PARTISAN ATTACKS - Behind the Mask

"Groups Mask Partisan Attacks Behind Neutral-Sounding Names in Facebook Ads" by Jeremy B. Merrill, and Alex Samuels (The Texas Tribune) ProPublica 10/29/2018

Names like “The Voter Awareness Project” and “Breaking News Texas” are being used by political groups for negative campaign ads on the platform.

This story was co-published with the Texas Tribune.

Some political groups on the left are borrowing a tactic from disinformation campaigns, placing ads on Facebook that pretend to be impartial information or unbiased news sources, when in fact the ads spread misleading facts about candidates.

One ad, taken out by a group called “The Voter Awareness Project,” reopens old wounds between President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, implying that Trump is at odds with Cruz even as the president stumped for the senator last week near the end of Cruz’s surprisingly close re-election bid against Democrat Beto O’Rourke.

“Trump’s trying to drain the swamp of do-nothing politicians.  Trump says Lyin’ Ted Cruz has accomplished nothing for Texas, and he’s right,” the ad reads, referring to a 2016 tweet from when Trump was a candidate.

But Trump and Cruz have since buried the hatchet.  Trump has been endorsing Cruz for re-election since February.  He recently said, “He’s not Lyin’ Ted anymore.  He’s Beautiful Ted.  I call him Texas Ted,” and he held a rally for Cruz last week in Houston.

The name of the Oakland, California-based group running the ads sounds nonpartisan — The Voter Awareness Project [VAP]— but the super PAC behind the ads is not.  According to filings with the Federal Election Commission, the super PAC’s treasurer is Markos Moulitsas, the well-known liberal blogger behind Daily KOS.

Moulitsas told The Texas Tribune and ProPublica that the super PAC was his “side project” and that the goal behind the ads was “reminding people how Trump feels about many of the Republicans running this year.”

“VAP simply presents factual information on statements Trump and Republican candidates have made about each other,” Moulitsas said.  “The goal is to raise voters’ awareness of this information.”

Others who monitor political ads called the Cruz ad deceptive, however.

“This ad employs a form of information disorder we frequently refer to as ‘false context,’” said Cameron Hickey, who researches misinformation at the Information Disorder Lab at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center.  (Hickey and the Shorenstein Center are partners with ProPublica in the Electionland project.)  “By employing Trump’s Lyin’ Ted epithet from the 2016 campaign, without the relevant context that Trump has recently supported and campaigned for Cruz, this ad has the potential to mislead Trump supporters into believing that Trump doesn’t support the candidate today, which he does.”

Moulitsas denied that the ads were misleading and said, “The ads include the key context of the date the statement was made.”  The date was included in portions of a 10-second video included in each ad.

“Any assumptions about strategy or purpose are likely to be wrong,” Moulitsas said, while refusing to elaborate on the strategy behind the ads.  VAP spent $1,000 on the anti-Cruz ads, which Moulitsas said were a “test buy.”

Moulitsas’ Voter Awareness Project has also run ads criticizing Ron DeSantis, the Republican nominee for Florida governor, that cites more recent criticism from Trump — “Trump calls DeSantis ‘disloyal’” — a remark from September.  The only funding listed on VAP’s recent Federal Election Commission filing is $100,000 from Kos Media, of which Moulitsas is the founder.

The Voter Awareness Project is by no means the only group with a vague name that masks its partisanship.  In fact, several outside groups are using Facebook ads to push their views ahead of the contentious 2018 midterm elections.

To be sure, outright false ads exist on Facebook, too, and the phenomenon of misleading or vague names for groups behind ads is not unique to Facebook.  It’s not even a new idea.  Hard-to-trace direct mail flyers that spread misinformation have been a feature of politics for decades.  But the practice has flourished as part of Facebook’s cheap and easy-to-use advertising system.

A campaign or outside group can set up many Facebook pages, each corresponding to a specific race or target demographics, and then put those pages’ messages in front of voters with ads.  While these groups can sometimes hide behind a vague or misleading identity, Facebook has taken steps to address some egregious cases.  As ProPublica reported in May, ads under the anodyne name “Ohio Primary Info” were shown to voting-age Ohioans.  The advertiser, however, was not a source of objective information about the election.  In fact, the ads were paid for by the campaign of Richard Cordray, now the Democratic nominee for governor.

Facebook made such masking harder.  The Cordray campaign is still running ads under the name of a page called “Ohio Newswire,” though as a result of Facebook’s new disclosure rules, its sponsorship of them is made clear with a disclaimer reading “Paid for by Cordray/Sutton Committee.”

Other groups have pages that masquerade as news outlets: “Breaking News Texas” criticizes Republican congressman John Culberson of Houston in a mock newscast saying he “FAILED to prepare Texas for Hurricane Harvey.”  A nearby disclaimer saying the ad was “paid for by EDF Action” makes it a bit clearer that Breaking News Texas is actually the Environmental Defense Action Fund.  Culberson’s re-election bid against Democrat Lizzie Pannill Fletcher has emerged as one of the most expensive races in Texas this year.

The fund’s political director, Jack Pratt, said, “We put ‘Breaking News’ at the top because we want to get Texas voters’ attention to Mr. Culberson’s record of failure on these issues.”  Pratt also said that “we think the framing is fair and open” and that EDF’s “full disclosure and web address is also on the ad.”

There are plenty of similar examples on Facebook.  “Heartland Gazette,” “World News Reporter,” and “Gulf State News” are not real news outlets, but they ran meme-like ads with text superimposed on images, advocating lower tariffs and an end to unfair bail practices, and praising an experiment that offered free birth control.  All three are run by a now-dissolved company called New American Media Group LLC.  All three pages have since been deactivated or deleted by Facebook, though at least one page, a parenting-themed one called “Raising Tomorrow” whose ads say they’re paid for by New American Media Group LLC, remains active.  A request for comment via the lawyer listed on the company’s incorporation paperwork was not returned.

