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To The Point (Magazine)

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in 6 hours 8 minutes
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Host: Warren Olney
A fast-paced, news-based, one-hour daily national program that focuses on the hot-button issues of the day. Featuring three discrete segments - Newsmaker, Defining the Story, Reporter's Notebook - the program presents informative and thought-provoking back-and-forth discussion.
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Genres: Magazine, Current Affairs
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Language: English
Networks: PRI, KCRW

Last updated 106 days ago Update show info

Recent Topics

Religion and Warfare: Does God Choose Sides?

Fri, Nov 20 Listen

The Fort Hood shootings have raised disturbing questions about Islamic radicalism in the US military. What about Evangelical Christianity? Does it pose its own kind of dangers, especially with US troops on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan? Also, the first EU president, and Oprah Winfrey calls it quits ? at the same time she plans for the future.

Will Healthcare Reform Get to the Senate Floor?

Thu, Nov 19 Listen

Democrats finally have a healthcare reform bill they want to get to the Senate floor before next week's Thanksgiving vacation. Republicans will use all available parliamentary maneuvers to prevent that from happening. We hear how the bill compares to the House version and assess its chances. Also, Afghan President Karzai's inauguration, and a judge says the disaster following Hurricane Katrina was man made. Will the federal government be on the hook for billions in damages?

Global Warming: Can it Still be Turned Around?

Wed, Nov 18 Listen

Closing Guantanamo: Easier Said than Done

Tue, Nov 17 Listen

To make good on his promise to close Guantanamo Bay, President Obama needs to re-locate more than 200 prisoners. One likely location in northwestern Illinois has set off a political firestorm, and there's ongoing dispute over how to clear up all those cases. Also, the President's trip to China, and British soldiers are ordered to pay off the Taliban.

'Job One' for the President: Creating Jobs

Mon, Nov 16 Listen

Bill Clinton won the White House by never forgetting that "it's the economy, stupid." Now unemployment looms as big or bigger for Barack Obama than healthcare or climate change. What more can the government to do create jobs? Can it happen before next year's mid-term elections? Also, President Obama's town-hall meeting in Shanghai, and Sarah Palin, the book the Presidency and the polls.

A Trial for Terrorists in New York City

Fri, Nov 13 Listen

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the self-described mastermind of 9/11, will be tried in the federal court just blocks from where the World Trade Towers once stood in New York City. On Reporter's Notebook, former US diplomat Peter Galbraith reacts to claims he had a conflict of interest while helping to write Iraq's new constitution.

The President's Trip to Asia: Substance and Symbols

Thu, Nov 12 Listen

As President Obama visits Asia, the US is still in deep trouble while China is riding high. What does America want, and what can it provide in the newest world order? Also, the US ambassador to Afghanistan says hold that surge, and chimpanzees, human beings and the genetics of speech.

Iran: Complications and Contradictions

Wed, Nov 11 Listen

Political divisions inside Iran appear to be threatening a nuclear deal with the West, even though both Iranian factions may want it to happen. We ask, what are its chances?and what's liable to happen if it doesn't go through? Also, paying tribute to America's veterans, and the ravages of PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Could the Fort Hood Shootings Have Been Prevented?

Tue, Nov 10 Listen

Twelve American soldiers and one civilian were gunned down last Thursday at Fort Hood, Texas. Were they victims of terrorism? Could the incident have been prevented? What does it mean for military diversity in a world plagued by cultural and religious confrontations? Also, North and South Korean ships exchange fire, and nuclear disarmament produces nuclear power.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today: The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Mon, Nov 9 Listen

There are huge celebrations in Berlin, as world leaders gather to mark an event that changed the face of the world. It was twenty years ago today that the Berlin Wall came down. Guest host Sara Terry asks whether the past two decades have lived up to the promise of that moment, and how the end of the Cold War era shaped the political and economic realities of today. Also, the Supreme Court considers life sentences for children, and why pro-choice activists are upset with the vote on...

Stress in the Military

Fri, Nov 6 Listen

Two of the biggest issues faced by soldiers and combat veterans are stress and mental health. At Walter Reed Hospital, doctors have enlisted psychiatric service dogs to help treat soldiers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. What role does man's best friend play in healing? What can be done to catch signs of an impending breakdown before it's too late? Guest host Sara Terry gets an update on yesterday's shootings at Fort Hood, looks at the role stress might have played and learns...

Global Warming and National Security

Thu, Nov 5 Listen

Nobody doubts that dealing with global warming will be expensive, so supporters of climate change legislation are raising questions of national security. Is that a diversionary tactic or will climate change increase terrorism, force mass migration and destabilize entire regions? Also, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas threatens to retire. On Reporter's Notebook, we ask the man who ran Barak Obama's "perfect" campaign what happened on Tuesday.

Local Elections and National Politics

Wed, Nov 4 Listen

Republicans took governorships from Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey. A Democrat took a congressional seat from Republicans in upstate New York. Maine voters said "no" to same-sex marriage. What messages?if any--do so-called "off-year elections" carry about national politics? Also, an Italian judge convicts 23 Americans in a renditions case, and Warren Buffett and America?s railroads.

Settlements, War Crimes and Middle East Peace

Tue, Nov 3 Listen

In the Middle East, Hillary Clinton has walked into the familiar buzz-saw of Arab-Israeli politics, and Congress is about to condemn the UN's "Goldstone Report." What's happening to President Obama's "new start" with the Muslim world? Also, Afghan President Hamid Karzai takes office, and healthcare reform and "spiritual healing."

A 'Credible' Afghanistan?; The Cost of Renewable Energy

Mon, Nov 2 Listen

How clean are the "clean" fuels being subsidized by the Obama Administration? Also, Afghanistan and President Obama?s decision on whether to send more American troops.

