Search results for

Veteran newsman Robert Trout has the second of two reports about the history of the Republican party, through his own reporting on the last 17 conventions over a period of nearly seventy years. Today, Trout picks up in the late 1940's and early 1950's, and the fight between moderates and conservatives -- between the forces of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Robert A. Taft. Eisenhower won. But the pendulum swung back in the 1960's with the nomination of Barry Goldwater. Ultimately, Trout points out that the struggle between moderate and conservative still marks party proceedings today.

NICHOLAS KRISTOF continued.Satirist HARRY SHEARER, the host of "Le Show," and the voice behind several characters on "The Simpsons". SHEARER is also the author of "It's the Stupidity, Stupid: Why (Some) People hate Clinton and Why the Rest of Us Have to Watch." This week he is in Philadelphia as part of the "Shadow Convention" an alternative to the Republican and Democratic conventions, which covers the issues it says the other conventions won't touch like campaign finance reform, poverty in the midst of prosperity, and the drug war. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE END OF THE SHOW).12:58:30 NEXT SHOW PROMO (:29) PROMO COPY On the next Fresh Air. . . as George W. Bush makes his way to the Republican convention. . .a look at his life before he was a public figure. A talk with NICHOLAS KRISTOF of the New York Times, who has profiled the candidate in a series of articles. Also satirist HARRY SHEARER gives us his take on the convention. That and more coming up on the next Fresh Air.

Russell Lewis reports on San Diego residents who are taking a stand against high utility bills. Everyone--from members of local government to leaders of local churches--seems to be getting involved in the fight to reduce payments to San Diego Gas and Electric.

One of the last surviving members of Britain's greatest generation of actors has died. Sir Alec Guinness the man of a thousand faces, died at the age of 86 after a career that spanned more than 60 years.

Jacky Rowland reports from Belgrade that the Yugoslav Army said today it will file terrorism charges against two British policemen and two Canadians arrested in Montenegro last week. The two Britons were serving in Kosovo, helping train a new police force. The Canadians were also working in Kosovo, for a construction company. The four say they were just taking a holiday break in Montenegro. The Yugoslav government is exploiting the case politically, ahead of next month's presidential election.

In a recent visit to his homeland, Commentator Andrei Codrescu stopped at the grave of former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceacescu. He remarks on the ironic symbolism at the site.

NPR's Brian Naylor reports on the Congressional voting record of Senator Joseph Lieberman, Al Gore's choice as his Vice Presidential running mate. Republicans plan to emphasize disagreements between Lieberman and Gore on various policies of the Clinton administration.

NPR's Jack Speer reports on questions surrounding the future of Amtrak, the national passenger rail service. Almost 30 years after it was created from a group of bankrupt railroads, Amtrak still receives large federal subsidies. Even though there are more passengers on the rail service, it's still losing money and shows little sign of becoming profitable. Amtrak also is being criticized for delays in starting high-speed passenger rail service along the busy Northeast corridor.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from London on the tributes to Sir Alec Guinness, one of the greats of the British stage, screen and television who died over the weekend at the age of 86. He was an exceptionally versatile actor, whose roles ranged from Hamlet, to upper-class eccentrics in Kind Hearts and Coronets to George Smiley in the televised versions of John le Carre's spy thrillers, to Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. (4:00) Music played at 1 minute before the hour was the theme from "Lawrence of Arabia" as performed by the Ventures, from the CD "Now Playing", copyright 1975, EMI Records.

We conclude our rebroadcast of our series on American Popular Song with a tribute to composer HOAGY CARMICHAEL. CARMICHAEL wrote "Star Dust," "Heart and Soul," "The Nearness of You," "Skylark" and many more. We feature performances by singer REBECCA KILGORE and pianist DAVE FRISHBERG. We'll also talk with RICHARD SUDHALTER, who has written a forthcoming biography of Carmichael. And we talk with Carmichael's son, Hoagy Bix Carmichael who now manages his father's music catalogue. (THIS TRIBUTE CONTINUES THRU THE END OF THE SHOW). (REBROADCAST. ORIGINALLY AIRED 11/22/99.)12:28:30 FORWARD PROMO (:29)12:29:00 I.D. BREAK (:59)12:30:00...