U.S. Presidency

Ken Herman has been covering Texas politics for over 20 years and is currently in Washington, covering the first six months of President George W. Bushs administration. Hell talk about the differences between George W. Bush the governor and George W. Bush the President. Herman will also talk about President Bushs first few months in office- his new policies, the outcome of his campaign promises, and the press corps reaction to Bush.

This Friday, George W. Bush embarks on his first presidential trip outside the US. He will travel to Mexico to meet the new president of Mexico, Vincente Fox. We talk about Mexico with Journalist Sam Quinones. He has been covering Mexico for 7 years. His new book is called, True Tales from Another Mexico: The Lynch Mob, the Popsicle Kings, Chalino, and the Bronx. Quinones work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, LA Weekly, and Ms Magazine.

Hes the bestselling author of Great Political Wit. His new book, called Great Presidential Wit (I Wish I was in the Book), is a collection of funny anecdotes and quotations by or about American Presidents. Dole was the longest-serving Republican leader in Senate history. He is currently serving as the chairman of the World War II Memorial campaign and as chairman of the International Commission on Missing Persons in the Former Yugoslavia. Dole was also a commentator for Comedy Centrals Indecision 2000.

He held the post during Clintons impeachment trial.

He was press secretary when the Monica Lewinsky story first broke.

White House Correspondent for the Washington Post, Dana Milbank. He covered the recent presidential campaign and the aftermath. Hes written a new book about it, Smashmouth: Two years in the Gutter with Al Gore and George W. Bush

Reporter Eric Schmitt. He covers Capitol Hill for the New York Times. He’ll talk about the new Congress and power sharing in the 50/50 Senate. Schmitt will also talk about how the just resolved Presidential election—along with a truncated transition period for George W. Bush -- may effect political decision making on the Hill.

Rob Ritchie, Executive Director of the Center for Voting and Democracy. He’ll discuss non-traditional voting-- such as early voting which is now an option in 13 states. Many states have made it easier to get absentee ballots, and more people than ever are using that option.. In Oregon, all the ballots this year are mail-in.

Former standup comic and creator and current host of ABC’s “Politically Incorrect,” Bill Maher. On his late-night talk show, Maher invites celebrity guests from all parts of the political spectrum to discuss politics and the issues of the day.

Satirist Al Franken. For 15 years he was a cast member of Saturday Night Live, creating such well-loved characters as Stuart Smalley (author of "I'm Good Enough, I'm Smart Enough, and Doggone It, People Like Me!"). His bestselling satire, "Why Not Me: The Inside Story of the Making and Unmaking of the Franken Presidency" is now in paperback (Delta). He’s also coordinating producer of this Sunday’s “SNL Presidential Bash 2000.”

Former presidential speechwriter Michael Waldman. His new book is called “POTUS Speaks: Finding the Words that Defined the Clinton Presidency.” (Simon and Schuster) From 1993 to 1999, Waldman was a special assistant and then chief speechwriter to Bill Clinton. During that time, he worked closely with the president to write or edit nearly two thousand speeches, including four State of the Union addresses and two inaugural addresses. Previously a public-interest lawyer and writer, Waldman is the author of “Who Robbed America?

National Correspondent for The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof. He’s written a series of biographical articles on George W. Bush, focusing on his early years. Kristof is former Tokyo Bureau Chief for The Times, and was co-recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for international reporting for his coverage of Tianamen Square. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW)

Staff writer for The New Yorker and legal analyst at ABC News, Jeffrey Toobin. He's been a frequent guest on Fresh Air. He wrote about the O.J. Simpson trial in his bestseller "The Run of His Life: The People v. O.J. Simpson." His new book is "A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal that Nearly Brought Down a President." (Random House).

Writer Edmund Morris. His biography of former president Ronald Reagan, "Dutch," (Random House) has garnered a lot of controversy. Morris uses a fictional narrator to tell much of the story, taking unprecedented artistic liberties. This is the first biography authorized by a sitting president, and it took Morris fourteen years to finally complete the work. Morris, a South African by birth, is the author of "The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt," which won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award. He is currently at work on a second volume of the Roosevelt biography.

Terry Gross calls Jimmy Carter to discuss his 75th birthday.

Former Special Counsel to President Clinton, Lanny Davis. He served from December 1996 thru January 1998. During that time he saw the President thru various financial scandals and developed a style for dealing with bad news head on. Davis left the White House just as the Monica Lewinsky story was breaking. DAVIS has a new memoir, "Truth to Tell: Tell it Early, Tell it All, Tell it Yourself: Notes from My White House Education" (The Free Press).

Monica Lewinsky discusses her relationship with the President. Her new book is "Monica's Story" (St. Martins).

Satirist Harry Shearer. His new book is "It's the Stupidity, Stupid: Why (Some) People hate Clinton and Why the Rest of Us Have to Watch." (The Library of Contemporary Thought, The Ballintine Publishing Group). He'll discuss the Impeachment proceedings.

Presidential historian Michael Beschloss discusses the upcoming Impeachment vote in the House. He is author of "Taking Charge: the Johnson White House tapes 1963-64" now in paperback.

Jeffrey Toobin is the legal correspondent for ABC news and a staff writer for the New Yorker magazine. He will also discusses the impeachment vote against President Clinton.