Science, Religion and Public Policy

Fri, Oct 30 Listen

The Roman Catholic Church is conducting a campaign to show that the Bible is compatible with Darwin's theory of evolution. But polls show almost half the American people don't buy it. If belief in God means doubting science, what are the consequences for public policy? Also, the US brokers a deal to restore the deposed President in Honduras, and Capitol Hill ethics investigations are accidentally revealed.

The 'Public Option' Stays Alive for Another Day

Thu, Oct 29 Listen

Rumors that the "public option" was dead "were greatly exaggerated," according to one senior Democrat. Now, both the House and the Senate will debate healthcare reform bills including a government-run insurance plan. We hear about that, about cost control and other issues today. Also, the economy's improving, but still dependent on economic stimulus, and President Obama bears witness to the return of casualties from Afghanistan.

Swine Flu: Mixed Messages and Public Anxiety

Wed, Oct 28 Listen

Mixed messages about swine flu and the availability of H1N1 vaccine have led to confusion and unexpected public anxiety. We hear from parents, doctors and medical researchers today. Also, reports that the CIA is paying Hamid Karzai's brother. On Reporter's Notebook, will California be the first state to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana?

In China, the Recession Is Over ? or Is It?

Tue, Oct 27 Listen

China will soon pass Japan as the world's second largest economy, but it's not easy to cope with such rapid expansion. How long can the growth continue? Can the US and China afford to be adversaries or will global problems force an uneasy partnership? Also, the deadliest month since the war began in Afghanistan in 2001, and healthcare reform, the public option and politics in the State of Nevada.

Is It Time Wall Street Was Paid for Performance?

Mon, Oct 26 Listen

Pay cuts for corporate executives and new rules for banks are designed to protect against another recession. Are the right people being punished? Is government intervention too little, too late? Also, tensions are high after a deadly day in Baghdad, and Walt Disney is compensating parents whose kids did not become geniuses from watching Baby Einstein.

The Negative Impact of Positive Thinking

Fri, Oct 23 Listen

The key to achieving the American dream is often said to be Positive Thinking, but Barbara Ehrenreich?s new book argues that ?Positive Thinking has Undermined America.? Was the current financial collapse the result of self-delusion from the top to the bottom? Also, NATO supports a new strategy for Afghanistan, and the passenger jet that overshot its destination by more 100 miles.

Local Politics with National Impact

Thu, Oct 22 Listen

With the last national election twelve months ago and the next one twelve months away, the political world is focused on state contests less than two weeks from now. What will races for Governor in New Jersey and Virginia mean for President Obama and Democrats in Congress? Will Maine change the momentum on same-sex marriage? Also, the 'Pay Czar' cuts executive pay, and Twitter and Facebook are what they are but, even in the age of the Internet, television still rules.

Afghanistan, US Troops and the Run-off Election

Wed, Oct 21 Listen

The White House says President Obama may decide about troops for Afghanistan even before the run-off election on November 7. But a lot depends on security, how the voting's conducted and the outcome. We look at the prospects. Also, Iran strikes a nuclear deal, and violence in Rio as Brazil tries to raise funds for the 2016 Olympics.

Pakistan and the Taliban

Tue, Oct 20 Listen

Pakistan's army is finally taking on the Taliban in South Waziristan. Will the much-delayed offensive help the US and NATO against the Taliban in Afghanistan? Is Pakistan more interested in its historic conflict with India? Also, President Karzai is forced into a run-off election in Afghanistan, and the Obama Administration and medical marijuana.

Is It Time to Bust the Trusts Again?

Mon, Oct 19 Listen

Big name economists, including Alan Greenspan, are saying it's time to break up financial institutions that are "too big to fail." Is it too late even to regulate the banks and brokerages that caused the financial meltdown? Does a new agency for consumer finance protection have a chance? Also, a UN-backed commission says that Afghan President Hamid Karzai failed to win re-election, and both carrots and sticks to persuade Sudan to end Darfur's humanitarian crisis.

Barack Obama and the Military-Industrial Complex

Fri, Oct 16 Listen

In deciding what to do in Afghanistan, President Obama faces more than the question of how many troops. It's the clout of the military in a society where the civilian government is supposed to be in charge. After all, it took a former general, President Dwight Eisenhower, to coin the term "military-industrial complex." Also, a run-off election for Afghanistan, and the boy who wasn't in the balloon after all.

The President and The Big Easy

Thu, Oct 15 Listen

President Obama touched down in New Orleans today, and the Big Easy seemed to be saying, "It's about time." We hear about reconstruction, flood protection, race and political partisanship. Also violence creates chaos in the the cultural hub of Pakistan, and women's rights in Saudi Arabia.

The US and Russia: Iran and Nuclear Weapons

Wed, Oct 14 Listen

Hillary Clinton's in Moscow to talk about Iran's nuclear program and renewing the Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty, not to mention Afghanistan. We hear about diplomacy and nuclear weapons. Also, after taxpayer bailouts, Wall Street bonuses jump, and despite wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, military recruiting is setting historic records.

'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Comes Out of the Closet

Tue, Oct 13 Listen

President Obama wants to revoke "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," but Congress will have to repeal the ban on gays in the military. We hear about morale and civil rights in the military. Also, more troops for Afghanistan, and the Senate Finance Committee on healthcare reform.

Afghanistan: War and Peace in the Graveyard of Empires

Mon, Oct 12 Listen

Does al Qaeda in Afghanistan threaten US security? What about the Taliban? What will it take to establish a credible civilian government? Should the US send more troops or begin conducting a graceful withdrawal? We look at some of the questions facing the latest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Also, insurers suddenly push back against the healthcare reform bill, and football, concussions and memory-related disease.