The Ron Reagan Show Blog

This just in: Ann Coulter = not funny

Ron Reagan — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:11:29 -0500

Tonight on the show! Ron dishes the dirt on Ann Coulter's sociopathic brain (while not devoting too much time to her, we promise), we play you some audio highlights of all of the 1,000 Roland Burris-related press conferences today, and a Bill Clinton zinger from today's Presidential lunch ("I loooove this rug.") Sam Stein will join us from The Huffington Post to give us the latest on the Burris circus, and economist James Galbraith will be here to talk about our trillion-dollar deficit and gas taxes. And then we'll be taking your calls, so call in! 866-303-2270.

A funny thing happened on the way to the Senate

Ron Reagan — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 20:37:04 -0500

Tonight: Elana Schor, Talking Points Memo reporter and blogger joins me with the latest on Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s push-back over to Leon Panetta’s nomination to run the CIA. And John Nichols, Washington Correspondent for The Nation magazine explains both the procedural and political maneuvering behind today’s seating of new senators, plus the kind of leadership Democrats are looking for from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Nichols is the author of "The Genius of Impeachment: The Founders' Cure for Royalism" (2006) and "Dick: The Man Who is President" (2004). Followed by your fantabulous calls - 866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN.

The problem of Israel/Gaza

Ron Reagan — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:41:56 -0500

It’s great to be back – Happy New Year everyone. 2009.

Tonight, a look at the Israel/Gaza conflict :
First, how did we get here? Matthew Duss, from The Center for American Progress joins us with his take on the politics of this conflict. Matthew holds a master’s degree in Middle East Studies from the University of Washington. Prior to joining the Center, he was a research intern for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Find his blog posts at Think Progress, The American Prospect and The Guardian.

And later, when is it okay to kill civilians? Ambassador Edward L. Peck is former chief of mission in Iraq and Mauritania and Deputy Director of the White House Task Force on Terrorism for the Reagan administration. He was in the Mideast this past November and joins us with his views on the moral issues involved.

Followed by your calls.
866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Happy Holidays!

Ron Reagan — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 20:04:06 -0500

Tonight: Jack Hitt from the NYT magazine and Rabbi Sharon Brous talk about the origins of Christmas and Hanukah.

And your calls!

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

I'll be back Monday January 5th and Terrence McNally, Bill Dwight and David Bender will be taking turns guest hosting in the meantime.

Have a happy and safe holiday and see you in the New Year!

The Empire Strikes Back

Ron Reagan — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:46:09 -0500

Tonight:

Dick Cheney says Congress knew about spying all along. I’ll take up the topic with Ben Wizner, Attorney with the ACLU National Security Project about the administration’s record. He's an expert on national security, human rights, and first amendment issues.

Plus, your excellent calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Free for all Friday

Ron Reagan — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:55:34 -0500

Tonight:

It's Free For All Friday! any topic, anything goes.

Jonathan Alter, Senior Editor and Columnist, Newsweek, NBC analyst and Week That Was "Special" correspondent with his take on the big stories this week.

Plus, your calls

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Where does money come from?

Ron Reagan — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:17:39 -0500

Tonight: Where does money come from and why do we value it? Historian and author Niall Ferguson explains “The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World” and explains why he knew the collapse of markets was coming.

He is Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University, William Ziegler Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, Senior Research Fellow at Jesus College, Oxford University, and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University.

His latest book came out out this November and his documentary, “The Ascent of Money,” premieres Jan. 13 on PBS.

What might really make you smarter

Ron Reagan — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:22:58 -0500

Tonight: After my rundown of the news of day... NYT columnist Nicolas Kristof, on why iodized salt makes you smarter (and how we could be Raising the World’s I.Q. ). Kristof is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, the co-author of "China Wakes: The Struggle for the Soul of a Rising Power" and "Thunder from the East: Portrait of a Rising Asia."

And later, Eve Ensler, playwright of “The Vagina Monologues” and the founder of V-Day (the global movement to end violence against women and girls) on offenses against women and why she’s speaking up for women of the Congo.

Plus your excellent calls: 866 – 303 – 2270

The perils of weight gain & gift giving

Ron Reagan — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:37:01 -0500

Tonight: A recap of some of our favorite news of day. ( Mailing any shoes btw?)

And, we're trying out something new called, "Science Tuesdays" . . . John Tierney, who writes for the NYT science section will join me to explain why we pack on pounds EVEN when we try to eat healthily and he has some theories on holiday gift giving.

Tierney is the author of "The Best-Case Scenario Handbook" which explains, among other things, how to deal with a broken ATM spewing cash, how to accept the Nobel Peace Prize and even how to cope with a polite teenage child. And, he is also the co-author, with Christopher Buckley, of the comic novel, "God Is My Broker: A Monk Tycoon Reveals the 7 ½ Laws of Spiritual and Financial Growth."

Followed by your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 - Call us.

Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan on Nuclear Threat

Ron Reagan — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:28:01 -0500

Tonight: Her Majesty Queen Noor of Jordan talks with me about her concerns about nuclear proliferation. She is an international humanitarian activist and an outspoken voice on issues of world peace and justice whose conflict recovery and peace-building work has focused on the Middle East, the Balkans, Central and Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa.

