Month: February 2004

4:00: Political update from HAROLD MEYERSON — after Kerry’s latest primary victories, we ask again: Can he beat Bush in November? Read Harold in the LA Weekly and the Washington Post .

4:20: INCOHERENT EMPIRE: that’s the title of Michael Mann‘s new book, where the UCLA sociologist argues that the US is better at devastating than pacifying countries — and unable to rule over foreign lands or control its own supposed client states. www.versobooks.com/books/klm/m-titles/mann_m_empire.shtml

4:40: ROBERT SCHEER talks about The Five Biggest Lies Bush Told Us About Iraq — read Bob in the LA Times: “War as an excuse for everything.”

WEB EXTRA: check out the Cost-of-War website: http://costofwar.com/

also : Bush’s Air National Guard records from 1972 show that he apparently blew off drills beginning in May 1972, failed to show up for his physical, and was then grounded and transferred as a disciplinary measure. www.calpundit.com/archives/003220.html

Nat Turner led the bloodiest slave rebellion in American history — now, award-winning L.A. filmmaker Charles Burnett has made a fascinating one-hour film about the meanings of the Nat Turner rebellion today — the film will be broadcast Tues., Feb. 10 at 10pm on KCET. www.pbs.org/natturner

Primary results: John Kerry beat the other Democrats on Tuesday; can he beat Bush in November? David Corn of The Nation comments — his new book is The Lies of George W. Bush. www.bushlies.com see also www.thenation.com/capitalgames/index.mhtml?bid=3&pid=1233

Also: Those worried that America might be slinking towards imperialism miss the point: America already has an empire. Chalmers Johnson explains — his new book is The Sorrows of Empire, and he will be reading and signing it on Sunday (Feb 8) at 3pm at Midnight Special on 2nd St. in Santa Monica. www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2004/01/01_200.html

web extra: the CNN poll published Monday has Kerry beating Bush 53-46. The poll showed Bush’s job approval rating at 49 percent among all the adults surveyed, the first time since he became president that his job approval has dipped below 50 percent. www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/02/elec04.poll.prez/index.html