Author: Coy Barefoot

Logan Gibson, the unofficial Washington and Lee University correspondent for WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!”, joins Coy Barefoot to talk about her school’s mock presidential convention. The convention, which will be held this weekend, has been quite accurate in predicting the opposition party’s presidential nominee.

“I think our full record is we’ve gotten it correct 18 out of 23 time, but we’ve only missed one prediction since 1948,” Gibson said. That was when the school nominated Teddy Kennedy over George McGovern.

Dr. Martin Katz is a physician with the wellness initiative at Atlantic Coast Athletic Club (ACAC), and a native of South Africa. On the January 23rd edition of WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!”, he joins Coy Barefoot to say what he would like to see the presidential candidates say in terms of health care. Katz also describes what people who sign up for Wellness M.D. will receive.

How does a strong and growing economy lend itself to job uncertainty, debt, bankruptcy and economic fear for a vast number of Americans? On the January 23rd edition of WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!” author and investigative journalist David Cay Johnston discusses some possible answers. His new book is called Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest American Enrich Themselves at Government Expense and Stick You With the Bill.

Growing up as a 98-pound weakling tormented by bullies in the schoolyards of Kansas, young Matthew Polly dreamed of going to the Shaolin Temple in China to become one of the world’s toughest fighter. He dropped out of Princeton to train with the legendary sect of monks who invented Kung Fu. He wrote about the experience in his new book American Shaolin: Flying Kicks, Buddhist Monks, and the Legend of Iron Crotch and joins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s “Charlottesville–Right Now!” to talk about it.

Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling rejoins Coy Barefoot on WINA’s Charlottesville Right Now to continue outlining his legislative priorities for the 2008 General Assembly. Bolling began the conversation last week.

• HB20 would enact party registration in Virginia for primaries.
• Legislation to give state and local law enforcement agencies more power to detain illegal immigrants
• Legislation that would eliminate bail for an illegal immigrant caught by the authorities
• Legislation that would hold employers accountable for knowingly hiring illegal aliens
• Legislation to adjust Virginia’s mental health system

Nancy O’Brien became the first woman to serve as mayor of Charlottesville in 1976, having moved to the area in the late 1960’s. On this installment of WINA’s Charlottesville–Right Now, she tells the story of how she got involved in local politics. One reason was to oppose a new road plan that consisted of the Meadow Creek Parkway as well as something called the Greenbrier Parkway.

Thirty-two years later, she’s still opposed to the former, and happy the latter never got built. O’Brien talks about the creation of the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, the decline of a sense of the public good, and the night she got elected to City Council. Like former Mayor David Brown, O’Brien was selected to lead Council beginning with her first term.

Though she was not on Council when the decision was made to create the downtown mall, one of her first official duties was to receive the last brick. O’Brien and Coy talk about the massive controversy that the mall caused, and how the potential loss of tax revenue was averted. In many ways, O’Brien says many of the same themes are still in place.

The 2008 General Assembly session is underway, which means that Charlottesville Daily Progress political reporter Bob Gibson is commuting each day to Richmond. He phones in from the road to join Coy Barefoot on WINA’s Charlottesville Right Now to talk about what has happened so far.

Topics include:

• Democrats unhappy with bill limit set to take effect for next year
• Governor Kaine attempts to set bi-partisan tone and cautions against anti-immigrant tone
• Delegate Brian Moran removed from key committees in advance of gubernatorial run
• The end of the abusive driving fees is near, but details need to be worked out
• An update on Governor KainevDj(tm)s efforts to ban smoking in Virginia restaurants

Dave Wasserman is the U.S. House editor for the Cook Political Report, and he joined Coy Barefoot on the eve of the Michigan primary to discuss the presidential race to date. He just got back from New Hampshire, where he had a pretty wild time.

I have never been thrown for more of a loop than I was by this election result in New Hampshire, Wasserman said, absolutely surprised that Hillary Clinton pulled out a victory. I was so confident that Obama was going to run away with a ten point victory that I hit the slopes on Election Day.

Listen in as Wasserman explains why he thinks all the pundits ended up with egg on their face, and why the delegate counts will become more important than the polls.

Coy interviews the best-selling author and host of the national radio program, “The Thom Hartmann Show.” His show is featured on Central Virginia’s 1450 WVAX on weekdays from 12 to 3 and can be listened to online at his website.

The discussion first focuses on the New Hampshire primary, the media focus on Clinton and Obama, competition in Michigan between John McCain and Mitt Romney, differences between Democrats and Republicans, and Ralph Nader. Discussion moves on to Hartmann’s new book Cracking the Code, which discusses the art of political communication.