Queen Noor has published two books, "Hussein of Jordan" (KHF Publishing, 2000) and "Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life" (Miramax Books, 2003), a New York Times bestseller published in 15 languages. To learn more about Queen Noor's work to eliminate nuclear weapons visit www.globalzero.org.

Followed by your calls.

866-303-2270. Call in!!!

Free-for-All Friday

Ron Reagan — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:42:56 -0500

Tonight:

It's Free For All Friday! any topic, anything goes.

Native Chicagoan, Jonathan Alter, Senior Editor and Columnist, Newsweek, NBC analyst and Week That Was "Special" correspondent with his take on Blago and the other big stories this week.

Plus, we all are carrying a dizzying array of chemical contaminants (not to alarm you), on the line to explain more: Nena Baker, investigative journalist and author of the acclaimed book “THE BODY TOXIC: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Well-Being” (North Point Press).

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

With the economy in the dumpster, who’s minding the bank?

Ron Reagan — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:50:37 -0500

Tonight:
US jobless claims hit a 26-year high says Bloomberg today, “The number of Americans filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits surged more than forecast last week to a 26-year high, a sign companies are stepping up firings as the recession deepens.” And last night, the House passed an auto bailout bill, “that would provide up to $14 billion in bridge loans to automakers, but Republican opposition cast doubt about the bill's fate in the Senate later this week.” All this while bailed-out AIG is offering 38 executives bonuses topping $4 Million and there are reports of a controversial tax shelter for some connected to Detroit . And get this: a pay raise for judges is tucked into the auto bailout plan.

So, who’s looking out for tax payer interests? James K. Galbraith, who teaches at UT-Austin and is the author of “The Predator State: How Conservatives Abandoned the Free Market and Why Liberals Should Too,” joins me on the line to talk about plans for the automaker bailout and saving the economy in general. He writes this month for Mother Jones about how Obama can get us on track to a real recovery.

Plus your calls. 866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Born Gay?

Ron Reagan — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:07:23 -0500

Tonight:

The latest on the news of day, including some lighter news from Aiko, the friendly fem-bot.
And then, did you call in gay today ? I'm talking with David Craig, one of the co-organizers of A DAY WITHOUT GAYS, on today's protests and the road ahead for gay activism. And later, Jack Drescher, MD , a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst in private practice in New York City, joins us for the science behind being gay. Do you have a choice to be gay?

Plus your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Today’s new high ... for the delusional

Ron Reagan — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:28:42 -0500

Tonight:

Mark Karlin, Editor and Publisher of BuzzFlash.com, the Chicago-based news site, joins me to talk about Illinois Dem Governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest on multiple federal felony charges, including trying to sell Obama’s vacated Senate seat and why he saw this coming for years. . . And why, the admittedly, innocent until proven guilty, Blagojevich is, well, delusional.

And, Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, brings us up to speed on the Guantánamo mess: Yesterday the press reported several detainees, including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, would be confessing to masterminding or otherwise being involved 9/11. But later in the day, after expressing a desire to plead guilty at a military commission hearing earlier that day, Mohammed and two other detainees said they would postpone entering pleas until the competency of two additional co-defendants is determined. Fredrickson will explain more about what happened and if will we ever know if any of these detainees are guilty or innocent.

And your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

What Do YOU Want from any New Stimulus Package?

Ron Reagan — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 20:06:29 -0500

Tonight:

Paul Rieckhoff, Executive Director, Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America on Gen. Eric Shinseki's nomination for secretary of Veterans Affairs and then, your calls:

With the NYT, the Tribune Company and NBC calling for help (and signaling severe financial trouble) today, and oddly Merrill Lynch big shot John Thaine asking for a 10 million dollar pat-on-the-back, not to mention the Big Three automakers pushing for aid . . . who do YOU think needs help and what YOU want to see in any new, economic stimulus package proposal?

Call us!

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Free for All Friday

Ron Reagan — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:35:39 -0500

Tonight:

It's Free for all Friday, so your calls, anything goes. And, it's time for Week That Was Special correspondent, Jonathan Alter, Senior Editor and Columnist, from Newsweek with his take on the political news this week.

I also want to talk about one topic that came up this week: Does being single mean you have "no life"? Social psychologist and University of California professor Bella DePaulo, Ph.D., joins me to talk about the Gov. Ed Rendell kerfuffle. DePaulo is author of "Singled Out: How Singles are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After.” Did Rendell make a sexist remark? What does it take to succeed in any career these days? Are there advantages to being single?

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

The War on Xmas begins

Ron Reagan — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:23:55 -0500

Tonight:

We'll talk briefly about part II of today's Senate hearings with The Big Three automakers and then we're covering a story that's made us feel all warm and happy about the holiday season... Yes, I might be an atheist but I do look forward to Christmas, and I was struck by this fact, the Episcopalians are fighting, for real this time: According to to the NYT today, "Conservatives alienated from the Episcopal Church announced on Wednesday that they were founding their own rival denomination, the biggest challenge yet to the authority of the Episcopal Church since it ordained an openly gay bishop five years ago." I'll be speaking with Bishops John-David Schofield and Jerry Lamb, both from the same region in California, both on very different sides of this issue. What is so important to them that it's driven them to split apart?

