This Quarter's Past Jim Bohannon Show Guests!

Friday, July 4

On this night we presented a real treat! For the Independence holiday, we brought you some classic Larry King Show interviews from out of the Westwood One archives, including Larry’s famous 1985 sit-down with the Chairman of the Board himself, Frank Sinatra, and interviews Larry conducted with past Presidents. We hope you enjoyed reliving some great moments on our very special holiday edition of the Jim Bohannon Show!

Thursday, July 3

Men may be from Mars and Women from Venus, but have we ever really determined why? We examined that question with the married authors of the Zondervan book "His Brain, Her Brain,” Will and Barb Larrimore.

The CIA agent once in charge of the hunt for Osama bin Laden, Michael Scheuer, says the U.S. remains in great danger of attack by terrorists. He explains in his Free Press book "Marching Toward Hell: America and Islam After Iraq."

Plus, we had an hour of fun and music and cowboy philosophy as we welcomed the only purely Western recording artists ever to win a Grammy Award: the legendary Riders In the Sky!

Wednesday, July 2

Why would someone with a successful career decide to infiltrate the Mob? We found out when we spoke to Bob Delaney, a former N-B-A referee who did just that. He breaks the Code of Silence in his book "Covert" (co-written with Dave Scheiber and published by Union Square Press).

Homer Hickam, author of “Rocket Boys,” had his book turned into the movie October Sky. What might Hollywood make of his newest book? We learned more about it when Mr. Hickam joined us to talk about that new novel, “Red Helmet“ (published by Thomas Nelson).

Since hitting a high right after Nine-Eleven, the United States' reputation around the world has steadily fallen. We found out what can be done about that when we spoke with Carol Bellamy, president of the firm World Learning.

Tuesday, July 1

Tonight's program came to you live from the studios of affiliate WORD in Greenville, SC (thanks again, folks!) and joining us was Fred Ashman, producer of the upcoming film Proud American. We’ve spoken about this film before, but it’s now got a distributor and a release date. We found out more about a film you’re certain to enjoy—one that will renew your feelings about this great land we live in. Plus, we also spoke with a return guest who is featured in the film: comedian Yakov Smirnoff!

Monday, June 30

When the Cold War ended, that didn’t stop enemy spies from still doing their jobs. We talked to one of the best—from the other side! Sergei Tretyakov joined us to tell his story, recounted in the book “Comrade J” (co-written with Pete Earley, who also joined us, and published by Putnam).

How badly is the United Nations working a cross-purposes with American interests in the world? We asked former Acting U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., John Bolton, who’s written the book "Surrender is Not an Option" (now available in paperback from Threshold Editions).

One of the world’s great problems is rampant government corruption. We chatted with Nathaniel Heller of the group Global Integrity, which tracks and reports on corruption trends around the world.

Friday, June 27

It's been one hundred years and the Earth is still showing the effects of a cataclysmic event that took place on June 30, 1908. We chated about the Great Siberian Explosion--what the scientists call The Tunguska Event--with Dr. Steve Maran of the American Astronomical Society.

She is one of the funniest women on the planet, and she's got a brand new DVD out featuring some of her very best material. We spent a fun hour with the one and only Rita Rudner, talking about her career and that new DVD release "Rita Rudner: Live from Las Vegas" (from Image Entertainment).

We also chatted with recording artist Brent Burns, whose latest single release (from the Sand Spur CD Ragtops and Flip Flops) is one we can all relate to: "Pain At the Pump"(and he played live in the studio for us, too!).

Thursday, June 26

Do you believe you're being sold a book of goods by the political Left? Are you worried that a Democratic sweep in November will lead to a greater risk from terrorists and the end of talk radio as we know it? We got a return visit from FOX News contributor Dick Morris and his co-author, wife Eileen McGann, whose new Harper book "Fleeced" runs down all of the ways they say the Left is trying to scam us.

We all go through down periods in our lives; the key to succeeding is learning how to live though the bad times and come back strongly. We got some help in that area from Karen Salmansohn, the author of "The Bounce Back Book: How to Thrive in the Face of Adversity, Setbacks, and Losses" (put out by the Workman Publishing Company in a rubber cover--yes, rubber!--as befits the title!).

Plus, he's been everything from a starship captain to a lawyer to a novelist to a goofy pitchman for a travel website. We're talking, of course, about the one-of-a-kind Mr. William Shatner, who joined us to talk about his just published memoir "Up Till Now: The Autobiography" (published by Thomas Dunne Books).

Wednesday, June 25

November is looking grim for Republicans, with the Democrats poised to increase their majorities in Congress and possibly win the White House. Is it too late for the G.O.P. to turn things around? Not according to Ross Douthat and Reihan Salam, authors of the Doubleday book "Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream."

Plus, we got a sneak peak of what’s in store on the new season of the PBS series History Detectives when we were graced with a return visit from one of the sleuths: Gwen Wright, professor of architecture and history at Columbia University.

Tuesday, June 24

This has been an historic Presidential campaign, with an African-American leading a major party’s ticket for the first time. How much will race play into the November election, and, given his problems with his former church in Chicago, how much of a role will religion play in the race for the White House? We asked Bishop Harry R. Jackson, Jr., author of the book “The Truth in Black & White” (published by Frontline).

It’s always been said that baseball can teach you about life. Author Dan Migala has written the book “Dugout Wisdom” (published by Can O' Corn, LLC) and he joined us to describe some of the best lessons learned from our National Pastime.

