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Liberal Radio, Air America Launched:
Ralph Nader Hangs Up on DJ

Within six hours of going on the air, the Air America Radio network had three of the four 2000 major party candidates for president—all except President George W. Bush. Scheduled guest Ralph Nader spoke to afternoon host Randi Rhodes, on her program ‘The Randi Rhodes Show’. After a particularly heated exchange, which included Rhodes telling Nader that Americans can’t afford him running for president in 2004, Nader hung up on her. Later in the program, Rhodes spoke to 2000 Reform Party presidential candidate Pat Buchanan. Earlier in the day on The O’Franken Factor, former Vice President Al Gore called into the show to speak to co-hosts Al Franken and Katherine Lanpher. Air America can be heard in New York City at AM frequency 1190. (www.airamericaradio.com)

Students Mourn Passing of Francis Ellis

The DSC extends condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Francis Ellis, an employee in the mailroom at the Graduate Center. Mr. Ellis was an elderly man who suffered a fatal accident at home. His co-workers describe him as a reliable worker and courteous fellow who will be missed at work.

George W. Bush Signs “Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004” - No Mention of Impact on Abortion Rights

Bush: “The Unborn Victims of Violence Act provides that, under federal law, any person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb shall be charged with a separate offense, in addition to any charges relating to the mother. As of today, the law of our nation will acknowledge the plain fact that crimes of violence against a pregnant woman often have two victims. And therefore, in those cases, there are two offenses to be punished. Under this law, those who direct violence toward a pregnant woman will answer for the full extent of the harm they have done, and for all the crimes they have committed.” (www.whitehouse.gov)

Lieutenant Bush not permitted to play with WMD in ‘72?

The Village Voice featured a short piece by James Ridgeway on the subject of one of the White House’s latest no-comments: “Bush may have been involuntarily removed from being a pilot due to little-known Human Reliability Regulations. These were rules to screen out military personnel for mental, physical, and emotional fitness before letting them handle nuclear weapons and delivery systems.” (www.palabris.com)

Locking Down the Iraqi Press

Two news stories from Iraq seem to be interconnected: An assassination attempt on the Iraqi Minister of Public Works, and the shutting down of an Iraqi newspaper. The United States Army was faced with a decision last month: either uphold the free press and the image of a democratic Iraq or shut down an allegedly rabble-rousing newspaper.

According to The New York Times, the Army chose the latter: shutting down Al Hawza, a newspaper that supports a radical Shiite agenda, for 60 days. The question many were asking at the outset of establishing an Iraqi Government—“Is the United States really interested in supporting a democratic society in Iraq, despite the chance that it might be vehemently anti-American?”—got its first preliminary answer yesterday in the form of a padlock. As an Iraqi freelance reporter said, “I guess this is the Bush edition of democracy.” (www.palabris.com)