Democracy Now! Thursday, September 25, 2008

Today's Headlines

• Bush Urges Support for Wall Street Bailout
• Admin Agrees to Limit Bailout CEO Bonuses
• CBO Chief: Bailout Could Worsen Econony
• FBI Probing 24 Firms
• Pentagon Would Get Record $448B in Gov. Spending Bill
• Debate in Limbo as Obama Rejects McCain Call for Delay
• McCain Campaign Manager Got Monthly Payments from Freddie Mac
• Gitmo Prosecutor Resigns in Protest of Withheld Evidence
• Rice, Aide Confirm White House Torture Discussions
• 35 Killed in Iraq Shootings
• Iraq Parliament OKs Election Law
• Cuba Rep. Chides US Embargo in UN Speech
• Latin American Leaders Meet on Bolivia Crisis
• Study: Job-Based Healthcare Premiums Double
• Muslim Group Calls for FEC Probe on DVD Distribution
• Former Muslim Charity in Terror Financing Retrial
• St. Paul City Council Takes Up RNC Protest Crackdown

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  As Bush Admin Pushes $700B for Wall Street, Ralph Nader Asks, "Why Is There Need for a Bailout?"

  As the Bush administration intensifies its pressure for Congress to quickly approve a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry, we get reaction from Independent presidential candidate and consumer advocate Ralph Nader. Nader calls Democratic claims of White House concessions “wish fulfillment” and says the bailout might not be needed in the first place. [includes rush transcript]

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  "Cash for Trash": Unwanted "Junk" in Hand, Demonstrators Head to Wall Street to Protest Bailout

  Among the more than 100 protests against the $700 bailout plan is a rally today on Wall Street. We speak to Arun Gupta, a reporter/editor at The Indypendent newspaper, whose email to friends and colleagues helped inspire the protest. Participants are planning on bringing their own personal, unwanted “junk” to illustrate what they call the federal bailout of Wall Street’s worthless securities. [includes rush transcript]

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  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on the Threat of US Attack and International Criticism of Iran's Human Rights Record

  In part one of an interview with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad talks about the threat of a US attack on Iran and responds to international criticism of Iran’s human rights record. We also get reaction from CUNY Professor Ervand Abrahamian, an Iran expert and author of several books on Iran. [includes rush transcript–partial]