American Politics

Jerry Berman is Executive Director of the Center for Democracy and Technology. Its mission is to develop public policies that advance democratic values and constitutional civil liberties in new computer and communications technologies. His group has joined a coalition of on line services, telecommunications companies, librarians, and others in filing a federal suit seeking less restrictive means to protect minors on the internet. (The Center for Democracy and Technology is located in Washington, D.C. (202) 637-9800.)

Columnist for The Washington Post, E. J. Dionne, Jr. He's the author of the book, Why Americans Hate Politics. His latest book is They Only Look Dead: Why Progressives will Dominate the Next Political Era (Simon & Schuster). He'll talk with Terry about the book and the results of the Iowa Caucuses.

Historian Dan T. Carter. His book, Scottsboro was the winner of the Bancroft Prize in History for the best book in American History. Carter's newest book is a biography of George Wallace, The Politics of Rage: George Wallace, The Origins of the New Conservatism, and the Transformation of American Politics. (Simon & Schuster). In the book Carter contends that Wallace paved the way for the conservatism that is now a big part of Republican politics. Carter is Kenan Professor of History at Emory University.

Senator Bill Bradley has written a book about his life called Time Present, Time Past published by Knopf. Bradley announced last year that he would not seek re-election in 1996. In addition to his political career, Bradley was also a star basketball player with the New York Knicks.

Tom Blanton is the editor of the book "White House E-Mail: The Top Secret Computer Messages The Reagan/Bush White House tried to Destroy." It is published by New Press. Blanton is the executive editor of the National Security Archive, a freedom of information advocacy group. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

Political satirist Al Franken. He was one of the original writers for Saturday Night Live. He's won four Emmys for his writing on the show. His most popular character is Stuart Smalley, the new age cable TV host. He left the show last season. His new book "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations" (Delacorte Press) is his look at American politics and the Republican revolution. The Kirkus Reviews writes, "he attacks with a wonderful lack of civility. . .and he does it with two murderous weapons: satire and facts. . ."

First Lady Hilary Rodham Clinton. Mrs. Clinton, a longtime children's advocate, talks about her new book, "It Takes a Village; And Other Lessons Children Teach us." [Simon & Shuster]. And she addresses the Whitewater and White House travel office issues, and the challenges of being the First Lady.

On April 10, 1995 Kenneth S. Stern, the American Jewish Committee's advisor on hate groups warned authorities that some kind of "incident" is likely to occur on April 19, 1995. The second anniversary of the Waco fire. He was proved right. A bomb destroyed the Federal building in Oklahoma City. The bombing raised the suspicion that the bombing suspect, Timothy McVeigh might have ties to a militia. Stern's has written, "A Force Upon The Plain: The American Militia Movement and the Politics of Hate" which has been published by Simon and Schuster.

Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, Thomas E. McNamara. He will explain why the U.S. has chosen not to go along with the ban on anti-personnel land mines, and what measures they are taking to control their use.

Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his daughter Amy Carter. The two have collaborated on a new children's book, The Little Baby Snoogle-Fleejer (Times Books). The story is one that Cater made up, and told his children when they were young. Amy Carter illustrated the book.