According to a story by the Daily Beast, New American Media Group LLC is linked to another group with a similarly vague name — “News for Democracy” — which has spent more than $3 million on Facebook ads.  News for Democracy also has dozens of creatively named pages that target liberal messages to different segments of the population, with names like “Military Network,”“Left AF,” “Rugged Roots,” “Self-Reliant Republic,” and “The Holy Tribune.”

The Daily Beast reported that News for Democracy’s ads were linked to a firm called MotiveAI.  Dan Fletcher, a cofounder of MotiveAI, who didn’t return a request for comment from ProPublica, told The Atlantic that MotiveAI “is trying to reach people who don’t trust mainstream media and who find themselves awash in deceptive sources.”

OPINION - Shields and Brooks 10/26/2018

"Shields and Brooks on the mail bombs and politics as an identity" PBS NewsHour 10/26/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the series of pipe bombs, extreme political divisions in America and campaigning on issues vs. values.

Judy Woodruff (NewsHour):  Let's move beyond West Virginia for a look at this moment in American politics with the analysis of Shields and Brooks.  That's syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.

And welcome to you both.

So, clearly, a lot of relief that the suspect has been arrested in connection with these pipe bombs.

It turns out, Mark, that this is somebody who is a big supporter of President Trump.  We don't know much more than that at this point.  He is a suspect.

But what does this say about this moment in American politics?

Mark Shields, syndicated columnist:  Well, what it says, Judy, I think, more than anything, not knowing the suspect, other than what I have read, is that Donald Trump is a different, sui generis kind of President.

We Americans are used a President, in a time of crisis or tragedy putting aside any partisan hat.

Ronald Reagan, at the time of Challenger, speaking of the deaths of the astronauts, saying they broke the surly bonds of Earth and touched the face of God, I mean, it healed a nation.  It reached out to a nation.

That is missing from Mr. Trump.  In fact, this morning at 3:00 in the morning — it's 3:00 a.m.  Do you know where your President is?  Our President was tweeting and lamenting the fact that all this bomb talk had interfered with the Republicans' early voting and had changed the political dialogue.

So, I mean, I think that's what we have learned.  And it's confirming, and at the same time upsetting.

Judy Woodruff:  David, what do you make of how the President's talked about this, handled all this?

David Brooks, New York Times:  Well, in the last 24 hours, he's been OK.  He said it's a despicable act and called for unity.

But that's following three years of friend-enemy distinctions, of us-them thinking.  And it's not only Republicans.  I mean, when Steve Scalise was shot, that was somebody from the left.

But we have just entered a world — and it's been increasing over the years, and I would say Donald Trump is the exclamation point of it — (A) is treating politics as a war to the death between two sides and that, for the country move forward, you need to destroy the other side.

And that's not what politics is.  It's competition between partial truths, competing value systems.  And then the second thing (B) is, politics for some people has become their identity for them.

This guy's truck or his van just was covered with these stickers, some of them with crosshairs on Democratic figures.  And that's when — if you try to make politics your idol, you're asking politics to bear more than it can bear.  And you're headed for an ugly place.

And so we have entered a spot where we have got these Manichaean distinctions, and then we have also got people catastrophizing, if the other side wins, then the country's off to ruin.  And neither of those things are true.

Judy Woodruff:  And, Mark, I mean, again, we don't want to make more of this than what we know.

But there does seem to be — this seems to be a moment of particular vitriol out on the campaign trail.  To some extent, it's the way the President has talked about this caravan of people coming up through Mexico, migrants from Central America.

And there have been other steps that Republican politicians and Democratic politicians have taken to stir people up.  I mean, are there any guardrails right now?

Mark Shields:  Well, Judy, the terrible part about our politics is that the dominant rule is, if it works, emulate or try to simulate it.

And I think — right now, I'm in Ohio.  And I think the Senate race is a perfect example of that.  Jim Renacci, the congressman, won the Republican nomination by almost behaving like a mini-Trump, but he can't — he's going to be beaten quite badly by Senator Sherrod Brown because there's only one Trump.

I mean, Donald Trump has been doing this for 25 years.  He's practiced at it.  But make no mistake about it.  There will be knockoff Trumps.  There will be people trying to do it.  There will be Democrats trying to say, this is the way to do it.  And it does — it does work, until it doesn't work.

And I think it's not working, quite frankly, when the President refuses to accept the responsibility Ronald Reagan laid down, that Bill Clinton did after Oklahoma City, that George W. Bush did in the wreckage of 9/11 with the first-responders, that to heal a nation and to reach out to the other side, to offer an arm around the shoulder, rather than pointing a finger of blame.

Judy Woodruff:  And, David, I mean, whether it's a negative or a positive, we have polling results that remind us again how much President Trump is a factor in these elections.

We look back.  This was the "NewsHour"/NPR/Marist poll.  We look back at how much people said President Obama was a factor in 2014 — 28 percent said he was a major factor, compared to 44 percent for President Trump today.  We're in a different time.

David Brooks:  Yes.  And those numbers are low.  People don't want to admit they're actually voting on the President, when, in fact, they are.

And so I would say it's 80 percent is really who Trump is.  And he represents a fundamental shift in what the country, how the country sees itself, how we see our foreign policy, how we see our identity.  He's [Trump] a very talented cultural poker.

And so a lot of identity issues, a lot of cultural issues are poked by the way he talks about the caravan, the way he talks about men, the way he talks about women, the way talks about race.  And so he's presented really a fundamental challenge, first taking over the Republican Party, and a challenge to the way either party has defined the country and defined themselves in defined morality, basically.

And so he is sort of this revolutionary force, and so it's not surprising the election would really revolve around him.  I think it's a mistake, personally, that the Democrats are countering him by running on health care, on preexisting conditions and some of the Obamacare benefits.

I think the Democrats constantly make a mistake where they say, we can win elections by offering people material benefits, and then they don't understand why they lose the working class, because they say, what's the matter with Kansas?  We offered these people these benefits and they didn't vote for us.

It's because most people vote on culture and identity, not on material benefits.  So when the Democrats go to materialism, and Donald Trump is doing culture, I think it's playing more into his hands, because there's no response.

