Democracy Now! Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Today's Headlines

• Jailed Professor Sami Al-Arian Released from Prison
• Contradicting ‘00 Primary Smears, Bush Praises McCain on War Record, Adoption
• Top McCain Aide: ’08 Election “Not About Issues”
• Police Fire Flash Grenades, Teargas at RNC Protesters
• Minn. Police Infiltrated RNC Protest Group
• Residents Begin Slow Return to New Orleans Following Gustav
• Bush Cites Gustav to Promote Offshore Drilling
• 21 Haitians Die in Tropical Storm Hanna
• Justice Dept. Rejects Internal Referral to Indict Ex-AG Gonzales for Mishandling Classified Docs
• US Accused of Killing 15 Civilians in Pakistan Ground Attack
• Pelosi Pays Tribute to Hiroshima Victims

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  Sami Al-Arian Released After 5.5 Years in Prison

  After more than five-and-a-half years behind bars, Palestinian professor and activist, Sami Al-Arian, has been released from prison. Immigration authorities released him on bail on Tuesday after they failed to explain his continued detention pending a trial for refusing to testify before a grand jury about a cluster of Muslim organizations in northern Virginia. But while he is out of prison, Sami Al-Arian is not free. He must remain under house detention at his daughter Laila’s residence in Virginia, pending trial. Laila Al-Arian joins us from Virginia. [includes rush transcript]

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  Bush: "Angry Left" Will "Never Break" John McCain

  At the first full day of the Republican National Convention, President Bush addressed the floor via a satellite feed from the White House. During his speech, President Bush compared progressive critics of his administration with the North Vietnamese who captured John McCain and held him as a prisoner of war for over five years during the Vietnam War. [includes rush transcript]

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  Amy Goodman Grills St. Paul Police Chief About Her Arrest and Two Democracy Now! Producers

  On Tuesday morning, St. Paul Police Chief John Harrington held a news conference where he spoke about the nearly 300 people arrested in a police crackdown on protesters a day earlier. Among them were several journalists covering the protests in the streets, including three of us at Democracy Now!—Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. Amy Goodman questions Harrington about the arrests. [includes rush transcript]

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  Thousands Gather in Minneapolis for Ron Paul Counter-Convention

  Thousands of supporters of former Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul gathered last night in Minneapolis for a counter-convention to show support for the Libertarian-leaning Texan congressman. During the primary season, Paul placed second or third in twenty states, but he was barred from speaking at the Republican National Convention, reportedly because he would not change his position on the war in Iraq. During his speech in Minneapolis, Paul refused to endorse his fellow Republican, John McCain. [includes rush transcript]

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  Fmr. UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter on the RNC, Joe Biden and the Possibility of an Attack on Iran

  In these last few months of the Bush administration, as we continue to discuss the war in Iraq and the possibility of an attack on Iran, we turn to a man who was a UN weapons inspector inside Iraq in the 1990s: Scott Ritter.We speak with Ritter about Iran, Joe Biden’s role in the lead up to the Iraq invasion and much more. Despite being a registered Republican, Ritter is backing Barack Obama.

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  8 Years After Accepting Dems' VP Bid on Gore Ticket, Lieberman Attacks Former Party at GOP Convention

  Senator Joseph Lieberman was given the headlining spot during the Republican National Convention on Tuesday. Lieberman, a close friend of McCain’s, dismissed Senator Barack Obama and urged Democrats to switch sides and support the McCain-Palin ticket in November. Former senator and GOP presidential hopeful, Fred Thompson, also spoke. [includes rush transcript]

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  Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign Takes Cause to Streets Outside RNC

  One day after the historic Poor People’s March in St. Paul, we speak to the group’s national organizer, Cheri Honkala. She’s a longtime organizer and director of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union in Philadelphia. [includes rush transcript]

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  Thousands Join Poor People's March Outside RNC

  Outside the Xcel Energy Center, thousands of people filled the streets of St. Paul for a rally and march organized by the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign. Rick Rowley of Big Noise Films reports. [includes rush transcript]

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  Freed From Jail, Fmr. Democratic Governor Don Siegelman Accuses Karl Rove of Orchestrating Political Witch-Hunt

  We speak to former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, currently free on bond while he appeals a conviction on corruption charges. Siegelman says he’s the target of a political witch hunt directed by former White House Deputy Karl Rove. More than sixty former state attorney generals have called for a congressional investigation into Siegelman’s case.