Does Obama have his groove back? Home computers + internet = massive earthquake warning system? White House bind—where to try terror suspects? Later, post-quake Haiti. Then, are DUIs declining in California?
Does Obama have his groove back?
If Obama doesn’t pass health care, he’s sunk in the midterms. If Obama does pass health care, the GOP will cream him in the midterms – so went the opposing rhetoric leading up to the health care vote. President Obama exudes a victor’s confidence as he moves on to other policy issues, yet his approval ratings hover around 51%, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll. Do the Dems have unstoppable momentum heading into November? What—if anything—does the passage of health care reform mean for the midterm elections? Larry takes your calls.
Guest:
Josh Gerstein, White House reporter for Politico
Monitoring earthquakes with the internet?
While science cannot predict when an earthquake will occur, once one happens, it’s possible to warn people further from the epicenter that a temblor’s deadly shock waves are on the way. Using conventional technology, such a warning system would cost billions. But now researchers at UC Riverside and other universities want to create a virtual network of earthquake sensors via the Internet to monitor for the early stages of seismic activity in California. How would the system differ from earthquake monitors already in place? And how can your computer get linked into the system?
Learn more about the Quake-Catcher Network
Guest:
Elizabeth Cochran, assistant professor of seismology at UC Riverside
Up next for Obama: Guantanamo and KSM trial
Last November, the Obama administration announced its intention to put Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and four others on trial in a civilian court in New York City for plotting the Sept. 11 attacks. But the move was met with strong political opposition and concerns over costs and security. The administration now appears open to trying the suspects in a military commission, but such a move has its own problems- finding a location for a military trial and starting over with the prosecution process. Is AG holdout Eric Holder being left out to dry? How should the administration balance politics and security concerns? And, is justice the same in civilian and military trials?
Guests:
Warren Richey, legal correspondent, covers the Supreme Court and the Justice Department for the Christian Science Monitor
John Yoo, Professor of Law at the University of California Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law; former attorney in the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel in the Bush Administration. He’s also a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
Ben Wizner, staff attorney in the ACLU national security project
Frontline examines post-quake Haiti
Days after a powerful earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, Frontline correspondent Martin Smith arrived to document the devastation and disaster response. As aid organizations and governments struggled with immediate demands to provide food, shelter, and medical care, a larger question remained: What's next for rebuilding Haiti, and who will lead the effort?
Guest:
Martin Smith, Frontline correspondent for The Quake, airing tonight on PBS. His previous work for Frontline includes The Storm and Obama's War.
Is drunk driving declining?
After decades of decline, DUIs were on the rise in California around the turn of the 21st century. The state Office of Traffic Safety says educational efforts have turned that trend around in the last couple years, but researcher Steven Bloch of the Auto Club isn’t so sure. He says all traffic incidents are down as a result of the economy. Data from 2008 show fewer men arrested for driving drunk, but not a significant decline for women. What are the current trends in DUI arrests, and how safe are our roads and highways?
Guests:
Chris Cochran, spokesman, California Office of Transportation Safety
Steven Bloch, Senior Research Associate, Auto Club of Southern California