BRIEF BUT SPECTACULAR - Comedian Hasan Minhaj

"Comedian Hasan Minhaj on political satire and ‘the American Dream Tax’" PBS NewsHour 10/26/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Hasan Minhaj, a former correspondent for “The Daily Show,” grew up in California as the son of immigrants, experiencing childhood as a "brown kid in America."  With his new show "Patriot Act" premiering this week on Netflix, Minhaj shares his Brief But Spectacular take on political satire, the "American Dream Tax" and the wisdom he gained working with Jon Stewart.

MAKING SEN$E - Penny-Pinchers

"How these penny-pinchers retired in their 30s" PBS NewsHour 10/25/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Eschewing consumer culture, Pete Adeney, also known as (aka) Mr.  Money Mustache, practices an extreme frugality that allowed him to retire at age 30.  Avoiding car use, DIYing and investing in stock market index funds are among the tactics he and his fellow F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence Retire Early) devotees espouse.  Paul Solman reports from Colorado in this installment of “Making Sen$e.”

AMERICA DIVIDED - The Roots

"The roots of our current political divisiveness" PBS NewsHour 10/25/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Discovery of explosives addressed to prominent Democratic figures this week took the country’s political divisiveness to grave new heights.  How did we get here, and how can we recover?  Judy speaks to Professor Joanne Freeman author of “The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress & the Road to Civil War,” and Carolyn Lukensmeyer executive director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse.

AMERICA ADDICTED - Opioid Bill

"Trump signs opioid bill, father who lost son says we need a bigger ‘Band-aid’" PBS NewsHour 10/24/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a bill that will expand access to certain kinds of opioid treatment.  Keith Humphreys former drug policy advisor during the Obama and Bush administrations, and Gary Mendell the CEO of an addiction recovery nonprofit, explain how this bipartisan measure could help in the battle against opioid addiction as well as where it falls short.

DOMESTIC EXTREMISTS - White and Not Muslim

"Bombs sent to CNN, prominent Democrats at time of political division" PBS NewsHour 10/24/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Federal agents are investigating bomb scares targeting prominent Democrats, as well as CNN.  Amna Nawaz reports on the political discourse that may have inspired it, as well as President Trump’s response.  Hari Sreenivasan reports from New York.  Judy Woodruff discusses with Juliette Kayyem who worked in the Department of Homeland Security under Obama, and Joseph Funk former Secret Service.

"As more explosives are found, Trump, Brennan clash over causes" PBS NewsHour 10/25/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Three more mail bombs were intercepted today: two in Delaware, addressed to former Vice President Joe Biden, and another sent to Robert De Niro’s New York City office.  After President Trump blamed the "hateful" media for stoking national tensions, former CIA director John Brennan (himself a bomb target) shot back, criticizing the President's rhetoric as "fuel" for violence.  Amna Nawaz reports.

"Authorities arrest Fla. man on mail bomb charges" PBS NewsHour 10/26/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Authorities arrested a 56-year-old Florida resident in connection with a series of mail bombs sent to prominent Democratic politicians and public figures.  Cesar Sayoc faces up to 48 years in prison on multiple federal charges.  Attorney General Jeff Sessions and President Trump both hailed the arrest, promising Sayoc would be prosecuted to the “fullest extent of the law.”  Amna Nawaz reports.

"What motivated the mail bomb suspect?" PBS NewsHour 10/26/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Now that a Florida man has been arrested and charged in the series of mail bombs over the past week, we turn to considering his motives.  What do we know about the relationship between ideological extremism and violent behavior?  And how does social media play in?  Judy Woodruff talks with Mary McCord former acting assistant attorney general, and J.M. Berger author of "Extremism,” for analysis.

"Shooter opens fire in Pittsburgh synagogue, kills 11" PBS NewsHour 10/27/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  On Saturday morning, a man opened fire during a naming ceremony at Tree of Life Congregation, a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and killed 11 people while injuring six, including four police officers.  Law enforcement took into custody a man they identified as Robert Bowers.  Executive Editor David Shribman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette joins Hari Sreenivasan for more.

"Tracing Cesar Sayoc’s past through his recent shift into politics" PBS NewsHour 10/27/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Cesar Sayoc, who was arrested on Friday on suspicion of sending more than a dozen mail bombs to Democratic party leaders, traversed many lifestyles until he started engaging in politics in 2015.  Trevor Aaronson of the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting sifted public records and talked to people who knew Sayoc, and he tells Hari Sreenivasan what he found.

AMERICAN MILITARY - Experience to College Credit

I am retired Navy (22yrs), Vietnam Vet, and in my military experience was a asset.  Looks like that has changed.

"Turning soldiers into scholars by turning military experience into college credit" PBS NewsHour 10/23/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Despite years leading troops and managing equipment on the front lines, soldiers returning to school may have to start from the beginning, alongside teenagers who have never held a similar level of responsibility.  Now, a new Colorado law awards college credit for military experience--and requires that the state's schools accept it.  Hari Sreenivasan reports.

Hari Sreenivasan (NewsHour):  This year, Colorado legislators embraced Pikes Peak's model by passing legislation to help all Colorado military and veteran students.

Colorado's new law says any state-funded institution has to be able to evaluate the knowledge or skills that a student might have picked up in the military.  And if that student can earn credit for it, those credits have to be transferable to every state institution.

AMERICA DIVIDED - Sasse on Growing Tolerance for Lies

"Sen. Sasse (R) on the rise of ‘anti-tribes’ and a growing American tolerance for lies" PBS NewsHour 10/23/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  In his new book “Them: Why We Hate Each Other--and How to Heal,” Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb) reflects on a growing “rootlessness” in America as local communities erode and our dependence on isolating technology grows.  Judy Woodruff sits down with the senator, who also weighs in on the decay of truth in political discourse, his vision for government and how we can repair our fragmented society.

FACT CHECKERS - Trump's False Claims

"Fact checkers identify increasing rates of false claims by the President" PBS NewsHour 10/23/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  At a Monday rally, President Trump made comments about a caravan of Central American migrants that had fact-checkers on the alert.  Since the President took office, they’ve identified 2,915 claims that cannot be verified by the truth.  Daniel Dale, Washington bureau chief of the Toronto Star, joins Judy Woodruff to discuss Trump’s increasing rate of dishonesty and how the press should report on it.

