Blogs

On this weekend’s show: Why is the patriotism of African Americans questioned? Tune in for the feisty conversation on this topic with:

22-year veteran of the military, Mustapha Rahim; he served in Iraq and Bosnia and he’s a Republican.

Dr. David Campt, who’s joined us before, his expertise: those testy social questions that make you want to duck out of the room.... he’s known as the RACE DOCTOR, and he’s the author of “The Little Book of Dialogue For Difficult Subjects” with co-author Dr. Lisa Schirch. www.davidcampt.com

Commentator and author, Janus Adams, who was one of four children selected to end de facto segregation in New York in the wake of Brown v. Board of Education. Today she is a frequent lecturer and on-air guest, and her commentaries are heard on NPR. www.janusadams.com

When Barack Obama first met Katrina vanden Heuvel of The Nation magazine, he
said, "Remember, the perfect is the enemy of the good." So in a week when the
conversation is rising about what the left should properly do when the presumptive
nominee appears to emphasize his moderate side, I'd like to excerpt at greater length
than usual in our weekly 7 Days in America blog an interesting conversation about
this with John Kerry -- it's always instructive when the '04 Democratic nominee
analyzes the '08 Democratic nominee -- and with the ubiquitous two leading ladies of
the left, Arianna and Katrina.

Three points first.

*The two most successful Democratic politicians on the past century, the only two to
win the presidency more than once, were renowned for their ability to keep options
open with strategic ambiguity. FDR and Bill Clinton often infuriated their supporters
and staff. But they figured out how to win and govern in a country more to the right
than our European parents.

Chris Owens takes on John McCain’s odd news week (from Viagra to economic psychology), plus Rev. Jesse Jackson’s nutty gaffe ... with NY Post columnist and conservative friend-of-show, Robert George.

Chris will dig deeper into generational tensions in the black community and notions about "passing the torch," with Dr. Benjamin Chavis (who knows a lot about the perils of leadership, he ran the NAACP back in 1993 at the tender age of 45) and now he's working in "black" media, as President of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, working to get the vote out. Visit http://www.voteforit08.org to learn more.

And, Chris will have a broader discussion about black media with journalist Kristal Brent Zook, who just penned a new book on the topic called I SEE BLACK PEOPLE: The Rise and Fall of African American-Owned Television and Radio.

Happy 4th of July weekend!

This week on The Best of Black Politics:

Calming your mind – with Jenny Phillips, she’s a practicing psychotherapist and the filmmaker behind “THE DHAMMA BROTHERS,” which tells the story of prisoners finding freedom through mediation. She explains how anyone can work towards “spiritual development” through meditation.

Chris will also be joined by journalist Gilbert King, author of “THE EXECUTION OF WILLIE FRANCIS: Race, Murder, and the Search for Justice in the American South” with his story on cruel and unusual punishment and the outrageous case that sparked his interest in the criminal justice system.

In a debate on Hardball last week, I was asked about McCain’s flip-flops vs. Obama’s, which is like contrasting Bonnie & Clyde with an alleged jaywalker.

Of course, it should be no crime that a person or candidate changes her/his mind based on new information…until the Bush Team turned ignorance into resolution and John Kerry fell into the trap with his for-it-before-against-it on Iraq funding.

So if “flip-flopping” is a test, our Air America panel of Alter, Huffington and Reagan concludes that McCain certainly scores higher based on sheer frequency. For he’s probably done a 180 degree turn – or changed significantly – on tax cuts, offshore drilling, Social Security privatization, negotiating with Hamas, Roe v. Wade, the Religious Right, presidential public financing, rights for Gitmo detainees, and torture.

Why? McCain is trying to do the impossible – satisfy both the Far Right of his party and the progressive majority in America in order to win 270 electoral votes.

On today’s show

Chris Owens talks with Katrina Browne, who made a ghastly discovery about her family: she’s the descendant of one of the largest slave-trading families in U.S. history... and they were Yankees.

Browne is the filmmaker behind “Traces of the Trade: A Story from the Deep North,” which was just shown at the New York Human Rights Watch Film Festival this week but can be seen this summer on PBS, check local your local listings for “P.O.V.’s 2008 Season.” Visit http://www.tracesofthetrade.org/ to learn more.

Also joining Chris, Harold Fields – He is active in restorative justice and racial reconciliation projects across the nation and is featured in the film.

Plus, hear Chris’ take on this week’s news in politics.

It will be forgivable that Obama opted out of the public finance system IF he appoints a White House "Democracy Czar" to obtain pro-democracy reforms, like repairing the broken presidential system he rejected.

I'm a life-long zealot for public funding of public elections but Obama's refusal to opt-in to the presidential system was a "no brainer" that any candidate -- whether McCain, Clinton – would have also done if in his shoes.

