Brian is simply the best. That he has not been bought out of the local NYC market amazes me all the time.

Brian Lehrer is one of the very best voices on the radio, bar none. National caliber, but happily still a local program, covering a wide range of issues. No shouting allowed.

Hi Steve,

-Great interview and discussion. Sorry, it was cut off early, you had just a few callers. Will Lehrer offer a transcript or recording for those who missed it?

-From my recollection, I posted some of your comments at, ...

SecuringAmerica.com/ccn

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Brian Lehrer is a giant among radio brains. This show is the best.

I'm trying to figure out what the name of the blog that Mr. Clemens cited when he was talking about V. Plame's investigation of Iran and AQ Khan. Anyone remember?

Missed your appearance- Had to start digging out from the ridiculous storm that has just passed. Anyhow, Mr Lehrer is a rare jewel in the commentators group and hopefully, he will remain right where he is. At least he can act as a partial alternative voice to the ridiculous voices offered locally.
How about posting the transcript so that it can be read by any who had to miss it?
billjpa@aol.com

There should be a podcast of the segment later in the day. Check back:

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/02132006

Steve,

I was one of the callers left on hold. It was superb to hear your comments, and, yes, Brian is the absolute best. If you can't hear him daily, you can get a podcast. (Leonard Lopate's show (which immediately follows Brian) also has excellent current events segments, although he is more wide-ranging topicwise.

My questions regarded your discussion of the joint Clemons-Raw Story reveal. Why has Goss's CIA not yet conducted a Formal Damage Assessment? Isn't this exactly the sort of thing that Fitzgerald, as well as Congress, should be demanding?

Secondly, is there a chance that Fitzgerald may be pursuing the theory that Cheney outed Plame and her unit in order to stymie their investigation into Khan Labs? Halliburton, through subsidiaries, had made millions selling materials to Khan Labs. The Saudis were also funding them, even going so far as to try to buy the Lab outright. (Hersh has discussed this at some length.)

To what extent has personal profit motivated the Bush administration to walk out of every nuclear arms control agreement to which the US was a party?

Brian Lehrer is just about the only radio talk show host I actually like listening to (as opposed to tolerating, depending on the guest). He is intelligent, critical and polite. He is the best interviewer on radio, bar none.

Lehrer and Lopate really do their homework, and the interview today was great-just needed more time.

Hi Steve -Blogger to Steve C: Regarding Valerie Plame, the breaking story is over at The Raw Story. Mary-Louise

Thanks, M-L.

Heard you on WNYC this morning. Great job. Nice to have two of my favorite commentators together. I feel bad for this 78-year old, but it's true. I agree, Cheney's shooting is a diversion.

But Katrina... was that a diversion? Deadly, heartbreaking. It became a tipping point. Helped people see that Whitehouse secrecy is not always meant to protect Americans.

Yes, I heard you this morning as well, were you in town or was that a phone interview? 'Cause, you know, if you were in town there probably were a few of us available to meet with you at some interesting, WiFi accessible coffee shop. Brian Lehrer is great -- actually, WNYC is great, they have some very good local reporters, and not only do they have Brian Lehrer and Leonard Lopate, but they are also responsible for On the Media, which is also very good and carried nationally, I believe, by PRI.

About the hunting incident, I think that the White House would have liked the shooting story to be a diversion, but instead it seems to be reinforcing the fact that these people think that they are above the law, and that they do not like any of their activities exposed to the light of day. It brings up questions of their truthfulness and makes people wonder what else they are keeping from the public. (And when I say "people," I mean the folks who probably aren't reading TWN and don't follow as obsessively political and policy issues as those who do -- in other words, most Americans, or at the very least, those who are holding on and keeping Bush's approval rating up at 39%.) And they can't divert attention forever, those other stories aren't going anywhere, there are going to be more Abramoff/Bush photos released, more information about the Fitzgerald investigation, more calls for Cheney to be investigated (probably many more now), the worst of the Abu Ghraib photos have yet to be published -- but they will be, more stories about FEMA trailers sitting unused by Katrina victims. Clearly, I could go on -- but I think this incident is going to be very bad for the Bushies, not because it happened, but because of the way it was handled.