Monday, June 23

Some people thrive in their interactions with others, and wouldn’t think twice about addressing a group of people if asked. On the other side of the coin, many of us would rather be dropped in a vat of boiling oil than have to talk in front of a crowd. But, there are times that you’ve just got to do it. Joining us on this night was an expert on the subject who has written a book that can help. Communications specialist David Bartlett talked about "Making Your Point: Communicating Effectively with Audiences of One to One Million” (published by St. Martin’s Press). It’s an accessible, easy-to-apply guide to help improve your speaking and presenting skills.

The steep decline in the housing market led the way for the general economic downturn the nation remains mired in. There is agreement among most economists that the housing market peaked sometime in 2006, and has fallen in value by about 16 percent since then. But, how much of that pessimism is based on negative psychology rather than firm numbers? We spoke with return guest Dr. Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the National Association of Realtors, who called the downturn a “short-term phenomenon” and blamed the daily negative headlines for driving down the market.

Friday, June 20

Even those who lived through those crucial days in October, 1962, may have no idea just how close we came to a nuclear holocaust. The history books call it the Cuban Missile Crisis, and author Michael Dobbs took us further inside the events of those fateful days through his book "One Minute to Midnight: Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro On the Brink of Nuclear War" (published by Knopf).

With money so tight these days, you can't take a chance on someone bilking you out of yours. We talked with Steve Weisman, author of "50 Ways to Protect Your Identity and Your Credit" (published by Prentice Hall), about a new scam that is separating people from their economic stimulus checks.

Thanks to the hassles of air travel and the cost of gasoline, many Americans are making the decision to skip vacationing this Summer. According to our guest, travel expert Colleen Burns, a former producer for the nationally syndicated Emmy Award winning show Smarter Living, this is a bad idea. She explained why and told us why taking a vacation this Summer just might help save our lives!

Thursday, June 19

Mankind has an ugly habit of killing its own--history is littered with genocides and attempted genocides. Another is occurring right now in the African country of Sudan, where the residents of Darfur are being systematically eliminated. We'll talk about the human race's sorry history in this area and the difficulty nations have at coming to grips with it with Jerry Fowler, president of the Save Darfur Coalition.

On a decidedly lighter note--you remember "Mama," don't you? No, not the worman who gave you birth, the indelible character from Mama's Family and The Carol Burnett Show. Well, 'Mama' has decided to throw her hat into the Presidential ring! It was a romp when we spoke to her talented portrayer, Vicki Lawrence, who has written the book "Mama for President: Good Lord, Why Not?" (published by Thomas Nelson), entirely in character as 'Mama' Thelma Harper!

Wednesday, June 18

The Democrats now have a Presidential candidate, who has become the leader of his party. Will he show the political courage needed to stand up for what he believes in, or will he compromise those principles to guarantee a victory? We asked author Glenn Hurowitz, who has written the book “Fear and Courage in the Democratic Party” (published by Maisonneuve Press), a look at Democratic politicians of the past and the choices they made while attempting to get elected. [postponed from an earlier date]

Tuesday, June 17

You should know the name Ralph Reed--he was the first executive director of one of the most influential political action groups of the 1990s: The Christian Coalition. Today Reed is a political strategist and a first-time novelist. He visited to talk politics and about his debut novel, "Dark Horse: A Political Thriller" (published by Howard Books).

The flooding in the Midwest, particularly in Iowa, has been devastating, the worst flooding in the agricultural heartland of America in 15 years. We got a perspective on the damage the floods have wrought from Dan Egger, afternoon news anchor for America in the Morning and Jim Bohannon Show affiliate AM 600, WMT-AM in Cedar Rapids, IA. Then we found out how you can best help those affected when we spoke with Suzy DeFrancis, Chief Public Affairs Officer with the American Red Cross. You can make a donation to their Disaster Relief Fund online at www.RedCross.org or by calling 1-800-HELP-NOW.

Monday, June 16

It reads like a sort of alternate history, like the kind you see in science fiction: World Wars I and II averted, no rise of National Socialism in Germany, no Communist takeover of Eastern Europe, no splintering of the British Empire, and a very different world in the 21st Century than the one we are experiencing now. Yet, as our guest writes, all of this could have come true. Pat Buchanan rejoined us to talk about his new book “Churchill, Hitler, and ‘The Unnecessary War’: How Britain Lost Its Empire and the West Lost the World” (published by Crown).

The recent Supreme Court decision granting habeus corpus rights to the detainees being held at the military facility at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, has changed the landscape of the wrangling over those being held over accusations of committing of terrorist acts against the United States. Since the ruling we’ve heard much from some of the detainees defenders, far less from the perspective of the military. Joining us to explore that side of the argument was JAG Officer Major Kyndra Rotunda, who has written the book “Honor Bound: Inside the Guantánamo Trials” (published by Carolina Academic Press).

Plus, we had a nice chat with return guest Annabelle Gurwitch, she of the TV cult favorite Dinner and a Movie on TBS some years back. She's now co-hosting the program Wa$ted! on the new Planet Green television network.

Friday, June 13

What is it like working as the defense attorney for defendants who are believed to be terrorists? We asked a man who's done just that for detainees at Guantánamo Bay and suspects in the Madrid train bombings: Steven Wax, author of the Other Press book "Kafka Comes to America: Fighting for Justice in the War on Terror - A Public Defender's Inside Account."

What are the trends that will shape our future? We looked inside the crystal ball of Martin Cetron, CEO of Forecast International to comment on an article by the World Future Society, which takes a look at 55 trends shaping tomorrow’s world, as well as 55 trends that are shaping terrorism around the globe.

Thursday, June 12

We're all aware that counterterrorism efforts are essential in today's world, but what are those efforts costing us--and we don't mean a price just in terms of dollars. We discussed the issue with Laura K. Donohue, author of "The Cost of Counterterrorism: Power, Politics, and Liberty" (published by Cambridge University Press).

