

New poll numbers show that public support for President Obama and for health care reform have declined. Is it over for a new health plan? Cable made us think so. We asked 538's number-crunching expert Nate Silver what the polls really mean and which ones we should watch closely.

Global Audience (On The Media)

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:15 GMT

The White House worked to tamp high expectations for Obama's Cairo address but, by the end of the week, the world was watching and listening. Naila Hamdy, Chair of the Journalism Department at the American University in Cairo, discusses the changing landscape of Egypt's media and how they covered the speech.

Court and Spark (On The Media)

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:26 GMT

With the choice of Federal Judge Sonia Sotomayor for the US Supreme Court this week the machinery of advocacy groups, pro and con, was sparked into action. Defying and supporting a supreme court nominee has become a veritable cottage industry for these groups and for the next six weeks we’ll watch them stir up public opinion and the press. Lawyer Tom Goldstein, founder of ScotusBlog, says any High Court nominee is but fuel for the politics industry.

Speaking of Terror (On The Media)

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:06 GMT

This week former Vice President Dick Cheney and President Barack Obama went head to head, toe to toe, and back to back. It was the ultimate battle, at least in the coverage. PEJ's Mark Jurkowitz explains why the media love a showdown like this one.

Rewrite (On The Media)

Tue, 26 May 2009 16:54 GMT

This month saw the launch of a multimillion dollar ad campaign meant to sink President Obama’s as yet unannounced health care plan. James Fallows covered the first round in the fight over health care in 1994. He says the 1994 plan failed in large part because of a single wildly inaccurate magazine article.

To Release or Not to Release (On The Media)

Mon, 18 May 2009 19:53 GMT

The Obama Administration announced this week that it would not release photos documenting the abuse of detainees in Iraq and Afghanistan, fearing that doing so would jeopardize the safety of U.S. troops. Jane Mayer, New Yorker writer and author of The Dark Side, says the photos are crucial evidence that should be made public.

Cleaning Up the Language (On The Media)

Mon, 18 May 2009 19:52 GMT

It's no secret that politicians try to shape our understanding of major issues by controlling the words we use to debate them. Exhibit A: the Obama Administration's recent attempts to retool the way we talk about environmental policy. Green is out, clean is in. And don't mention "global warming." Chicago Tribune reporter Jim Tankersley explains.

100 Days Many Years Later (On The Media)

Tue, 05 May 2009 16:14 GMT

Some president's first 100 days are rockier then others. President Clinton's for instance were marked by controversy. Dee Dee Myers was the first press secretary at the Clinton White House. She says she felt a little envious as she watched the Obama transition.

7 Letter Word (On The Media)

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 19:20 GMT

While some in the media wondered if Obama flip-flopped when it comes to prosecuting Bush Administration officials who authorized torture, the White House tried to get its media message straight ... all without actually using the T-word. Columbia University law professor and Harper's Magazine contributing editor Scott Horton explains why the Administration, and some members of the media, are backing away from "torture."

Hear No Evil (On The Media)

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:56 GMT

Last week, the Obama Administration invoked the state secrets privilege for the third time in as many months when arguing that Jewel v. NSA should be dismissed. How does this square with his much-touted promise of openness and transparency? We asked Marc Ambinder, associate editor of the Atlantic and chief political consultant to CBS.

Stim Sell (On The Media)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 19:33 GMT

Last time the Obama Administration pitched its plan for economic recovery, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner was ridiculed for his lack of details and shaky performance. This week, Geithner was mostly hidden from the cameras and Obama did the selling. Political reporter Peter Nicholas says the Pitchman-in-Chief was pretty much everywhere.

Blogging the Stimulus (On The Media)

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:37 GMT

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a.k.a. the Stimulus bill, passed last month in a firestorm of debate, but how many people have actually sat down to read the whole thing? The New Yorker's Steve Coll is doing just that, and blogging along the way.

On the Outs (On The Media)

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:47 GMT

Rush Limbaugh's keynote speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in DC last weekend received much media attention and left pundits wondering if he's the de facto leader of the republican party? A question the White House was more than happy to discuss. But Limbaugh wasn't the only radio professional at CPAC. We too were curious about the future of conservatism and its future media message. So Bob attended and came back with this report.

The Privileged (On The Media)

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:42 GMT

During his campaign, President Obama criticized the Bush Administration's profligate use of the State Secrets Privilege. But this week, lawyers for the Obama administration invoked that rule in an ongoing trial. Slate's Dahlia Lithwick has some possible explanations for the shift.

Blackberry Jungle (On The Media)

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 18:07 GMT

When President Obama won his fight on Thursday to keep his beloved Blackberry, White House communications leapt headlong into the 21st century. But technology and open-government expert Ari Schwartz says that with technological progress comes great responsibility.

He Said, He Said (On The Media)

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 02:04 GMT

The inaugural address is one of the first tests of the incoming president; a rhetorical declaration that is supposed to speak to the moment, address a world audience, inspire with eloquence and stand the test of time. Harvard historian and New Yorker contributor Jill Lepore explains the stakes for President Barack Obama and the lyrical lessons of the past.

At Obama's Podium (On The Media)

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:23 GMT

Robert Gibbs, tapped by President-elect Obama as the new press secretary, will guide the administration's relationship with the media. But New York Times reporter Mark Leibovich says Gibbs' combative style may be a surprise to those expecting the transparency and openness promised during the election.

Beg Your Pardon? (On The Media)

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:39 GMT

It’s that time of year again, the season of the presidential pardon. Much used and little understood it’s the one truly discretionary power of the president. Pardon historian P.S. Ruckman explains why the get-out-of-jail-free card is a constant subject of fascination and frustration for the public and the press.