Yes he had pledged to opt in to the system if the Republican nominee did so. His reasons for reversing field, however, are politically compelling:

Chris Owens previews next week’s election in Zimbabwe, that beautiful country in Southern Africa, bordered by Botswana, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zambia. The focus is the controversy surrounding its leader, Robert Mugabe, who’s been a magnet for much press attention and criticism. Representing two sides of the debate over Mugabe are NYC Councilman Charles Barron, an outspoken supporter of the president of Zimbabwe, and Carolyn Norris, Acting Deputy Director of the Africa division, Human Rights Watch. Both have very different views on what’s happening there.

Plus, check out our new online feature: We’ll also have posted online Chris’ interview with Boston Globe religion reporter Michael Paulson, with his report on the oppression of Anglicans in Zimbabwe below.

On this week’s show:

Chris Owens will speak about the untimely passing of journalist Tim Russert at 58.

He’ll take on the downturn in our economy with Rep. Caroline Maloney, congresswoman from New York and later with Cass Sunstein, from the University of Chicago and the co-author of “NUDGE: Improvising Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness.” They’ll talk about how encouraging transparency from our financial institutions and government could impact your pocketbook. Sunstein will also give us the real deal behind Jason Furman’s appointment as an economic advisor to the Obama campaign.

And, Chris talks about the Supreme Court’s landmark decision this week to allow terror suspects to have their cases appealed in civilian courts with Vincent Warren, Executive Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.

. . . and Happy Father's Day weekend everyone!

In honor of almost-Father's-Day, this week’s show is about Fathers and sons. Chris is talking politics with his dad, Major Robert Odell Owens, who served in the US House of Representatives from 1982- January 2007, among his achievements -- passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

And, we’ll have a lively roundtable discussion between Chris, Congressman Owens and Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-35th District). On the table: what’s ahead for the Dems, including the stakes for VP and how Waters feels having initially backed Hillary Clinton, only to have endorsed Obama this past Tuesday.

This week’s show is about something we don’t often talk about directly... fear and politics . . . and how we can come together, despite differences.

We’re talking with our favorite conservative pundit, Robert George, from the New York Post about the-story-behind-the-story on recent assassination comments.

We’re looking at why fear often works in politics with psychologist Joseph L. White. Forty years ago, White helped establish the first Black Studies Departments on an American college campus and he pioneered a new movement, black psychology, which challenged psychologists to understand the unique experiences of people of color.

And Eric Gutierrez joins us. A graduate of Harvard Divinity School, he’s a writer and commentator on religion and culture. We’re looking at how Latinos and Blacks have overcome fear and differences, in one case, through a genre of music speaking to them both. He's the author of the new book "Disciples of the Street: The Promise of a Hip Hop Church."

It’s Memorial Day Weekend and if you’re not on the road right now . . . maybe you’re getting ready to chill out and enjoy the time off with friends and family. Our show this weekend is about your health, from three interesting angles:

Attacking Cancer – Dr. Arden Morris, an assistant professor of surgery at the University of Michigan Medical School, tells us about her new study published this month on why more people of color are dying from cancer, even when they have the same access to treatment.

Talking about HIV/AIDS – Avis Jones-DeWeever, of the National Council of Negro Women, tackles what still remains a taboo topic in many communities of color and dispels some lingering myths.

Calming your mind – with Jenny Phillips, she’s a practicing psychotherapist and the filmmaker behind “THE DHAMMA BROTHERS,” which tells the story of prisoners finding freedom through mediation. She explains how anyone can work towards “spiritual development” through meditation.

Listen live at http://www.airamerica.com/blackpolitics/ and now on Facebook.
NYC Listeners can catch us online Saturdays and live Sundays at 7 am on 1600 AM WWRL

We have fans in Oregon! George Rede, Sunday Opinion Editor for The Oregonian, Portland, OR's largest daily, gave Clout! a nice mention in his recent piece, "Seeking Out the Truth." Here's an excerpt:

I learned that Air America Radio was broadcasting a discussion/debate on the 9/11 conspiracy theory...Tuning in, I was impressed by the very calm and competent host, Richard Greene, whom I was hearing for the first time. While providing each side with an opportunity to present its case, he put excellent questions to both. In this debate at least, the lone opponent of the conspiracy theory came out rather poorly, frenetic and apoplectic in my view, without any success rebutting the other side. Greene had good questions for the conspiracy fellows.

Read the full article HERE. Thanks for listening in Oregon!

We’re talking about our prison system – with activist Kevin Powell, who’s running for Congress in the 10th congressional district in Brooklyn and has spent some time working in a youth prison upstate. We’re talking with him about his thoughts on the problems faced by youth offenders in New York and in other urban centers.

We’ll also be joined by journalist Gilbert King, author of “THE EXECUTION OF WILLIE FRANCIS: Race, Murder, and the Search for Justice in the American South” with his story on cruel and unusual punishment and the outrageous case that sparked his interest in the criminal justice system.

And NEXT WEEK: Jenny Phillips, director, producer of “THE DHAMMA BROTHERS,” joins us to talk about her new film that tells the story of prisoners finding freedom through mediation . . . and we just might learn a thing or two from their practice.