Wednesday, June 11

Americans tend to be somewhat insular, and as a result, few Americans know a lot about the various different ethnic and religious communities that make up our nation. One of those groups is the Sikh community. A member of that community, Sandeep Caberwal, joined us to talk about the impact of an ad campaign he's become involved in and how it may alter the image of Sikhs in America; he also told us about the 5th Sikh American Heritage Dinner which was held on this date on Capitol Hill.

Tuesday, June 10

It’s been nearly seven years since the Nine-Eleven attacks, and the war against terror is far from won. What more can we do to ensure a victory? We asked George Weigel, author of the Doubleday book "Faith, Reason, and the War Against Jihadism: A Call to Action.”

As we begin hurricane season, global warming remains a hot topic of debate. We talked about how we can minimize its effects with Lester Brown, author of "Plan B 3.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization" (in paperback from W. W. Norton).

Are you ready to make that big sales score where you work? We chatted with Tom Searcy and Dr. Barbara Weaver Smith about their book "Whale Hunting: How to Land Big Sales and Transform Your Company" (published by WIley).

Monday, June 9

By nature and by inclination, the Central Intelligence Agency is a very secretive place. Last year, in an exceptional action, the CIA released thousands of formerly top-secret documents revealing what the agency did during the Cold War. One man who got access to those records even ahead of their official release was Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for the New York Times, Tim Weiner. We taled to him about his book “Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA” (in paperback from Anchor), which is based in part on more than 50 thousand documents, mainly from the CIA’s own archive.

With gasoline and food prices spiking, the housing and credit markets still in a mess, and the economy in general in a recession, what can be done to make the most of the money we do have? Also, in these tough times, what can be done in order to secure a comfortable retirement, a question many Baby Boomers are now wrestling with as they reach retirement age? Return guest Terry Savage joined us with advice, and a warning that planning is the key for any good financial outcome.

Friday, June 6

‘Sir’ Edward Jagen and ‘Lady’ Sophia West of the Good Knight Child Empowerment Network made a return visit to talk to us about their latest project: the "SuperBook of Family Safety." It’s an up-to-date, easy to follow guide covering all aspects of life, from Internet Safety to Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention, and Gang Awareness.

Is the Electoral College still useful, or should it be consigned to the trash heap of history? We discussed it with Dr. John Samples of the Cato Institute, who still likes the idea, and Dr. John Koza of the National Popular Vote Campaign, which believes it’s time for a direct vote to determine the leader of the free world.

Thursday, June 5

Fighting terrorism is more than just bombs and bullets. It’s also intelligence work and other measures taken behind the scenes and in the shadows, all designed to prevent the next terror attack from ever taking place. We looked at that undercover world when we spoke to Fred Burton, author of the book “Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent” (published by Random House).

Conventional wisdom persists in labeling conservatives are uncaring and liberals as more empathetic and just plain old nicer. Our guest on this night had one word for that conventional wisdom: horsefeathers! Peter Schweizer made a return visit to the program to talk abut his new book, whose title sums up its premise: “Makers and Takers: Why conservatives work harder, feel happier, have closer families, take fewer drugs, give more generously, value honesty more, are less materialistic and envious, whine less…and even hug their children more than liberals” (published by Doubleday).

Wednesday, June 4

It was an historic race for the Democratic Presidential nomination, with an African-American candidate winning and a female candidate making the race whisker-close. Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have been described as “inspiring” candidates, a term rarely used in recent years—maybe not since the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy, which ended tragically 40 years ago. We discussed the Presidential race with Connie Lawn, long-time White House correspondent for IRN/USA Radio News, and Eric Huey, a Democratic strategist from the law firm Kilpatrick Stockton.

One of the bad boys of ESPN, Kenny Mayne, joined us to talk about his new Crown book "An Incomplete & Inaccurate History of Sport...and Other Random Thoughts from Childhood to Fatherhood." It's an off-center look at our love and obsession with sports, and has its poignant moments as well, such as when Kenny speaks of an event that changed his life: the death of his newborn twins.

Tuesday, June 3

As another politician said under very different circumstances back in 1974, “Our long national nightmare is over.” That’s right, with the voting in the states of Montana and South Dakota, the Democratic Presidential primaries have come to an end. Our coverage of the end of the race included a report from Rick Knobe, reporter for Jim Bohannon Show and America in the Morning affiliate KSOO, 1140 AM in Sioux Falls, SD; analysis from Jed Babbin, editor at Human Events magazine; plus a live report from the site of Barack Obama's victory speech in St. Paul, MN, from CBS News correspondent Steve Futterman.

It's always a great time to be in Steubenville, OH—the weekend of the annual Dean Martin Festival. We got a return visit from his daughter, Deana Martin, to talk about the 2008 festivities and dish a bit about her famous dad. If you thought you knew everything there was to know about Dean Martin, you learned you were very wrong!

Monday, June 2

He can be angry, and he can be loud—but he’s always funny. You’ve seen him doing standup, hosting The Root of All Evil on Comedy Central, and on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He's Lewis Black--actor, playwright, and now author of the book “Me of Little Faith” (published by Riverhead).

Anti-Semitism still lives in America, though in different guises than in the past. One man helping to expose this scourge isn’t a writer, or a religious leader, or a politician. It’s an artist: David Sokol. He talked to us about his new book of art prints that tackles the subject head-on: "The Golem of Church Street: An Artist’s Reflection on the New Anti-Semitism” (in softcover from Kasini House Books).

Friday, May 30

Tonight's show came to you from the studios of affiliate KWTO in Springfield, MO. Our lead guest was Washington, DC-based defense reporter Chas Henry, who has been investigating a story on the difficulties our servicemen and –women serving abroad may have in voting this November—might voting on line be one of the answers?

