Government & Politics

Lawyer Sara Horowitz is the executive director of Working Today, an membership organization group for independent workers. Its roster includes independent contractors, the self-employed, freelancers, and part-timers. The group provides services (like health insurance group rates), education, and advocacy. (Working Today is located in New York City, tel: 212-366-6066, e-mail working 1@tiac.net; website: www.WorkingToday.org.

Writer Eddie Little is making his debut with the semi-autobiographical novel, "Another Day in Paradise" (Viking) about a 14 year old boy who gets caught up in a world of drugs and theft. Little himself is a former heroine addict, who spent time in prison for armed robbery and grand larceny. He also helps run We Care, a Los Angeles organization that provides assistance to house bound people with AIDS and elderly shut-ins.

Legal correspondent for ABC news, and staff writer for the New Yorker, Jeffrey Toobin. He'll talk with Terry Gross about sexual harassment and the law, and the charges against Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones lawsuit. Toobin's article about it appears in the February 2, 1998 issue of the New Yorker.

Guest Host Barbara Bogaev talks with Edward Felsenthal and John Harwood. Felsenthal is the Supreme Court Correspondent from the Wall Street Journal, about the article on the Independent Counsel which appear in today's Wall Street Journal. Clinton, ironically, signed into law in 1994 the Independent Counsel Reauthorization Act. Soon after, Kenneth Starr began his Whitewater Investigation. Now, after two decades. the Independent Council is being criticized for its nearly unrestricted use of time, money and prosecutorial authority.

Linguist Geoff Nunberg considers the words we use to describe "unsanctioned amorous relations" and the difficulty of using more straight forward language.

TV critic David Bianculli comments on the coverage of the Clinton scandal.

Journalist Gail Collins is on the New York Times' Editorial Board, and a former columnist for New York Newsday. Her book "Scorpion Tongues: Gossip, Celebrity and the American Politics" (William Morrow) will be published this spring. She discusses the current scandal surrounding President Clinton in light of other political/sexual scandals.

Novelist Peter Quinn is the author of "Banished Children of Eve" about the Irish in New York City during the Civil War. He's also contributor to the new six-hour PBS series "The Irish in America: Long Journey Home" (January 26-28). There's also a companion book "The Irish in America" (Hyperion).

Film director/writer/producer Jim Sheridan. His films include "My Left Foot" and "In the Name of the Father" both which starred Daniel Day-Lewis. His latest film is "The Boxer" which also stars Day-Lewis. The story is about former IRA member who returns home after 14 years in prison.

Today marks the 25th anniversary of Roe V. Wade, the landmark Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. We talk to Medical Ethicist Art Caplan about how technological advances in the medical field, from fetal surgery to cloning, have effected the abortion debate.

On the 25th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we talk to Medical Theologian, Dr. James McCartney about the abortion debate. McCarney, the Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Villanova University just outside Philadelphia and the Ethics Consultant for the Catholic Health East Health System, says advances in medical technology have helped the anti-abortion argument, by showing the fetus as a person earlier on.

We remember Judge Leon Higganbotham, who died yesterday at the age of 70.

New York City is celebrating its centennial this year. Perhaps the man most responsible for the shape of the city and for its parks, expressways, and bridges is Robert Moses. Moses held 14 state, regional, and city offices ranging from city parks commissioner to construction coordinator. Our guest, Robert Caro, won a 1975 Pulitzer Prize for his book about Moses called "The Power Broker: Robert Moses and the Fall of New York." In the January 5th edition of the New Yorker, Caro wrote about Moses' impact on New York City.

Today, we remember Sonny Bono. He died yesterday afternoon in a skiing accident. He was 62. Bono was completing his second term in the U.S. Congress. He was the second most-requested speaker at House members events during the 1996 campaign season. Although he ended up in politics, many of his know him best for his work in music and show business. Terry Gross spoke with him in 1991, three years before he was elected to Congress. (Rebroadcast of 7/17 and 7/18 1991).

Historian Joseph Ellis. He's written a new biography about Thomas Jefferson which aims to debunk many of the myths about the third president: "American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson" (Knopf). It won a National Book Award for nonfiction this November. Ellis has also contributed to filmmaker Ken Burns’ documentary “Jefferson” which will air in February. Ellis is a professor of American History at Mount Holyoke College, and has written five other books including “Passionate Sage: The Character and Legacy of John Adams.”

Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg comments on efforts to preserve the French Language.

Urban designer William Morrish. He addresses the problems of urban sprawl, the present state of post World War Two housing developments, and the ongoing relationship between cities and suburbs. Morrish and his wife are the directors of the Institute for the American Urban Landscape at the University of Minnesota.

Captain John Marley, instructor for international human rights training in Rwanda and Cambodia, and Marine Captain Peter Sennett, who first visited Rwanda in 1995 and now trains prosecutors and criminal investigators working for social justice. Both are working with prosecutors handling genocide cases in Rwanda.

Lieutenant Kelly Flinn was the first woman to pilot a B-52 bomber. Flinn was forced to resign from the Air Force this spring on charges of "disobeying orders" when a military investigation discovered she lied about relationship she had with a married man. Flinn has written a book about the incident and her experiences dealing with sexism and hypocrisy in the Air Force, titled "Proud to Be: My Life, the Air Force, the Controversy ." (Random House).

Brigadier General William A. Moorman is Staff Judge Advocate for the Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. He talks about why Lt. Flinn was forced to resign and states the Air Force’s policy concerning sexual conduct.