TRUMP'S WAR ON GENDER - Defining Gender

As if anyone but the individual person has a right to define his/her gender.  This is a human rights issue.

"HHS reportedly considering a limited definition of gender.  Is it legal?" PBS NewsHour 10/22/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  According to the New York Times, the Trump administration is considering a proposal that would establish the definition of gender as a “biological,” fixed quality based on the sex the person was assigned at birth.  Critics say that such a move to would eliminate transgender identities in the workplace.  William Brangham examines the issue with Sharon McGowan of Lambda Legal.

ANOTHER TRUMP MISTAKE - Exit From Nuclear Treaty

IMHO:  The world is dangerous as it and our 'trembling in fear' leader makes it more dangerous.

"U.S. exit from nuclear treaty could spark countermeasures" PBS NewsHour 10/22/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  President Trump announced over the weekend that the U.S. will quit the 1987 nuclear arms treaty with Russia.  Trump claims that Russia has violated the terms.  Russia is now warning of countermeasures if the U.S. follows through.  Judy Woodruff speaks to Richard Burt former U.S. Ambassador to Germany, and Rebeccah Heinrichs senior fellow at the Hudson Institute.

OPINION - Shields and Brooks 10/19/2018

"Shields and Brooks on health care, Trump’s Khashoggi reaction" PBS NewsHour 10/19/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss health care, Democrats’ campaign strategy and an unfolding American “cultural drama.”

Judy Woodruff (NewsHour):  And now to the analysis of Shields and Brooks.  That is syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks, joining us this evening from Los Angeles.

And welcome to both of you.

Midterm elections, we can just feel it.  They're just a bit over two weeks away.

The President has been out on the campaign trail.  He's been talking up Republican candidates.  His language, the rhetoric is getting more combative.

I want you both to listen to something he said.  He was in Montana last night talking about the terrible things that will happen if Democrats are elected, mob rule and so forth.

But he went out of his way to praise Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte, was convicted two years ago of misdemeanor assault on a news reporter.  And here's what the President had to say last night.

President Donald Trump:  Greg is smart.

And, by the way, never wrestle him.  You understand that?  Never.

(LAUGHTER)

President Donald Trump:  Any guy that can do a body slam, he's my kind of…

(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)

President Donald Trump:  He's my guy.

Judy Woodruff:  So he's been talking — he's been partisan, David, but now the language is getting tougher, more combative.

What do we make of this?

David Brooks, New York Times:  Well, a couple things.

One, it's appalling.  I mean, anybody who assaults a journalist for doing their job has done something appalling.  And anybody who praises that is doing something appalling.

Second, he is a showman.  He's like the Mort Sahl of the ethnic right.  And so he tries to offend.  And when he offends, his people go crazy and they like it.

And so I sort of think it is appalling.  I sometimes wonder if we should ignore it, because it sets off a cultural drama where one group of people gets upset, and then the other but people are delighted the other group of people got upset, and it just creates this drama that benefits Trump, frankly.  And he's not stupid about that kind of thing.

Judy Woodruff:  So we're amping it up by talking about it, Mark.

Mark Shields, syndicated columnist:  I think we have to talk about it, Judy.

I mean, this is a week in which the disappearance of Mr. Khashoggi, the murder of a journalist, a Washington Post journalist, for what he was writing, apparently, has been front and center.  And the President is not unaware of this, because he's been a central figure in disparaging the investigation and taking up the cause of those who were allegedly involved in it.

So this is — this is irresponsible, it's reckless, and it's really cheap, in the literal sense of it.  This is a — this is a reckless act of an irresponsible man.  And I don't think it go unremarked upon.

Judy Woodruff:  Are there consequences, David?

David Brooks:  Well, I mean, I think the major damage Donald Trump is doing to the country is weakening the norms of decency and civility.

And if you don't have those norms, it's all dog eat dog.  And so I don't underestimate the harm that gets done.

I just observe that, since the first Presidential debate, when he went after Carly Fiorina for the way she looked, and other people, those — the ethos of World Wide — the World Wide Wrestling Federation has been the ethos Donald Trump has played on, on the campaign trail.

And there is some bit of owning the libs, as conservative say, that the desire to offend is part of the fun of the thing.  And, sometimes — I totally get Mark's point.  You got to try to maintain some sense of standards of how public officials are supposed to act with integrity.

But, sometimes, I feel manipulated when I do react, because that's sort of what Donald Trump wants.

Mark Shields:  I want David to trust his own instincts, which are good.

(LAUGHTER)

Mark Shields:  No, I mean, but David touched on what I think is the central element of this campaign.

Are we going to have guardrails.  Are we going to reestablish guardrails in this country as to what is right, what is wrong?  And I think that to a great degree is what this election is about.

But I mean, let's remind us — our listeners that Gianforte himself publicly apologized for what he did after it happened and accepted the court's judgment.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION - Ryan Zinke Ethics

"How a new ethics investigation fits into Ryan Zinke’s other problems" PBS NewsHour 10/19/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke has long been scrutinized for potentially mixing personal and official business; he is currently the subject of at least four different ethics investigations.  In the latest, Zinke is coming under fire for allegedly securing free travel for his wife.  Washington Post reporter Juliet Eilperin helped break the story and discusses the details with William Brangham.

RUSSIA INVESTIGATION - Russian Citizen Charged

"DOJ announces criminal charges as Russian citizen accused of election interference" PBS NewsHour 10/19/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The first criminal charges alleging foreign interference in next month’s midterm elections have come to light.  The Department of Justice has accused a Russian citizen of spreading distrust about American policies, candidates, and debates while managing finances for a social media campaign.  Judy Woodruff speaks to Nina Jankowicz, a global fellow at the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute, for more.