When we hear the words ‘eminent domain,’ most of us flash back to American History classes where that principle was used to expand our nation from Atlantic to Pacific coast. Today, however, eminent domain has morphed into an entirely different issue. Here to explain what’s going on was Robert J. Smith, Senior Fellow with the National Center for Public Policy Research, a leading authority on property rights.

Thursday, May 29

How about this book title, published by Ecco: "Your Government Failed You: Breaking the Cycle of National Security Disasters." No, it wasn't written by a disgruntled Democrat, it comes from the pen of return guest Richard Clarke, the former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Intelligence in the Reagan administration and former member of the National Security Council staff. We found out what can be done to fix what he says is grievously broken.

Wednesday, May 28

We got a visit from return guest Vincent Bugliosi, whose latest book may not be on a topic as controversial as the one he's most famous for--the JFK assassination--but is intriguing nonetheless. It's entitled "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder" (published by Vanguard Press), which tries to make the case, strictly on legal terms, that the President of the United States has committed an actionable crime.

With our struggling economy, finding a job is harder than ever, especially when you're looking for your first one, fresh out of school. So, grads have to be ready to ace every interview they manage to wangle. We got some tips on how to do just that from return guest Peggy Klaus, author of "The Hard Truth About Soft Skills: Workplace Lessons Smart People Wish They Learned Sooner" (published by Collins).

Tuesday, May 27

You know her from the CBS Evening News, and perhaps you remember her reports from near the front lines in Iraq, where she was injured and two of her crew killed in a roadside bombing. CBS News correspondent Kimberly Dozier joined us to tell the story of her time as an Iraq War correspondent, taken from her book “Breathing the Fire: Fighting to Report—and Survive—The War in Iraq” (published by Meredith Books).

Monday, May 26

American politics has been moving Rightward now for a generation, mainly due to one man—a former New Deal Democrat who altered his views over the years to become an iconic conservative: Ronald Wilson Reagan. Without Reagan’s charisma and driving spirit, conservatism might never have come to dominate the way it has. We discussed the Reagan legacy with Sean Wilentz, an American History professor at Princeton University, and author of the new book "The Age of Reagan: 1974-2008" (published by Harper).

Joe Arpaio, the sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ, has been given the nickname of “America’s Toughest Sheriff.” A long-time soldier in the international drug war, Arpaio has now served as sheriff on one of the toughest border areas in our country for 16 years—years filled with success and controversy. His office’s treatment of inmates is considered to be among the harshest in the nation, bringing accolades from many and scorn from such groups as Amnesty International. The sheriff joined us to discuss his opinions on some of most important and difficult issues facing America today, as recounted in his book “Joe's Law: America's Toughest Sheriff Takes on Illegal Immigration, Drugs and Everything Else That Threatens America” (co-written with Len Sherman and published by AMACOM).

Friday, May 23

With oil prices skyrocketing daily and the price of gas now at four dollars a gallon with no end to the increases in sight, is it time to take a second look at drilling for oil in the Alaska National Wildlife Reserve? And even if we can resolve the environmental concerns, is there enough oil in ANWR to really make a difference? We found out when we spoke to oil and gas consultant Ken Boyd.

Our servicemen and –women have the same life and family issues that you and I do: the cost of food and gas, the kids and their schoolwork, and the like. They also have a other problems, stemming from their service in the military: separation issues, maintaining a long-distance relationship, and more. Where can our servicepeople turn for help with the issues they are facing? Well, if you’re near Fort Campbell, KY, you can always ask Ms. Vicki. That’s Vicki Johnson, advice columnist for the Fort Campbell Courier. We talked to her and discovered why she decided to help military families in this unique way.

Thursday, May 22

Even as the Republican Party attempts to shore up its conservative base, they are being attacked from the Far Right by the Libertarian Party, which has nominated former Republican Congressman Bob Barr as its Presidential standard bearer. We discussed how the Libertarians might affect the outcome of the November election with Philip Klein, reporter for The American Spectator.

We also discussed what can be done to help our nation’s crumbling roads, rails, ports, and airports when we spoke to former Missouri Senator Jim Talent about the "Alliance for Improving America's Infrastructure."

Wednesday, May 21

The real power brokers inside the DC Beltway aren't the politicians. We found out who they really are when the authors of the Random House book "Pennsylvania Avenue: Profiles in Backroom Power" joined us: CNBC Chief Washington correspondent and New York Times political writer John Harwood and Wall Street Journal Executive Washington Editor and Assistant Managing Editor Gerald F. Seib.

There has been a lot of wrangling on the campaign trail about how the next President should deal with the threat posed by Iran. The Democratic candidates believe there should be some sort of engagement with Iran, but they differ on exactly how that should be done. Republican candidate John McCain agrees with the current Bush administration policy of rejecting engagement with Iran. One question we haven’t heard asked is how the Iranian people feel about the issue. We talked about that aspect of the story with a return guest: NewsMax.com columnist Kenneth Timmerman.

Tuesday, May 20

American soldiers have now spent over five years fighting in Iraq. We honored them, their service, and their families--especially of those who have died or been wounded in combat--when we spoke with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jim Sheeler, who specializes in telling stories of how the war impacts us here at home. His latest book is "Final Salute: A Story of Unfinished Lives" (published by Penguin Press).

The political world was rocked with the news that Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Praise for one of the giants of the Senate came in from both sides of the political aisle, with good wishes sent by President Bush and Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, among many others. On a more prosaic level, Kennedy’s absence stalls many pieces of pending legislation, with time running out on the current Congress as the November election approaches and legislators look to leave Washington and campaign in their home states. We discussed the legacy of Senator Kennedy and what his absence will mean with return guest Jonathan Allen of CQPolitics.com.

