American Politics

Alex Knott, a political editor at the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, produced the research, which details the expenses shouldered by federal contractors, lobbyists and other groups. Knott covers politics and lobbying at the Center for Public Integrity, which researches and reports on public policy issues.

In his new book, Character Is Destiny Sen. John McCain passes along the stories of heroes — both famous and obscure — whose values exemplify the best of the human spirit.

Senator Trent Lott of Mississippi, has a lot of experience
rounding upevotes for Republican legislation. He's the former Senate majority
leader and former House and Senate whip. He's also the author of a new memoir,
"Herding Cats."

The accepted wisdom in American politics is that the moderate center prevents either party from moving too far to the extreme. In the new book "Off Center" Jacob Hacker and Paul Pierson write that the Republican Party has managed to defy this accepted wisdom.

The investigation of former lobbyist Jack Abramoff has taken many twists and turns. As investigators gauge the extent of Abramoff's influence with lawmakers of both parties, an associate of Abramoff's has pled guilty to conspiracy. Reporter Philip Shenon has been covering the case for The New York Times.

Investigative reporter Jerry Mitchell writes for The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., and specializes in unearthing new evidence from Civil Rights era criminal cases. His coverage has led to the convictions of four Ku Klux Klan members, starting with Byron De La Beckwith for the assassination of Medgar Evers. Recently, Edgar Ray Killen was found guilty of orchestrating the murders of Civil Rights workers Andrew Goodman, James Chaney and Michael Schwerner. Next week Mitchell will be honored with the John Chancellor Award for Excellence in Journalism.

President Bush's three recent Supreme Court nominations reveal the complications and motives involved when politicians choose the nation's top judges, legal observers say. Political science professor David Yalof is an expert on the history and evolution of the Supreme Court nomination process.

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's new book is Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Goodwin, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her previous book, No Ordinary Time, recounts the life and work of our 16th president, as well as the work of the principal characters of his administration.

Blurring the line between church and state threatens civil liberties and privacy, says former president Jimmy Carter. That's the case he makes in his new book, Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis.

William Kristol is the founder and editor of The Weekly Standard. Kristol also wrote The War Over Iraq: America's Mission and Saddam's Tyranny. Kristol also led the Project for the Republican Future to help win Republican congressional seats.