FOOTBALL INC - Missed Warning Signs

"How ‘Football Inc’ missed warning signs around Aaron Hernandez" PBS NewsHour 10/18/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez killed himself in prison at age 27, after a stint of criminally violent behavior.  Now, the Boston Globe's Spotlight team has investigated the standout's “double lives," including a childhood rife with abuse, extensive reliance on drugs and a severe case of CTE.  Were warning signs missed?  Amna Nawaz speaks to Globe investigative reporter Bob Hohler.

TRUMP AGENDA - Shafting Legal Residents

"Proposed immigration policy penalizes legal residents for use of public benefits" PBS NewsHour 10/18/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The Trump administration has proposed reinterpreting a piece of immigration law intended to screen whether legal immigrants are likely to be self-supporting or end up consuming public benefits.  Known as the “public charge” rule, it’s sowing concern even among green card holders and permanent residents, who fear that signing up for social services may jeopardize their ability to stay in the U.S.

AMERICAN ECONOMY - Deficit Growth?

"Why the federal deficit is rising, despite economic growth" PBS NewsHour 10/18/2018

IMHO:  This is a 'duh' question.  Answer, Republican Tax Cuts.

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  With the close of the government's fiscal year, numbers out this week show the federal budget deficit taking a 17 percent jump from 2017, despite significant economic growth.  John Yang takes a closer look into the data and speaks with political correspondent Lisa Desjardins, and David Wessel director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal and Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution, for analysis.

HEALTH CARE - Helping Low-Income Patients

"Nonprofit helping low-income patients describes itself as ‘Match.com meets the Peace Corps’" PBS NewsHour 10/17/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Physician shortages, as well as cost and distance, can make specialty care prohibitive for many low-income patients.  A nonprofit aims to tackle those challenges by utilizing telehealth technology and retiring, volunteer doctors.  Special correspondent Cat Wise explores “The MAVEN Project.”

AMERICAN MILITARY - Wounds of War

"New generation faces mental ‘wounds of war’" PBS NewsHour 10/17/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  President Trump awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor on Wednesday to Sgt. Maj. John Canley, who saved fellow Marines in Vietnam.  Meanwhile, another veteran made headlines recently by admitting that he needed saving.  Kansas City mayoral candidate Jason Kander dropped out of the race citing PTSD.  Reps. Ruben Gallego (D) and Brian Mast (R) join Nick Schifrin to discuss challenges for younger veterans.

VOTE 2018 - Midterm Elections

"How Texas Senate race reflects state’s demographic divide" PBS NewsHour 10/17/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Considered one of the most expensive races in the country this election year, the Texas Senate race could transform Texas politics.  Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) and his Democratic opponent, El Paso Congressman Beto O'Rourke, faced off in a combative debate last night.  Tomeka Weatherspoon of Houston Public Media reports.

"How voter feelings about Trump could affect key House races" PBS NewsHour 10/17/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  A handful of competitive House races could tip the balance of power in Washington this November.  Judy Woodruff discusses the state-of-play with public television reporters Scott Shafer of KQED in California, Briana Vannozzi of NJTV in New Jersey, and Mary Lahammer of Twin Cities PBS.

NEWSHOUR BOOKSHELF - "Presidents of War"

"Michael Beschloss chronicles American ‘Presidents of War’" PBS NewsHour 10/16/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  When it came to involving the nascent republic in military conflict, one of the founding fathers’ biggest fears was that American presidents would be reckless and aggressive to suit their own agendas.  Judy Woodruff sits down with presidential historian Michael Beschloss, author of the new book "Presidents of War," to discuss the history of executive war decisions and why they’re problematic.

RETHINKING COLLEGE - New Jersey’s Rutgers University

"At this college, academic excellence requires passion for the social good" PBS NewsHour 10/16/2018

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SUMMARY:  At New Jersey’s Rutgers University, a new honors program for undergraduates is redefining academic excellence.  Students accepted into the highly competitive Honors Living Learning Community (HLLC) study critical social issues and prove their commitment to becoming “change-makers."  While the program is small, its early outcomes have been promising.  Hari Sreenivasan has the story from Newark.

VOTER SUPPRESSION - Restrictive Voting and Minorities

"How restrictive voting requirements target minorities" PBS NewsHour 10/16/2018

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  Weeks before the 2018 midterm elections, concerns remain about possible voter suppression tactics in various regions of the U.S.  Why do voter roll purges, voter ID requirements and poll shutdowns disproportionately affect minority communities?  Emory University professor Carol Anderson joins Amna Nawaz to explain why these aggressive measures seek to solve a voter fraud problem that doesn't exist.

NATIVE AMERICANS - The Rolling Rez Arts Bus

"For these Native American artists, business opportunities arrive by bus" PBS NewsHour 10/16/2018

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SUMMARY:  On South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation, a substantial number of Native households earn income by creating and selling art.  But many of these residents lack access to the transportation and financing that would enable them to market and grow their businesses.  Jeffrey Brown explains how a refurbished airport shuttle, called the Rolling Rez Arts Bus, connects home-based artisans with resources.

NEWSHOUR IMHO - The American Dream

"Why we need to stop sharing American Dream success stories" PBS NewsHour 10/15/2018

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SUMMARY:  Why would author Casey Gerald want people to stop highlighting success stories like his own?  Gerald says he grew up on “the wrong side of the tracks” and went on to Harvard Business school.  But he says celebrations of the American Dream distract from reality, letting society off the hook for failing to give all children a fair shot.  Gerald offers his humble opinion on the reality of American opportunity.

FALL OF AN ICON - Sears

"The fall of a retail icon: why Americans stopped shopping at Sears" PBS NewsHour 10/15/2018

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SUMMARY:  The once formidable retail giant Sears files for bankruptcy protection.  The company, which also owns Kmart, will continue to operate as executives try to reverse a downward spiral exacerbated by e-commerce.  John Yang examines the company’s storied legacy and tumultuous fall with historian Jerry Hancock.

MEGA-MERGER - CVS & Aetna Approved

"What will CVS-Aetna mega-merger mean for consumer choice?" PBS NewsHour 10/15/2018

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SUMMARY:  It's the latest merger between two major healthcare players that could affect tens of millions of Americans.  Last week, CVS and insurance giant Aetna finalized a nearly $70 billion merger.  The deal could impact where people get their care, how they get their drugs and how much choice they have.  Judy Woodruff discusses with Larry Merlo, CEO of CVS Health.

