Iraq Update; Our Aging Infrastructure; Black Conservatives & The Presidential Race; Rating Our Presidents
Iraq Update
Barack Obama met with Iraq's prime minister al-Maliki today (Monday) during his first trip to the war-torn country since launching his U.S. presidential campaign. Following the talks, an Iraqi spokesman expressed hope that U.S. combat forces could leave Iraq by the end of 2010, a time frame similar to that proposed by Obama. On Friday the Bush administration, long leery of timetables for withdrawals mentioned a possible "general time horizon" for Iraq troop cuts. Larry talks with LA Times reporters, Doug Smith in Baghdad, and Peter Nicholas in Washington, D.C., about the latest developments and political posturing in Iraq.
Our Aging Infrastructure
A 15-foot-deep sinkhole caused by a leaky 1940s era storm drain tied up the northbound lanes of the 110 freeway for almost 20 hours last week, delaying traffic for up to 30 minutes for motorists trying to drive through the area. The freeway, which is nearly 70 years old, is straining under sheer age and 21st century traffic conditions but since it has national historic preservation status, preservationists are dubious about proposed upgrades. The incident highlights the cost and feasibility of upgrading the region's vast infrastructure. Larry Mantle talks with Richard G. Little, Director of Keston Institute for Infrastructure School of Policy, Planning, and Development at USC, Martin Pastucha, Director of Public Works for the City of Pasadena, and Gary Lee Moore, City Engineer for the City of Los Angeles about the need to restore Southern California's aging infrastructure.
Black Conservatives & The Presidential Race
Some African American conservatives find themselves ambivalent about voting for John McCain. Others don't. Larry Mantle talks with Joe Hicks, Vice President of Community Advocates, Inc., and Armstrong Williams, National syndicated columnist, Radio and Television Talk Show Host based in Washington, D.C., who are both black conservatives, about their thoughts on casting a vote for the next president.
Rating Our Presidents
Our Presidents have always been ranked on a scale ranging from "Great" down to "Failure" with the same six leaders emerging at the top. Despite vast amounts of new information, these six leaders remain the same. If author Alvin Stephen Felzenberg had his way, the top leaders would be reshuffled based on a systematic approach looking at six areas: character, vision, competence, economic performance, approach to human rights and freedoms and foreign policy. Larry talks with the author about his new book, "The Leaders We Deserve(And A Few We Didn't): Rethinking The Presidential Rating Game," which offers a more reliable way of assessing presidential performance.