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The Brian Lehrer Show

Wednesday, December 08, 2004
  • Protesters outside New York's City Hall  (WNYC)
    Protesters outside New York's City Hall demand legal gay marriage Thursday (WNYC)

    The Rebuke

    Barney Frank is the only openly gay member of Congress. In light of John Kerry’s defeat in the Presidential election, Frank, a Massachusetts Democrat, says the the rush to marry gay couples in San Francisco probably played a part.

The Rock Drops

Elaine Bartlett, served 16 years in prison for a single sale of cocaine, explains how she influenced Joe Bruno
and
Jennifer Gonnerman, Staff writer for the Village Voice, reporting on criminal justice system and author, Life on the Outide: The Prison Odyssey of Elaine Bartlett (Farrar Strauss and Giroux, 2004), explains how Elaine Bartlett's story swayed the legislature
» Life on The Outside
and
Robert Gangi, Executive Director, The Correctional Association of New York, on the impending deal with the Rockefeller Drug Laws
» Correctional Association of New York

A Matter of Interpretation

Irshad Manji, president of VERB, a TV channel being developed to engage young people on issues of global diversity and host of Big Ideas, TVOntario’s weekly show aimed at college students, The Trouble with Islam (St. Martin's Press 2003), on her controversial views over Islam and its interpretation by its followers
» Irshad Manji

The Rebuke

Barney Frank, United States representative (D-MA), says the push for gay marriage hurt John Kerry
» Barney Frank
and
Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, believes equal marriage rights should remain a priority
» National Center for Lesbian Rights
and
Andrew Sullivan, writes andrewsullivan.com, former New Republic Editor, says the focus on the courts hurts the case for gay marriage
» Andrew Sullivan

E-Headaches

Will Doherty, Executive Director of Verified Voting Foundation, says there were widespread problems with electronic voting, but stops short of claiming fraud
» VerifiedVoting.org

Uncommon Indicators

The Brian Lehrer Show

The Brian Lehrer Show wants to hear how the economy is affecting the little things in your daily life. Share your stories and photos of the downturn.

Just Launched! The Uncommon Economic Indicators Video Contest. All the details here!

The Rocky Road Ahead

The Brian Lehrer Show

Ray Young, the chief financial officer of General Motors, talks about GM’s bankruptcy.

Then, Damon Lester, president of the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers, and Greg Williams, former owner of the recently closed Huntington Chevrolet in Huntington Station, NY., discusses the effect GM’s bankruptcy has had on dealerships and their employees.

Tweet If You Use Twitter

The Brian Lehrer Show

Farhad Manjoo, Slate's technology columnist and the author of True Enough: Learning To Live in a Post-Fact Society talks about what Twitter means and how different groups use it.

What's your take on Twitter? How do you use it? Comment below!

Don't Say That, Literally

The Brian Lehrer Show

John Flansburgh of the band They Might Be Giants discusses the running list the band keeps of "things we can no longer say." (a few examples: "my bad" "don't go there" "one hundred and ten percent" and "voted off the island")

What would be on your list of banned words or phrases? Comment below!

From Denmark with Love

The Brian Lehrer Show

Jesper Grunwald, senior managing editor with the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, talks about the Danish economy, biking to work, and why the Danes are allegedly the happiest people in the world.

Squatting, Then and Now

The Brian Lehrer Show

As former squats in the East Village make the transition to coops, making homes from abandoned housing is again an issue. Andrew Reicher executive director of Urban Homesteading Assistance Board, Frank Morales an Episcopal priest involved in East Village/Lower East Side squatting and homelessness activism since the late '70s, and Rob Robinson, a leader of the Housing Campaign of Picture the Homeless, discuss the return of squatting.

Video Picks

The Brian Lehrer Show

Check out some recent video clips of interviews with guests and Brian Lehrer's weekly Web video picks.