Plus, we brought you coverage of the latest two Presidential primary elections--Kentucky and Oregon--as the campaign that wouldn't end rolls on. That included some analysis from return guest Jim Ellis, political analyst and Senior Consultant to the firm PRI Strategy Management.

Monday, May 19

No wars are truly “good wars,” but some are dumber than others, whether it be in conception or execution. We found out just how foolish some conflicts of the past have been when we spoke to authors Ed Strosser and Michael Prince. They’ve written a fascinating book on the subject entitled "Stupid Wars: A Citizen's Guide to Botched Putsches, Failed Coups, Inane Invasions, and Ridiculous Revolutions" (in paperback from Collins).

Friday, May 16

The conservative coalition brought together by Ronald Reagan has fractured—what can conservatives do to stem the rising Leftward tide? We asked David Frum, author of the Doubleday book "Comeback: Conservatism That Can Win Again."

As our current economy proves, the pundits of the business world aren’t always right. We got the straight scoop from Stephen McClellan, author of "Full of Bull: Do What Wall Street Does, Not What It Says, To Make Money in the Market” (published by FT Press).

Amazingly, 20 million American men and women are in relationships in which the man has stopped being sexually intimate. We discussed why that is with relationship experts Dr. Bob Berkowitz and Susan Yager-Berkowitz, authors of “He's Just Not Up for It Anymore” (published by William Morrow).

Thursday, May 15

Air traffic control in America is reaching a crisis point, making the recent problems in the airline industry even worse than they appear. We learned more from Patrick Forrey, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

With the troop surge providing increased security in Iraq, more progress is being made in reconstruction. We found out how that effort's been going from Dr. John Jones, the leader of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Diyala Province.

If a fence isn't the way to secure our southern border, how about a moat? No, that's not a joke, it's a serious proposal being put forth in Yuma, AZ. We got the details from Yuma’s mayor, Larry Nelson.

Wednesday, May 14

Ever dream of going out on the road with your favorite rock band? Ever dream of actually going up on stage and playing with them? Bob Greene has--and did, with 1960s surf icons Jan & Dean. Bob paid us a return visit to tell this portion of his life story, recounted in the book "When We Get to Surf City: A Journey Through America in Pursuit of Rock and Roll, Friendship, and Dreams" (published by St. Martin's Press).

Bluegrass music, one of the unique forms of American 'roots' music, is enjoying a resurgence. We found out why, and heard some fine examples, from Del McCoury and Ronnie Reno, who will also told us about DelFest, a bluegrass and American folk festival scheduled for Cumberland, Maryland.

Tuesday, May 13

The Second Annual G.I. Film Festival took place this week in Washington, DC, and it featured five days of film screenings (including 25 premieres) plus appearances by such Hollywood stars as Gary Sinise, Jon Voight, and Robert Duvall, among others. We took a look at the G.I. Film Festival with its co-founder and president, Brandon Millett (and we also got a short visit from one of the Hollywood stars attending the event: Stephen Baldwin!).

It was a political milestone: President Bush granting his first ever on-camera interview broadcast exclusively on the Internet. We chatted about what the President had to say with Jess Baron, director of programming for Yahoo! News. She also discussed the West Virginia primary and what it means for the remainder of the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. (Plus, we took a closer look at the West Virginia vote count with Jeff Jenkins, vice president of news for the West Virginia Metro News Radio Network.)

Monday, May 12

Six investigation and two Congressional hearings later, the real story behind the death of former NFL star and Army Ranger Pat Tillman remains unknown. The Tillman family's quest for the truth is chronicled in the book "Boots on the Ground by Dusk: My Tribute to Pat Tillman," written by his mother, Mary Tillman (published by Modern Times).

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake is a massive upheaval and would cause devastation no matter where it occurred. China, where just such a quake hit, is no exception. The earthquake represents another problem for the Communist government, which has already been grappling with public discontent over high inflation and a widespread uprising among Tibetans in western China, all while trying to prepare for the Beijing Olympics in August. We got some perspective on a China dealing with multiple crises, including this latest natural one, from journalist Simon Winchester, author of the book “The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom” (published by Harper).

Friday, May 9

Progressive journalist and talk host Bill Press made a return visit to the program to talk about how the political pendulum is now swinging away from the conservatives, propelled by the neocons' betrayal of their own principles. He explains in his book "Trainwreck: The End of the Conservative Movement (and Not a Moment Too Soon)" (published by Wiley). [postponed from an earlier date]

As stereotypes are broken down, women around the world are taking positions of power and influence in greater and greater numbers. We talked with Ritu Sharma Fox, president of Women Thrive Worldwide, an organization tackling women’s issues--particularly poverty--around the globe.

Thursday, May 8

Joining us on this night was a former top U.S. military commander in Iraq: Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez. He discussed with us his time in that war-torn country, which included the discovery of the mistreatment of prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison--a situation he says was known to the Defense Department long before the infamous photos became public. His new book is "Wiser in Battle: A Soldier's Story" (published by Harper).

How involved should the Federal government get in the foreclosure crisis? And is this a good time for you to try and sell your home on your own before the bank comes a-calling? We asked those questions of real estate expert Juli Doty, author of “The Secrets of Exactly How to For Sale by Owner" (in paperback from BookSurge Publishing).

Wednesday, May 7

Prolific sports author John Feinstein dropped by to talk about his latest opus "Living On the Black: Two Pitchers, Two Teams, One Season to Remember" (published by Little, Brown), which chronicles the 2007 seasons of pitchers Mike Mussina (of the New York Yankees) and Tom Glavine (then with the New York Mets, now back with the Atlanta Braves), two veterans now in the twilight of their careers.

