An update on Afghanistan; Pasadena Police Chief Bernard Melekian goes to Washington; Recent movie studio upheavals; Ryan Lizza of The New Yorker discusses the inner workings of President Obama's economic team; Matt Latimer, former speechwriter for George W. Bush.
White House reassessing its strategy in Afghanistan
From a pow-wow with General McChrystal on Air Force One to closed door meetings with top legislators in the White House, President Obama is weighing strategy for Afghanistan. Is now the time for decisive action, or will a less hawkish approach guarantee success? And when will we know? Larry Mantle learns more.
Guest:
Blake Hounshell, Managing Editor, Foreign Policy Magazine
Paul Pillar, Professor of Security Studies, Georgetown University
Bye bye, Barney
After 12 years of service, Bernard Melekian will step down as Pasadena's Chief of Police and move to Washington, D.C. Melekian has been recruited by the Obama administration to head the Community Oriented Policing Services program at the Justice Department. Larry Mantle talks with the Chief about his tenure in Pasadena and his goals for COPS.
Guest:
Bernard Melekian, Pasadena Chief of Police
Film studios in disarray
Universal Pictures ousted two top movie executives yesterday, and last month Walt Disney Studios removed its chairman. The changes come as the film industry struggles with a decline in revenue and DVD sales and looks for new business models. Larry Mantle discusses the studio upheavals.
Guest:
John Horn, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
Fixing a dysfunctional economy
In the October 12 issue of "The New Yorker," writer Ryan Lizza looks at the inner workings of President Obama's economic team. He talked with Lawrence Summers, Timothy Geithner, Peter Orszag and others about economic policy. What's working? What isn't? And what trials and conflicts are helping to redefine the Administration's struggle to fix the American economy.
Guest:
Ryan Lizza, Washington Correspondent for The New Yorker magazine, where he covers the White House and national politics and writes the magazine's "Letter From Washington" column
Speech-less
What will Rove and Rummy do? How do I defend the Abu Ghraib photos? What's a capitalist phrase for 'nationalizing the banks'? Former speechwriter Matt Latimer talks with Larry Mantle about these and other questions he asked himself during his time working in the Defense Department and writing speeches for President Bush in the final years of the Bush presidency.
Guest:
Matt Latimer, author of “Speech-less: Tales of a White House Survivor” (Crown). Latimer was a speechwriter to President George W. Bush from March 2007 to October 2008 and chief speechwriter to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld for three years.