Calif. Gov. Jerry Brown, in Rome, calls for leaders to "light a fire" against climate change. Why the media loves Donald Trump, and combatting the high cost of birth.
What the news gets wrong about Trump
Presidential hopeful Donald Trump has been no stranger to controversy since the start of his campaign.
The businessman turned reality star has made numerous headlines in recent weeks for his disparaging remarks about immigrants, Democrats and GOP leaders. Trump’s outrageous statements have provoked the ire of many, and yet, he continues to rise in the polls.
As news editors across the country look for new ways to keep people engaged in the election, media watchers question whether Trump deserves such a wide platform to share his contentious views.
Kelly McBride is a media ethicist with Poynter, and she tells Take Two, while Trump’s antics make for good headlines, many journalists fail to give his comments proper context.
“There’s an entertainment factor to it that’s not very helpful to the coverage. That said, I don’t think that a good option is to ignore him either, because some of the stuff he’s saying is downright dangerous.”
She points to Trump’s recent comments about undocumented Mexican immigrants.
“That plays to a dark part of our history and population in the country. And we know as journalists that, when we ignore those kinds of statements, we ignore deep dark problems with ourselves in America.”
McBride says journalists have a duty to call out candidates like Trump.
“When people make false statements that pander to fear and hatred, it is part of our role in democracy to demonstrate that those statements are false and put them into appropriate context.”
She says, while many people still think of Trump as a reality TV star, his comments must be taken seriously. McBride contends covering Trump like a celebrity allows him to make controversial and even incorrect statements that often go unchallenged.
“He’s not just a celebrity. He is also a legitimate candidate for the presidency at this point. So, to marginalize what he says as merely entertainment, makes it too trivial.”
Press the play button above to hear more from Poynter’s media ethicist.
CA Gov. Jerry Brown talks climate change at the Vatican
California Governor Jerry Brown has been at the Vatican this week. He's part of a group of leaders convening in Rome to discuss climate change and modern slavery.
This symposium comes a month after Pope Francis released a directive on the environment, urging politicians to take strong action.
The topic is near and dear to Brown. In an address to the gathering yesterday, Brown said:
"We have to take measures against an uncertain future, which may well be something no one ever wants. We are talking about extinction. We're talking about climate regimes that have not been seen for tens of millions of years. We're not there yet, but we're on our way."
Sacramento Bee reporter
joins Take Two for the latest on the Governor's visit. And Father Michael Russo, professor at St. Mary's College of California, and an expert on the intersection of the Catholic Church and American politics, joins as well.
To hear the full interview with David Siders and Father Mike Russo, click the link above.
Impatient: How much does it cost to have a baby at a birthing center?
Last week we told you about a new effort to crowdsource the cost of having a baby, which is part of an ongoing project from our health reporter Rebecca Plevin called #PriceCheck.
She's reaching out to listeners in an effort to figure out how much they're paying for common medical procedures. We've already talked with Rebecca about how much it can cost to give birth at a hospital. Today, a look at the cost of alternatives which include having a baby at a birthing center. How much do they cost and are they worth it?
Listen to the audio embedded above to find out. You can also check out Rebecca's post over at the Impatient blog.
Could pro-anorexia websites actually serve a positive purpose?
The term "pro-ana" is shorthand for pro-anorexia. It's a movement, found primarily online, promoting behaviors related to the eating disorder. Photographs, songs and quotes are shared— serving as inspiration for starvation.
For years, experts believed such sites were a bad influence on those struggling with anorexia. The French government recently cracked down on "pro-ana" sites, making it a crime to "incite excessive thinness."
But now a crew of researchers, activists, and therapists are claiming pro-ana sites may actually serve a beneficial purpose.
Amanda Hess wrote about this recently for Slate.
To hear the full interview with Amanda Hess, click the link above.
You can find more information about eating disorders at NationalEatingDisorders.org
50 years on, many Vietnam vets still struggle with PTSD
Over 50 years after the fall of Saigon, many veterans of the Vietnam war are still living with the emotional trauma of combat.