We kept with the sports theme of the evening when we spoke with Herschel Walker, one of the finest running backs in the history of the NFL. As incredible as it seems, he built that remarkable career while suffering from multiple personality disorder. He tells his story in the book "Breaking Free" (published by Touchstone).

Tuesday, May 6

It was the umpteenth Super Tuesday of this never-ending Presidential campaign. We brought bring you results from the states of North Carolina and Indiana, and got analysis from former Congressmen Dave Evans of Indiana and George Breece of North Carolina, Republican strategist Gary Baise, J.P. Freire of The American Spectator, and Joshua Green of The Atlantic. No Democratic winner yet, but we can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

Monday, May 5

We got another visit from the inimitable Arianna Huffington, editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post and author of the new book "Right is Wrong" (published by Knopf). Its premise is that our country has been hijacked by the far-Right wing fringe, which has decimated the Constitution and made us less safe.

We also got a return visit from two of the most beautiful voices to pair up in pop music history: Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr.! They've got a brand new, interactive CD out entitled "The Many Faces of Love."

Plus, we got a bonus visit from Denise Hitchcock and Joanne Dant to find out what's coming up in the near- and long-term for the TV and internet broadband channel known as Blue Highways TV.

Friday, May 2

Doctors often have a hard time treating such diseases as chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia, leaving their patients to suffer in silence. We learned more from Dr. Benjamin Natelson, author of "Your Symptoms Are Real: What To Do When Your Doctor Says Nothing is Wrong" (published by Wiley).

Clare Duffy, an NBC Nightly News producer, is usually engaged in the high-pressure world of network news. But her life took an important turn when one of her relatives, actor Peter Boyle, was diagnosed with and later died from the disease multiple myeloma. We talked with her about her experiences and what she's doing now to help fight this dread disease. Plus, the subject of one of Clare's Nightly News reports, former NFL player Elijah Alexander, also joined us to tell his story.

Thursday, May 1

Neither political party has done a shining job when it comes to executing America's foreign policy. Is the problem ineptitude, incompetence, or a simple lack of understanding? We found out when we chatted with Matthew Yglesias, author of "Heads in the Sand: How the Republicans Screw Up Foreign Policy and Foreign Policy Screws Up the Democrats" (published by Wiley).

The Radio Hall of Fame is getting ready to induct some new members. We talked about the 2008 Class of honorees, and how you can vote in some of those radio greats who have been nominated, with Bruce DuMont, founder and president of the Museum of Broadcast Communications and curator of the Radio Hall of Fame.

Wednesday, April 30

Have you heard about the website HopeShow.tv? It's a video-sharing site that presents the inspiring real life stories of courageous men and women who have overcome challenging circumstances in their lives. We found out more about it when we spoke with three of the people intimately involved with it: founder Irv Boyes, co-founder Michelle Forrest, and talent coordinator Sherry Smith.

It’s hard to read statistics like these when your country is in the midst of a war: 1) nearly one in five of today’s combat vets are suffering from either PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) or TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury), and 2) there are nearly a quarter of a million veterans (of all conflicts) who are currently homeless. Recent reports indicate that our wounded servicemen and –women suffering from PTSD are not getting the attention and care they deserve, and the Veterans Administration is spending only one-tenth of one percent of its annual budget on direct aid for homeless vets. We discussed these connected issues with retired U.S. Army Major Brian Hampton, president of the group Circle of Friends for American Veterans.

Tuesday, April 29

Whomever takes over as our next President will have plenty of challenges from the day they take office. At the top of the agenda is the economy. President Bush, in a nationally-broadcast news conference, admitted that Americans are having –quote- “a tough time,” but blasted the Democrats for delaying action on his proposals to address problems like the soaring price of gasoline and the increasing cost of food. The next President will also likely get to shape the future of the Supreme Court, which recently ruled that it is Constitutional for states to mandate showing of a picture ID before allowing someone to vote. We talked about these issues—and the continuing race to determine who will next occupy the White House—with Ericka Anderson, political reporter for the website www.HumanEvents.com.

Monday, April 28

Al Gore's environmental crusade continues to rub some people the wrong way. Among those is author Iain Murray. His Regnery book "The Really Inconvenient Truths" reveals seven environmental catastrophes he says the liberals don't want to talk about, because they helped cause them. Is Al Gore really bad for the planet?

Friday, April 25

Caused in part by the sharp rise in fuel prices and an imbalance in the supply and demand of some items, consumer prices recently have jumped sharply across the world, particularly for food, leading to shortages and, in some countries, unrest. What’s really behind the current spike in consumer prices, and is there anything that can be done about it? We asked Dr. Michael Rizzo of the American Institute for Economic Research.

In past generations, comedians honed their craft on stage in vaudeville or burlesque shows. Today’s comedians make their names first on the comedy club circuit. We talked to Jamie Masada, founder of The Laugh Factory Comedy Clubs, about how he got into the business of funny and to hear some the outrageous stories he has about now-famous comedians who have passed through his clubs’ doors.

Thursday, April 24

Newsweek magazine Senior Washington correspondent and MSNBC political analyst Howard Fineman joined us to talk about his new book "The Thirteen American Arguments: Enduring Debates That Define and Inspire Our Country" (published by Random House). It's a look at the big questions our society asks, and continues to ask, as our democracy has matured and continues to grow.

Longtime listeners know that this program used to be hosted by Larry King. Tonight ol' Lar' made his triumphant return to the microphone he so ably manned for 15 years to talk about his favorite subject: heart health. We'll learn more about The Larry King Cardiac Foundation’s Symposium and Gala, and hear some of Larry's best stories over his 50-plus years in radio and television. (And don't forget to listen to the radio version of Larry King Live, which precedes Jim nightly on many Westwood One stations!)