OPINION - Shields and Brooks 10/12/2018

"Shields and Brooks on President Trump’s ‘angry mob’ rhetoric" PBS NewsHour 10/12/2018

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SUMMARY:  Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week’s news, including President Donald Trump’s efforts to energize Republicans ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, accusations of voter suppression in Georgia, and the state of U.S.-Saudi relations after a Saudi journalist’s alleged murder.

Judy Woodruff (NewsHour):  We turn now to another busy week of news.

With just over three weeks to go until the crucial midterm elections, President Trump is headlining rallies almost daily across the country, hammering Democrats, and trying to energize Republicans to get to the polls.

A cue for the analysis of Shields and Brooks.  That is syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks.

Hello to both of you.  It's Friday.

So we do have the President, it seems, out on the campaign trail every single day, jetting out to whether it's Tennessee or Pennsylvania or another part of the country.

Today, Mark, he is in Ohio trying to energize the Republican vote, the base, trying to get them out.  Is it working, do you think?

Mark Shields, syndicated columnist:  Republicans feel it's working better than it did two or three weeks ago, Judy.

But I think what is remarkable about it is how constant it is.  You said about energizing the base.  It's about inflaming people.  Donald Trump's message is never about forging a coalition, reaching across the divide, trying to enlist the majority.  It's always about coming back to, it's us against them, and we may not be perfect, but, boy, those other guys are really bad.

And I think that's the message.  It's going to be a referendum, as it is every midterm, on the President.  And his numbers right now are just about the same point where Barack Obama's were in 2010, when the Democrats suffered enormous defeat, Bill Clinton's in '94, when the Democrats suffered a big defeat, and 2006, George Bush's, when the Republicans lost control of the Congress.

Judy Woodruff:  But you do have the President, David, out talking about Democrats are part of an angry mob, calling them evil, I mean, using some of the strongest language he has used.

Is that likely to get his base even more fired up?

David Brooks, New York Times:  Yap.  Ya.

(LAUGHTER)

David Brooks:  I think it's working.

We're in an age of negative polarization.  And that means you don't have to like your own party.  You just have to hate the other one.  And that means it's all about contempt.  And has the other side made you appalled?  Have they made you feel contemptuous?

And one thing the Kavanaugh hearing has done is, it made both sides feel the other is appalling.  And so that has fired up both bases.  And the effect is — and it's always worth reminding ourselves that we no longer having one election anymore.  We have a red state election and a blue state election.

And they're increasingly disconnected.  And so the odds are looking pretty good.  The polls have been shifting in a Republican way on the Senate side in all those red states, Texas, Montana, and those places.  And the Senate is looking more secure as of this moment.

The House is looking more endangered for the Republicans at this moment, as suburban women move over to the Democratic side.  So we have two different elections.  And there seems to be pretty strong momentum in opposite directions.

Judy Woodruff:  How are Democrats countering this, I mean, this approach by the President, Mark?

There's this couple of polls, including the one we did with Marist and NPR this week, that came out showed, yes, the enthusiasm gap has narrowed.  It was the Democrats who were more energized.  And, indeed, Republican seem to be more energized.

What — how to Democrats come back?

Mark Shields:  Well, the first thing they ought to do is stop picketing and stop boycotting and organize.

I mean, the most Democratic group in the entire electorate of voters is age 18 to 35.  And they live everywhere.  They aren't concentrated in certain districts, like perhaps African-American or Latinos are.  They are everywhere.  And if they vote, the Democrats will win big.

I will say this.  I think the most encouraging sign for the Democrats is, the Democrats do have a national macro message in this campaign.  It's about checks and balances on the President.  It's not a new message, but it's a message that certainly resonates with an awful lot of voters.

It's about preserving the strength of health care, particularly the preexisting condition provision.  But, most of all, I think it's contrast with the Republicans, who don't have a national message.  They really don't.  They're running micro campaigns.

In one camp — one district, it's you double parked, and you got several parking tickets, or you were late on your library books, or you missed your mother's birthday.  I mean, they're running very personal campaigns in a very micro sense.  I think that's good.

The final thing I would say is, look at the governor's races, the governor's races across the country, if you really want to see which way the country's going.  They're going blue.  They're not — they're not going red.

When you have got Democrats competitive in places like Oklahoma and Kansas and South Dakota, which they are right as we speak here tonight, then there's a possibility of the Democrats sweeping that entire belt from the Midwest all the way to the East Coast.

Judy Woodruff:  We did hear, David, Al Gore, saying — talking about checks and balances, that that's a good motivating thing for Democrats.

But what about that?  I mean, is — are we seeing Democrats united in some way, in some — in a message that they're…

David Brooks:  Yes, unity is not any parties' problem right now.  They're both — they're all pretty unified.

To me, one of the — an interesting debate is happening — you could call it the Michelle Obama-Hillary Clinton debate.  And when Michelle Obama famously said, when they go low, we will go high, and she's sticking to that.  And Hillary Clinton says, no, they are going low, we got to go low too.

And you see that debate.  I think, in this age, having the moral high ground is a bit of an advantage, a major advantage.  And because of Donald Trump's behavior, he has put the Republicans at a moral disadvantage.

And keeping go — staying high, staying reasonably civil, not totally going into the gutter with Donald Trump strikes me as the right Democratic strategy and the right strategy for any movement, because once you go down there, you self-corrupt.

And so I — one begins to see — Eric Holder said, if they go after us, we kick them.  You're beginning to see a lot of people getting so angry about Kavanaugh and other things, any means necessary.  To me, that is a mistake just for the soul of your party.

Judy Woodruff:  I mean…

Mark Shields:  Let me say, I agree with David.

I think it's not only the right thing to do, but the wise thing to do.  I think it's in the best interests of the country.  And I would say, at a practical level, you can't compete with Donald Trump.  He's just better at it than anybody else.

Judy Woodruff:  Better at what?