And later, your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

What price is life?

Ron Reagan — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:57:24 -0500

Tonight:

In these harsh economic times, we're looking at the cost of healthcare when you're really ill. Gardiner Harris, Public Health reporter for The New York Times, joins me on the line from DC to talk about his latest article. Followed by Dr. Oliver Fein, President of Physicians for a National Health Program (an organization of 15,000 doctors who support single-payer national health insurance as the solution to our country’s health care woes) -- Fein is also professor of Clinical Medicine and Clinical Public Health at Weill Medical College of Cornell University and will share a physician's perspective on these issues: If it's the case that our insurance companies “triage” the sick, what will happen when/if the US adopts universal healthcare? Why are some drugs prohibitively expensive? Why is Viagra so cheap while life-saving drugs are so costly?

And later, your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Will The Big Three become The Big One?

Ron Reagan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:04:33 -0500

Tonight:

Automakers submitted their turnaround plans to Congress today with hopes of a bailout. Tonight's topic - might a Big Three merger be a good plan? That's Douglas McIntyre's idea and I'll take it up with him. McIntyre's Editor of 24/7 Wall St, covering financial news.

And, your excellent calls

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

D'oh, We're in a Recession?

Ron Reagan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:30:13 -0500

Tonight:

The latest on our economy, and our outgoing presidente's latest musings, and what to hanker for this holiday season, followed by:

how Obama's cabinet is shaping up, in terms of foreign policy and diplomacy: Lawrence J. Korb, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and Senior Advisor to the Center for Defense Information at the Center of American Progress

and who probably conducted the Mumbai attacks last week: Paul Cruickshank, Fellow at the NYU Center on Law and Security and the author of "Al Qaeda: The Current Threat," published this past October by Pocket Issue.

& your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

It's Thanksgiving weekend

Ron Reagan — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:47:54 -0500

Tonight: David Bender hosts the show, talking about the tragedy in Mumbai, India and later with Gov. Don Siegelman about his legal travails and his hopes for the new, post-Bush Justice Department. Visit contemptforrove.com to learn more about his case.

Thanksgiving: have a laugh with my pal and Simpson's funny man, Harry Shearer. And later, filmmaker Eugene Jarecki will tell you why he thinks Americans love war

Friday: Scientist Irene Pepperberg is back with her amazing insights into the animal mind

And I'll be here to talk with you Monday, a few pounds heavier and well-rested, for sure.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Flying for Thanksgiving?

Ron Reagan — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:11:04 -0500

Tonight:

My take on the news of day, plus just in time for your trip to visit the in-laws this holiday season: Jeffrey Goldberg, Atlantic magazine national correspondent on “The Things He Carried,” his latest article on what he was able to carry onto a plane and what you should really be worrying about, if you’re flying this Thanksgiving weekend. Yeah, we know it's kind of obnoxious to talk about this, but it's because we care. We really do. Goldberg is the author of "Prisoners: A Story of Friendship and Terror" (2007); he blogs at jeffreygoldberg.theatlantic.com.

And your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Ron Reagan's back!

Ron Reagan — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:18:50 -0500

Tonight:

A recap of my adventures on the Air America cruise
plus reaction to Obama's announcing his economic team & the Citigroup bailout
( which Bush warns, more to come)

And later, what to do about "The Big Three" automakers . . . filmmaker Chris Paine, who directed “Who Killed the Electric Car?” (2006) joins me live with his views on a bailout for The Big Three, plus his thoughts on which innovations are likely to be made by the industry. (You may remember, Paine spoke with us earlier this year about GM's announcement that it had made an electric car. )

And your calls.

866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Days 3-4-5 of the Air America cruise

Nicole Sandler — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:17:12 -0500

As we await Ron Reagan's return from The Love Boat . . .

Weds: Amy Simon joins me from LA to talk politics and motherhood. It's the topic of her one-woman show: Cheerios in my Underwear .

Thursday and Friday: news of the day and your calls. 866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

What is Net Neutrality?

Nicole Sandler — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:23:15 -0500

What is net neutrality? What is the future of the Internet?

Tonight: an informative conversation with Josh Silver, co-founder of FreePress.net on these questions and how they connect to media consolidation and the latest FCC move to approve the unlicensed use of "white spaces" (empty airwaves between television channels) to provide high-speed Internet access nationwide. . . find out tonight what all this will mean for you.

And, have your chance to weigh-in on the topic. 866 – 303 – 2270 IS THE NUMBER TO CALL-IN FOR YOU LISTENERS OUT THERE.

Also, I'll be hosting The Rachel Maddow Show (starting at 6pm ET) talking about the Fairness Doctrine, so tune in early and stick around for The Ron Reagan Show at 8 pm ET!