Wednesday, April 23

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates shuffled the deck of America’s top military commanders, nominating General David Petraeus, the current top American commander in Iraq, to become the head of U.S. Central Command. Secretary Gates said he wanted to bring Petraeus’ record of success in Iraq to Afghanistan and other conflicts the U.S. faces. Petraeus would replace Admiral William Fallon, who announced his resignation amid reports of disagreements with the Bush administration’s Iraq policy. We discussed the changes in military leadership and other issues with return guest Frank Gaffney of the Center for Security Policy.

The Pennsylvania primary was a success for New York Senator Hillary Clinton. Her ten-point win allowed her to battle on through the contests on Guam on May 3 and in Indiana and North Carolina on May 6. But, did the Pennsylvania primary merely delay the inevitable Obama victory, or can Clinton make her case to the superdelegates that Obama can’t seal the deal in November? We got some analysis from return guest Faiz Shakir of the Center for American Progress.

Tuesday, April 22

This was the night of the Pennsylvania primary, and by the time the night was over exactly nothing was settled. Durng our coverage we spoke to reporters Matt Gorney of affiliate WEEU in Reading and Westwood One/Metro Networks own Tom MacDonald in Philadelphia, and to some distinguished analysts--Jonathan Allen of CQPolitics.com, former Pennsylvania Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies, and political columnist Bill Bradley of NewWestNotes.com--who put the race into perspective for us.

Monday, April 21

The Berlin Airlift--the delivery of food and other supplies to West Berlin after the "Iron Curtain" rang down following World War II--was one of the greatest military and humanitarian successes in American history. We got an inside look at the Airlift and the courageous men that made it work when we talked with Andrei Cherny, author of "The Candy Bombers" (published by Putnam).

What was the impact of the evangelicals and Catholics vote in the Pennsylvania primary? We explored the question on that vote's eve with Deal Hudson, former chairman of the RNC’s Catholic outreach program and author of the book “Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States” (published by Threshold Editions).

Earth Day 2008 brought with it renewed attention to how Mankind treats the planet. The drive to ‘go green’ has never been stronger, despite the fact that ‘going green’ is usually more expensive than taking the easy way out and not caring about the environment that we’ll be handing over to our children and their children. But, were you aware that you can actually SAVE money by doing things the ‘green’ way? We find out how when we spoke with author Diane MacEachern, author of the book “The Big Green Purse: Use Your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World” (in paperback from Avery).

Friday, April 18

Al Gore won a Nobel Prize for his work in publicizing the issue of global warming. But not all scientists agree than man is responsible for the phenomenon, and some don’t believe the Earth is at all at risk. We met some of the nay-sayers when we talked to Lawrence Solomon, author of the book “The Deniers” (published by Richard Vigilante Books).

The gaming industry is a very lucrative one, made even more so by the advent of online gambling. However, like anything else, abuse can occur, and addiction to gambling is a very real phenomenon. The Federal government took steps to rein in online gambling with the passage in 2006 of the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). At a recent Congressional hearing, representatives of the financial services industry claimed they are unable to enforce the Act. In response, Congressmen Barney Frank (D-MA) and Ron Paul (R-TX) introduced a bill which would prohibit the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve from enforcing the Act’s restrictions. We discussed the gambling industry as a whole and the fight over online gambling in particular with Jay Lakin, co-owner and vice president of the website PokerSourceOnline.com.

Thursday, April 17

President Bush has staked a good portion of his reputation on finding a solution for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict before he leaves office. Can he succeed, or is peace simply not achievable in such a short time frame? We asked the author of the Bantam book "The Much Too Promised Land," Aaron David Miller.

Wednesday, April 16

For good or ill, money is an important factor--and sometimes the deciding factor--when it comes to running a successful political campaign. This is especially true in Presidential campaigns. The 2008 race is shaping up to be the most expensive ever. So, what can we tell about the candidates from their statements of net worth, their tax returns, and their ability to fundraise? We asked Massie Ritsch, communications director of the Center for Responsive Politics.

Some people feel the need to be connected to the rest of the world at all times, and others would rather be able to shut the world out. And both of these people may be sitting in the airline seat next to yours! How'd you like full access to your cell phone and e-mail while in flight, or, conversely, how'd you like to book a seat on a flight where use of any devices like these is banned outright? We discussed it with return guest Gregg Stebben, representative of the website PCPitstop.com.

What are things really like on the ground in Iraq? We got first hand information, live from Baghdad, from Brigadier General Edward Cardon, deputy commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq.

Tuesday, April 15

If you’ve been to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, you know the stirring statue “The Three Soldiers.” We learned more about it, and its creator, Frederick Hart, from Madeline Kisting, whose company represents the late sculptor.

We took another look at one of the most powerful women in the world, our Secretary of State, when we spoke to New York Times reporter Elisabeth Bumiller, author of the Random House book "Condoleezza Rice: An American Life.”

Are liberals really, actively trying to tear down our nation from the inside? That's the opinion of author Brad Miner, whose book on the subject is "Smear Tactics: The Liberal Campaign to Defame America" (published by Harper).

Monday, April 14

With the military component of the Iraq ‘troop surge’ a measurable success, should we get our hopes up and expect more? Author Dr. William Martel joined us to discuss why victory in Iraq is possible, as explained in his book “Victory in War: Foundations of Modern Military Policy” (published by Cambridge University Press).

It's time for us to stop acting like victims and start taking responsibility for our own lives. That’s the stark message coming from Bill Cosby and noted professor Alvin Poussaint in their Thomas Nelson book “Come On, People!”

It's been over 25 years, but the case of Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal remains controversial to this day. We talked about it with the widow of the victim: Maureen Faulkner, author of the book "Murdered by Mumia” (published by The Lyons Press).