Mark Shields:  Better at finding, identifying the weakness or shortcoming of his opponent, and then exploiting it.

It is a major talent.  He did it serially to each of his Republican challenges in 2016.  He did it to Secretary Clinton in the election.  And that's really what makes this midterm election.  He is searching for an opponent that he can do the same thing.

David Brooks:  Yes.  And the politics he specializes in is, I don't really like those kind of people.

Like, we used to have debates about health care, about economic policy, about foreign policy.  Now it's just, those people are really bad.  Those people who say you're bad, actually, they're the bad ones.

And that's a style of politics.  Somehow, we have gotten away from issues.  And the governor's races are — maybe that's a third electorate, because the governor's races tend to be a little more about issues.  And they are swinging to the Democrats.

AT THE MOVIES - "The Hate U Give"

"‘The Hate U Give’ tackles race, policing and a teen girl’s two worlds" PBS NewsHour 10/12/2018

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SUMMARY:  In “The Hate U Give,” Amandla Stenberg plays teen Starr Carter who witnesses a white officer kill her best friend.  Carter struggles to grieve and find her voice while navigating her poor, mostly black neighborhood and her mostly white prep school.  Jeffrey Brown talks to Stenberg, director George Tillman Jr. and author Angie Thomas who wrote the best-selling book on which the film is based.

ONE ON ONE - Al Gore on Trump Anti-Regulation

"Al Gore calls Trump’s deregulation proposals ‘literally insane’" PBS NewsHour 10/12/2018

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SUMMARY:  Former Vice President and climate change activist Al Gore warns that climate change could be an “existential threat” and calls President Trump’s response an “outlier reaction.”  In a wide-ranging interview, Judy Woodruff speaks with Gore about Hurricane Michael, President Trump, the UN Climate Change report out this week, and why he thinks Democrats will fare well in the midterm elections.

PLASTIC - Loss of Chinese Recyclable Market

"Loss of Chinese export market drives new ideas for repurposing recyclables" PBS NewsHour 10/11/2018

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SUMMARY:  China’s decision to buy less recyclable material from the U.S. has prompted major questions about how we handle waste in America.  What will we do with our abundance of plastic bottles and pizza boxes, if exporting them is no longer an option?  As Paul Solman discovers, some local governments and businesses have devised innovative ways to reuse these items--and to educate consumers.

ELECTION SECURITY - Ongoing Election Interference

Fake news, Trump's boyfriend says he doesn't interfere.  Yah, right.

"DHS official warns of ongoing election interference from Russia, China" PBS NewsHour 10/11/2018

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SUMMARY:  As the midterm elections approach, administration officials continue to warn of attempts by foreign entities to influence their outcome.  But they also assert that their preparation could yield ‘the most secure election in the modern era.'  Judy Woodruff speaks with Christopher Krebs, undersecretary of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate, for more.

TRUMP AGENDA - Poisoning the Fruit

"What’s on your citrus fruit?  Trump’s EPA fights to keep controversial insecticide in use" PBS NewsHour 10/10/2018

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SUMMARY:  Citrus growers hope to fend off fruit-munching katydids, but one weapon is under scrutiny.  Researchers found that children growing up near fields where the insecticide chlorpyrifos was deployed exhibited autism-like symptoms.  A court ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to ban the insecticide’s use, but Trump’s EPA is fighting back.  Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports.

TRUMP AGENDA - Corn Country Politics

To correctly answer the question all you have to consider is what makes Trump look great.

"Trump’s ethanol moves: good policy or corn country politics?" PBS NewsHour 10/10/2018

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SUMMARY:  At a Tuesday campaign rally in Iowa, President Trump announced plans to lift the ban on summer sales of gasoline with 15 percent ethanol, known as E15.  This move is opposed by oil companies and environmental groups, but supported by the agricultural sector.  John Yang speaks to Grant Gerlock from Harvest Public Media, who explains the changes and how they could impact the midterm elections.

WALL STREET - Market Selloff

IMHO:  Using the Stock Market as a measure of our economy distorts what is really going on, because it says nothing about worker income.

"What’s behind Wednesday’s market selloff?" PBS NewsHour 10/10/2018

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SUMMARY:  A financial storm sent stocks plunging to their biggest losses in eight months.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 831 points.  The NASDAQ fell 316 percent.  Amna Nawaz talks about what may have prompted the selloff with Hugh Johnson, Chief Investment Officer at Hugh Johnson Advisors.  Johnson says it’s a “severe correction.”

MAINE - Attracting Younger Workers

"Aging Maine repays college debts to attract younger workers" PBS NewsHour 10/9/2018

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SUMMARY:  Maine, land of lobsters and lighthouses, is also the nation’s oldest state.  With a median age of 43, roughly a third of its population is in or approaching retirement.  To counter its aging workforce, the state is attempting to attract more recent college graduates by helping to repay their student loans.  Hari Sreenivasan reports as part of our weekly education series, Rethinking College.

VOTE 2018 - North Dakota and Trump Trade

"How Trump and trade factor into Heitkamp’s reelection battle" PBS NewsHour 10/9/2018

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SUMMARY:  North Dakota is small in terms of population, but its Senate race this fall is attracting major attention.  Incumbent Heidi Heitkamp, the only high-level Democratic official left in the state, faces a close contest with Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer, an enthusiastic supporter of President Trump.  For the state's farmers, the choice may amount to a referendum on the President's trade war with China.

SUPREME COURT - Will Kavanaugh Tarnish Image?

"Will the Kavanaugh saga tarnish the Supreme Court’s image?" PBS NewsHour 10/9/2018

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SUMMARY:  As Justice Kavanaugh’s tenure on the Supreme Court begins, echoes from his contentious confirmation hearings remain.  Will the anger and partisanship surrounding this appointment damage public perception of the Supreme Court?  Marcia Coyle from the National Law Journal joins Judy Woodruff to report on Kavanaugh's first day on the bench and how the court’s new makeup might affect upcoming cases.

