Featured Guests

Danny Schechter
Founder and Executive Editor
Influences of U.S. media, dumbing-down of citizenry by U.S. media; how media covers war, potential for threat against freedom of press in war time; media coverage of the Iraq War,US and Iraqi casualties; media tactics of Bush administration; embedded journalists
MediaChannel
Erik Leaver
Senior Research Fellow
Global Governance/UN: United Nations: U.S. Policy; Middle East: Countries: Iraq; Military/Peace: Budget; Military/Peace: General; National Security: Terrorism/Counter-terrorism: War on Terror/Bush Policies, Oil in Iraq
Foreign Policy In Focus
John Nichols
Washington Correspondent
Investigative journalism, investigative journalism in relation to Watergate, current political and media climate; media reform and the FCC
The Nation Magazine
Matthew Duss
Research Associate
China and the Olympics
Center for American Progress
Melvin Goodman
Senior Fellow
international security policy and strategy; intelligence; homeland security
Center for International Policy
Ray McGovern
Career Analyst for the CIA: 27 years, from the Administrations of John F. Kennedy to George H. W. Bush
CIA, intelligence, security
Sanho Tree
Director, Drug Policy Project
Domestic and international “War on Drugs”; economic alternatives to the illicit drug economy; intersection of race and poverty in the drug war; Colombia, US Drug Policy
Institute for Policy Studies
Trita Parsi
Policy analyst,Professional,Author
International relations, Middle Eastern foreign policy, Middle Eastern Affairs, Middle East, Iran, Israel, Iran-U.S.-Israel relations
Trita Parsi
Vanessa Cardenas
Director for Ethnic Media
Immigration policies of the U.S., ethnic media, education, civic participation
Center for American Progress
William Hartung
Director, Arms Security Initiative, New America Foundation
U.S. weapons being sold in India, defense contracts in India
New America Foundation

Veep Showdown

Candidates likely to discuss economy, foreign policy.
Issue Area:


Tonight, Vice Presidential candidates Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska and Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware will face-off for the first time in St. Louis. At a time when the U.S. public is weary from over 5 years of 2 unsuccessful wars, the topics to be covered will likely include the economy, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan and more.

The legacy of the Bush Administration will need to be addressed by the next Administration, including wiretapping, false intelligence, torture and a pre-emptive war doctrine. Of course that legacy will include the outcome of the $700 billion + bailout rescue plan package that was approved by the Congress today. Whatever issues are discussed, tonight's debate is sure to be an historic event!

Other issues that will likely not be brought up tonight but warrant discussion are the U.S.'s recent approval of a nuclear deal with India that undermines the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, the increase of violence between Pakistan and U.S. forces and the never-ending violence between Israel and Palestine.

How will the next Administration deal with the legacy of the Bush Administration? What kinds of foreign policy issues will the candidates address and not address? How will the Vice Presidential debate shape the rest of the election season? Where do the candidates stand on war, peace and nuclear nonproliferation?