Day to Day

What’s a “Likely Voter”?

Friday, Aug. 6, 2004

Explainer: Pollsters and the “Likely Voter”
Slate
Senior Editor Andy Bowers explains how pollsters determine who is a “likely voter” in the upcoming presidential race. Listen to the segment.

Press Box: Mass Media and Democracy
NPR’s Noah Adams talks with Slate media columnist Jack Shafer about whether consolidation of mass media outlets epitomizes democracy or limits exposure of diverse viewpoints. Listen to the segment.

Summary Judgment: Collateral, Little Black Book, Open Water
Slate contributor Ben Williams rounds up what critics are saying about the latest major movie releases, including Collateral, Little Black Book, and Open Water. Listen to the segment.

Thursday, Aug. 5, 2004

Hey Wait a Minute: SUV Weight Lawbreakers
Andy Bowers talks with NPR’s Noah Adams about existing California laws that restrict vehicles weighing more than 6,000 pounds from driving on some local roads. Bowers found that in Southern California, SUVs that exceed that weight restriction systematically break those laws— but owners of some of the largest SUVs don’t seem to realize it. Listen to the segment.

Ad Report Card: Citibank’s Feel-Good Campaign
Seth Stevenson comments on Citibank’s new TV ad campaign, touting the company’s new rewards program aimed at making customers feel as though they’re being treated well by the company. Listen to the segment.

Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2004

Chatterbox: Castro and Me
Timothy Noah recently discovered a fan among the world’s most enduring political leaders—Cuban leader Fidel Castro quoted him in a speech criticizing President Bush. Noah reflects on what it’s like to be the inspiration for a dictator. Listen to the segment.

Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2004

Jurisprudence: Alabama’s Sex Toy Ban
The state of Alabama forbids the sale of sex toys, a restriction that was recently upheld in federal court. Dahlia Lithwick joins NPR’s Noah Adams to talk about the constitutional issues involved in buying and selling so-called adult products. Listen to the segment.

Hey Wait a Minute: U.S. Safer Than You Think
Are we relatively safe from domestic terror? NPR’s Noah Adams speaks to Daniel Byman about reasons for optimism on the domestic terror front. Byman encourages Americans to take solace in the fact that there hasn’t been another domestic terrorist attack since Sept. 11, 2001, despite periodic terror alerts. Listen to the segment.

Dispatches: A Private Security Paycheck
NPR’s Noah Adams talks with former U.S. Marine Owen West about U.S. soldiers who leave the ranks of the military, often for more lucrative jobs with private security forces. West wrote a weeklong memoir of his visit to Iraq for Slate. Listen to the segment.

Monday, Aug. 2, 2004

Ballot Box: Terror and the Presidential Race
NPR’s Noah Adams speaks with William Saletan about recent terror alerts, the Democratic presidential campaign, and Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry’s proposed federal-policy reforms. Listen to the segment.