JOURNALISM - Jamal Khashoggi

"Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi has disappeared.  Will the U.S. take a stand?" PBS NewsHour 10/8/2018

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SUMMARY:  Jamal Khashoggi, a singular voice willing to criticize Saudi leaders, has disappeared in Istanbul at the Saudi consulate.  The Washington Post columnist and prominent former editor has previously spoken out about some of crown prince Mohammed bin Salman's actions, including the silencing of dissenters.  Nick Schifrin talks with Fred Hiatt of the Washington Post and Robin Wright from the New Yorker.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION - Gutting of the Civil Service

"Michael Lewis traces the ‘gutting of the civil service’ under Trump" PBS NewsHour 10/8/2018

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SUMMARY:  Bestselling author Michael Lewis says the idea that civil servants are “lazy or stupid or dead weight on the society is...the most sinister idea alive in this country right now."  In his new book, “The Fifth Risk,” Lewis examines how the Trump Administration has been staffing the federal government, and its “ignorance of the mission.”  Lewis sits down with William Brangham for a conversation.

CLIMATE CHANGE - United Nations, Revolutionary Change Required

"World needs to make near-revolutionary change to avoid imminent climate disaster.  Is there hope?" PBS NewsHour 10/8/2018

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SUMMARY:  Unless we immediately reduce the burning of coal and oil and gas that drive up global temperatures, a new UN report warns the world will suffer tremendous consequences as early as 2040.  William Brangham talks with Rafe Pomerance of the Woods Hole Research Center and Gavin Schmidt from the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

OPINION - Shields and Brooks 10/5/2018

"Shields and Brooks on Kavanaugh confirmation showdown" PBS NewsHour 10/5/2018

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SUMMARY:  Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and New York Times columnist David Brooks join Judy Woodruff to discuss the week’s news, including the dramatic decisions made by senators on whether or not to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, as well as the deeper national impact of the contentious process.

NOBEL PRIZE - Peace Prize

"Nobel Peace Prize winners fight rape as ‘a weapon of war’" PBS NewsHour 10/5/2018

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SUMMARY:  The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday in Oslo, Norway.  The winners are two people fighting sexual violence.  Twenty-five-year-old Nadia Murad, from Iraq, escaped enslavement, rape, and torture.  She says she hopes to be “the last girl with a story like mine.”  Dr. Denis Mukwege is a Congolese surgeon who has risked his life to treat thousands of rape victims.  William Brangham reports.

FBI - Most Wanted Russians

"Russian government accused of hacking agencies investigating its alleged crimes" PBS NewsHour 10/4/2018

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SUMMARY:  American and Dutch officials on Thursday accused the Russian government of a widespread series of computer attacks.  In the Netherlands, four Russian agents tried to hack into computers at the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.  Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted seven men who tried to disrupt the investigation into alleged Russian doping.  William Brangham reports.

RECYCLABLES - No Where to Go?

"Why your recyclables might have no place to go" PBS NewsHour 10/4/2018

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SUMMARY:  Until this year, China had been America's -- and the world's -- number one recycling market.  But China has shut its doors to plastic waste, which could result by 2030 in more than 100 million tons of trash with nowhere to go.  So how did our recycling become so reliant on a country half a world away?  Economics correspondent Paul Solman reports.

MIAMI - A Future Atlantis?

"Will climate change turn Miami into a ‘future Atlantis’?" PBS NewsHour 10/3/2018

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SUMMARY:  Florida research professors studying climate change have serious warnings for the Magic City.  They say that Miami’s buildings have come a long way in becoming more resistant to sustained, heavy winds.  However, the city’s infrastructure may not be prepared to protect it from a huge hurricane storm surge.  Science correspondent Miles O’Brien reports.

FED CHAIR - Different Era For Workers' Wages

HINT:  Trickle-Down economics is a Republican myth.

"Fed Chair Jay Powell: U.S. may be in a different era for workers’ wages despite economic gains" PBS NewsHour 10/3/2018

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SUMMARY:  Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell discusses the state of the economy, bigger changes in the job market and why wages haven’t caught up with other economic trends in a conversation with Judy Woodruff.  At the Atlantic Ideas Festival, Powell also explained why he supports “gradually” increasing interest rates and how the strong economy hasn’t reached every American.

PUTIN - America Give Up, We Control Your Elections

"Putin urges American political elites to ‘calm down’ on Russian election meddling" PBS NewsHour 10/3/2018

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SUMMARY:  Russian President Vladimir Putin unleashed a pointed verbal attack on the U.S. while speaking with special correspondent Ryan Chilcote in Moscow Wednesday.  He called concerns about Russian meddling in the upcoming 2018 elections “insanity” and he criticized some Trump Administration policies.  Nick Schifrin talks with special correspondent Ryan Chilcote, who spoke at length with Putin.

NOBEL PRIZE - Physics, First Woman in 55yrs

"For the first time in 55 years, a woman shares the Nobel Prize in Physics" PBS NewsHour 10/2/2018

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SUMMARY:  A trio of scientists won this year's Nobel prize, including Canada's Donna Strickland--the third female recipient in history and the first in 55 years.  Amna Nawaz speaks with Strickland about her research in laser amplification, what she would tell young people interested in a physics career and how she plans to celebrate her landmark achievement.

TRUMP THE SCAM ARTIST - The Early Years

"NYT investigation unearths new details about Trump’s early millions" PBS NewsHour 10/2/2018

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SUMMARY:  The New York Times has published a special investigation that digs deep into the Trump family finances.  It paints a detailed picture of how the President used potentially illegal tax schemes to acquire millions from his father.  The account contradicts President Trump's long-repeated narrative that he was a self-made man.  Judy Woodruff talks with Susanne Craig, a Times investigative reporter.

NOBEL PRIZE WINNER - Fighting Cancer

"For this Nobel winner, fighting cancer began with his family" PBS NewsHour 10/1/2018

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SUMMARY:  Cancer treatment was for years dominated by just four techniques.  But there is now a fifth category -- immunotherapy -- thanks to the revolutionary research of Jim Allison and Tasuku Honjo, who won the 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine on Monday.  Allison joins Nick Schifrin to discuss his research and his personal connection to fighting the disease.