The National Vietnam Veterans Longitudinal Study has been tracking the mental health of Vietnam veterans for the past three decades. A report released Wednesday concludes approximately 271,000 veterans from the conflict continue to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Nearly one-third of them receive treatment for depression.
Dr. Charles Marmar is the director of the Cohen Veterans Center at NYU Langone Medical Center and author of the study. He tells Take Two that the study gathered some valuable data:
“The [reason] we wanted to do this study was to try to understand what we could learn from Vietnam veterans which would help us better serve Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as they confront the longer term effects of their military service.”
Press the play button above to hear more about the study.
Sports Roundup: Dodgers and Angels, the end of the Barry Bonds saga and the best LA Lakers versus the best Chicago Bulls
It's our weekly look at sports with Brian and Andy Kamenetsky. On the show today we'll start with the Dodgers. They have a 2 1/2 game lead over the San Francisco Giants, but can they hold on?
And the LA Angels not only share the same city as the Dodgers (sort of) they also have statistical similarities. We'll find out why.
Also this week, the Department of Justice announced that they would no longer pursue any charges against baseball great Barry Bonds. Does this mean that the Hall of Fame is in his future?
Finally, former Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal ignited a firestorm when he suggested a dream team of Lakers greats would beat a team consisting of former Chicago Bulls by 50 points.
Game on.
To hear the full interview with Brian and Andy, click the link above.
The Motor City Muslims
In a time where religious intolerance is still common, it might be surprising that a group of kids in Michigan have started an amateur basketball team and chose a very unusual name: the Motor City Muslims.
We find out more about the team, and why they chose their name when we talked with their coach, Clarence Archibald.
To hear the full interview, click the link above.
The Kathryn Steinle case: a difficult twist in the ongoing debate over immigration
Earlier this month 32-year-old Kathryn Steinle was fatally shot on Pier 14 in San Francisco, the bullet allegedly fired by an immigrant with a criminal record and without legal status.
Juan Francisco Lopez Sanchez, had multiple felony convictions and had been deported five times.
But San Francisco authorities released him, rejecting a request from federal immigration authorities to hold him until they could take him into custody.
For a look at how this tragedy might sway the debate over immigration, we turn to Lewis De Sipio, professor of political science University of California Irvine.
Click on the blue player to listen to the interview.
When a drone interferes with a fire rescue, can a first responder destroy it?
This week California State Senator Ted Gaines and Assemblyman Mike Gatto proposed a new law aimed at curtailing a rising problem related to emergencies.
The legislation would grant immunity to any emergency responder who damages an unmanned aircraft or drone while fighting a fire, or performing other rescue operations.
We talked to California State Senator Ted Gaines about it, and asked him how this legislation would work.
To hear the full interview, click the link above.
Later marriages lead to higher risk of divorce
It's been known for some time that getting married young — in your very early 20s — carries with it a higher risk of divorce. Getting hitched later meant you were more likely to be on the path to a long and happy union.
But University of Utah Professor of Family and Consumer Studies, Nicholas Wolfinger, has crunched the numbers since 2002, and says that's no longer the case. Instead, tying the knot after your early 30s means you're more likely headed for the divorce courts. He explains it as a "U shaped curve", with risk at both ends — young and old — the perfect time to marry being between late 20's and early 30's.
While he's certain of his statistics, he's not so sure of the reasons why. His most likely guess? That people who haven't found partners until they're old may just not be the marrying type.
We also asked our listeners to tell us how old they were when they got married, and if they were still together. We received some fascinating comments. You can read what they said on our Facebook page.
You can hear more by clicking on the audio above.
A behind the scenes look at the new book 'The Nakeds'
These days people are getting married - and having kids - later in life. But let's turn the clock back to the 1970s — when sometimes parents got married too young and then had a change of heart about who they wanted to be with.
That's what happens in the new novel "The Nakeds" by author Lisa Glatt.
It focuses on a young girl named Hannah. Her parents split up. Her dad ditches his Jewish faith and converts to Christianity. Her mom finds a new mate and becomes a nudist.
"The Nakeds" is a work of fiction, but Lisa Glatt shares a lot in common with her protagonist.
Click on the blue player above to hear the interview.