Friday, April 11

Experts agree: 2007 was the worst year ever for the American air traveler, and 2008 has started off even worse. Beyond the usual litany of problems—flight delays, lost luggage, and the like—we’ve seen thousands of flights grounded over safety concerns, the six major air carriers all raised their ticket prices again, many have started charging you for your second piece of checked baggage, and virtually all flights are packed to the gills. What can be done to fix the sagging air travel industry? And are there any bargains to be had for those of us who still want to take a vacation far away from home and are willing to brave the air travel system to do it? We found out when we spoke to return guest Tom Parsons, founder and CEO of the website www.BestFares.com.

Thursday, April 10

Republican Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania joined us to talk about a battle he's waged harder than any one he's had to handle on the Senate floor: his fight with cancer. He tells the story in his new book "Never Give In: Battling Cancer in the Senate" (published by Thomas Dunne Books).

What's it really like for the big-time defense attorneys in this country? Just how can they hold their noses and fight for people most of us would consider to be lying, criminal scum? We found out from one of the best: noted defense attorney (and CBS-TV legal analyst) Mickey Sherman, author of the aptly-titled "How Can You Defend Those People?" (published by The Lyons Press).

Wednesday, April 9

We welcomed back psychologist, media expert, and nationally-syndicated talk show host Dr. Dorree Lynn, founder of the Institute for the Advanced Study of Psychotherapy and a recognized authority on mental health issues for Americans aged 50 and above. Her website is FiftyAndFurthermore.com.

Is it time for the U.S. to take a new direction in politics, away from the traditional two-party system? We asked former Georgia Republican Congressman Bob Barr, who is considering a run for President as the candidate of the Libertarian Party.

Just what can your paycheck tell you about making more money today and saving more money for the future? We turned to Intuit Corporation payroll expert Pam Newman to get some of her best tips on making the most of your paycheck.

Tuesday, April 8

The Hispanic and Latino vote may turn out to be crucial in the general election this Fall--yet many Americans are afraid of Hispanics, for one reason or another. For a closer look, we talked with FOX News host Geraldo Rivera, who has written the book "His Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S." (published by Celebra). [postponed from a previous date]

General David Petraeus, the senior commander of multinational forces in Iraq, told Congress he was recommending a 45-day pause before reviewing whether there should be further troop reductions. Despite stiff questioning from Senate Democrats, General Petraeus refused to commit to even an estimate of American force levels by the end of this year. Petraeus, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, described an Iraq that, thanks to the ‘troop surge,’ is the scene of significant, if still-fragile, progress in security and politics. We discussed the situation in Iraq and the testimony by General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker with return guest Chris Preble of the Cato Institute.

Over 400 children were removed from the Eldorado, TX, compound operated by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamist group that split off from the mainstream Mormon faith over 60 years ago. How does a group like this manage to convince young girls to engage in polygamous relationships and marriages with older men and relatives? We asked a return guest: psychologist and mind control expert Dr. Wil Horton.

Monday, April 7

Fred Ashman, director, writer, and co-producer of the film Proud American rejoined us to give us an update on the project, which is scheduled for theatrical and IMAX release in September. We also chatted with former CBS News anchor and correspondent Rolland Smith, who is co-writing the companion book to the film, entitled "Our America."

He’s one of America's best-loved personalities. He has been a recipient of three American Music Awards and a People's Choice Award. He has headlined his own television show and been a featured player in others. He has performed to packed houses and in front of five Presidents, and received his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He's the dynamic Tony Orlando, and we talked to him about his life and amazing career.

Friday, April 4

Behind every great President are stories that you've never heard of. We heard some of those untold gems from Rick Beyer, author of the Collins book "The Greatest Presidential Stories Never Told."

It’s a fact: our enemies are plotting their next attack on America right now. We discussed the threat with Newsmax.com correspondent Ronald Kessler, author of the Crown Forum book "The Terrorist Watch."

He’s an American original: singer, author, even candidate for Texas governor. He’s Kinky Friedman, and he talked to us about his Simon & Schuster book “You Can Lead a Politician to Water, But You Can't Make Him Think.”

Thursday, April 3

We talked to defense reporter Chas Henry about a new enemy our soldiers are facing in Iraq: a virulent bacteria being spread, despite the military’s best efforts, at combat hospitals close to the front lines.

As computers play a larger role in our lives, so do they play a larger part in crime. We discussed how today’s computer crimes are being fought with the FBI’s Shawn Henry and Christopher Painter of the Justice Department.

Has the art of political compromise been lost forever? We asked Ronald Brownstein, author of "The Second Civil War: How Extreme Partisanship has Paralyzed Washington and Polarized America" (published by Penguin Press).

Wednesday, April 2

We talked with Douglas Goldenberg-Hart about the CQ Press report "City Crime Rankings: Crime in Metropolitan America." Just how safe is it where you live?

Talk shows on public radio stations tend to be a bit different than the others you may listen to, including ours. We explored that with San Francisco talk host Dr. Michael Krasny, author of "Off Mike: A Memoir of Talk Radio and Literary Life" (published by Stanford General Books).

We chatted with noted attorney and law professor Alan Dershowitz, who discovered a long-forgotten letter from Thomas Jefferson that contains views that have some important implications for our society today.

Tuesday, April 1

Jim was still on remote from WORD in Greenville, SC (no foolin'!). One of the issues we hear about when it comes to the business climate from state to state is how each jurisdiction handles legal claims. Businesses worry a lot about it, and now they have a way to measure it: the U.S. Tort Liability Index. We talked with the author of the 2008 edition of that report: Dr. Lawrence McQuillan, director of Business and Economic Studies at the Pacific Research Institute.

Monday, March 31