Right On Red (On The Media)

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:15 GMT

On Thursday, 20 or so fundraisers, grassroots organizers and political strategists met in Virginia to discuss the future of the conservative movement, soon to be in exile from the federal government. Ross Douthat, senior editor at The Atlantic and author of Grand New Party, says a split is emerging in the center-right mediasphere over what to do next.

Vice Versus (On The Media)

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 19:15 GMT

Open government advocates are expressing concern that Vice President Dick Cheney may take official documents with him when he leaves office. Chief Counsel for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Anne Weismann, explains the stakes if the written record of the Cheney years is lost to history.

Best Seats in the House (On The Media)

Mon, 19 May 2008 19:25 GMT

With many reporters skipping White House press briefings in these waning days of the Bush administration, journalists from some very obscure news outlets are moving up to the front row. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank thinks that's as it should be.

Crisis of Confidence (On The Media)

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:03 GMT

This week's New York Times story on John McCain hinted at a political and sexual scandal. Brooke explains how the article's use of anonymous sources and innuendo made the The New York Times, and not just McCain, the focal point of the media's scrutiny.

Congressional Contempt (On The Media)

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:06 GMT

This week House Republicans staged a walk-out to express their outrage at House Democrats for finding the Bush Administration's Harriet Miers and Josh Bolton in contempt of Congress. Bob weighs in as the parties accuse each other of orchestrating media stunts.

FOIA's Foil (On The Media)

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:50 GMT

Tucked away into President Bush's 2009 budget was language that eliminates the FOIA ombudsman. The newly-created position was at the heart of legislation that Bush recently signed into law, and was intended to expedite government's response to Freedom of Information Act requests. Cox Newspapers' Rebecca Carr explains that without the ombudsman position we shouldn't expect any improvements in the painfully slow FOIA process.

Putting the “Press” Back in Press Conference (On The Media)

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:53 GMT

The release of a new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran prompted mea culpas and soul searching from pols and the press. Bob talks with two White House correspondents, the Chicago Tribune’s Mark Silva and US News and World Report’s Ken Walsh, about how the President and his press secretary, Dana Perino, reacted to the news on Iran.

Poster Children (On The Media)

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 20:04 GMT

This Thursday, Congress sustained the President’s veto of an expanded Children’s Health Insurance bill. But two poster children, Bethany Wilkerson and Graeme Frost, got the lion’s share of media attention. Reporter James Carroll covered Senator Mitch McConnell’s connection to attacks on Frost.

Justice Is ... Mute (On The Media)

Tue, 09 Oct 2007 17:18 GMT

With the opening of the Supreme Court's new term this week, Jeffrey Toobin's recently published book might help shed light on the inner workings of the notoriously tight-lipped nine. Toobin says that while gaining access and writing about the Court isn’t easy, it is necessary.

Report(ing) (On The Media)

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 20:42 GMT

This week, a copy of the Government Accountability Office's Iraq assessment was leaked to the press, apparently for fear that the final version would be watered down. This not to be confused with the White House assessment from July … not to be confused with the upcoming … well, Washington Post reporter Karen DeYoung parses the flurry of official reports.

Goodbye Karl - We Hardly Knew Ye (On The Media)

Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:32 GMT

Presidential Adviser Karl Rove announced this week that he would be stepping down at the end of the month. Portrayed as everything from genius to puppet-master, in the end the press seemed mostly in awe of his political cunning. We take a look back at the man affectionately known as... Turd Blossom.

Be Afraid (On The Media)

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 19:00 GMT

With the Senate about to debate an Iraq withdrawal plan this week, the White House released a summary of a new National Intelligence Estimate saying Al Qaeda is still a major threat. Chicago Tribune correspondent Mark Silva says the timing was no accident.

Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Us (On The Media)

Mon, 09 Jul 2007 22:56 GMT

The Freedom of Information Act was supposed to give Americans timely access to government records. But 40 years after it went into effect, there are huge FOIA backlogs in most federal agencies. The National Security Archive’s Meredith Fuchs says a culture of secrecy is largely to blame.

Shadow of Watergate (On The Media)

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:54 GMT

35 years ago, five men were caught breaking into the Watergate Hotel. The burglary would give Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein the story of a lifetime, and help change the role of the press. Alicia Shepard, author of a new book on Watergate, discusses the fact & fiction of "Woodstein."

Gonzales-gate (On The Media)

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:09 GMT

In its reporting on Watergate, the Washington Post made Barry Sussman its special editor on the scandal. We asked him about the current scandal roiling Washington -- the firing of the "Gonzales Eight." Sussman says the press faces a similar problem now as it did then: how to keep the public interested.

You Know How To Whistle, Don't You? (On The Media)

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 18:12 GMT

Recently, whistle-blowers converged for their first ever conference in the capital. The festivities celebrated the evolution of whistle-blowing from a solitary act-of-conscience to a veritable subculture. New Republic editor Eve Fairbanks brings us news from the front lines of informing.

Secrets & Lies (On The Media)

Mon, 07 May 2007 16:42 GMT

In 2002, a handful of lawmakers were privy to classified intel about Iraqi WMD. Behind closed doors, there was uncertainty. But in public, Bush officials told a different story. Senator Dick Durbin explains why he didn’t blow the whistle when it might have made a difference.

The Email Trail (On The Media)

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 16:44 GMT

Why no emails from Alberto Gonzales in the prosecutor purge document dumps? He apparently doesn't use email. Ditto for other Cabinet members. Now some are questioning whether Bush staffers avoid email altogether, or just their official accounts. Government watchdog Melanie Sloan says there’s illegal obfuscation at work. And historian Anna Nelson explains the law that made presidential communications part of the public record.