Elections

Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka. He was the first African to be awarded the Nobel prize for literature (in 1986), and he's been called Africa's "finest writers." He is a dramatist, poet, novelist, critic, and political writer. Some of his works have been banned by Nigerian regimes. He's gone into exile several times and has been imprisoned for political protests. He's written 21 books, including "Myth, Literature, and the African World," and his autobiography, "Ake': The Years of Childhood." (Ventura books).

Journalist Stan Sesser is a reporter covering Southeast Asia for the New Yorker. He has collected some of those pieces in a new book "The Lands of Charm and Cruelty: Travels in Southeast Asia." He discusses the recent elections in Cambodia which featured violence, twenty political parties and massive voter turnout

Journalist Steve Roberts is the senior writer for "U.S. News & World Report." Before that, he covered Congress for The New York Times. He'll talk with guest host Marty Moss-Coane about the 103rd Congress which just went into session. It's the most diverse group yet.

Last year, Wofford won an upset victory, becoming the first Democratic U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania since 1962. He was a key aide to President John F. Kennedy, helped establish the Peace Corps, and aided Martin Luther King, Jr. He also chaired the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee from 1987 to 1991. A new edition of Wofford's 1980 book, "Of Kennedy's & Kings: Making sense of the Sixties" has just been published.

Consumer advocate Ralph Nader and conservative Paul Weyrich tell how "legalized bribery" has corrupted our government. The unlikely pair has written an introduction in Philip Stern's new book, "Still The Best Congress Money Can Buy." They say that consumer and safety-oriented legislation gets trampled in Congress because Representatives and Senators work more on behalf of their campaign donors than their constituents.

Journalist Robert Krulwich is hosting a new "Frontline" documentary on PBS, "The Best Campaign Money Can Buy," about the funds that go into the presidential campaign. In particular, the documentary looks at contributors that give "soft money," -- money given to a party rather than to a candidate. This kind of giving bypasses the law which limits individual donations to presidential candidates to $1,000.

Writer Jack Beatty has written a biography of four-time Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, called "The Rascal King." Curley, an Irish-Catholic, is a Massachusetts legend, having run in 32 elections, serving as governor, congressman, and mayor. While Curley could be dismissed as an old-fashioned machine politician, Beatty portrays him as a forerunner of the modern entrepreneurial politician.

Film critic John Powers reviews "Bob Roberts," directed by and starring Tim Robbins. Powers says it takes courage to make a political movie today, but Robbins' effort lacks nuance.

Democratic candidate for the Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Seat, Lynn Yeakel. She is running against incumbent Republican Senator Arlen Specter. Yeakel has never served in elected office before, but says she was inspired to run because of Specter's treatment of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings. Yeakel helped found and has been President of "Women's Way," a coalition of organizations raising money to help women and their families. It's the first and largest regional women's fund in the U.S.

Jamieson is the Dean of the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. She's been called "the leading academic authority on politics and advertising" by the New York Times. She'll talk about negative campaigning by both parties, and give her take on the recent conventions. Her new book, "Dirty Politics: Deception, Distraction and Democracy," is about how TV ads and speeches shape contemporary campaigns.

Pollster David W. Moore is the Director of the Survey Center at the University of New Hampshire, where he also teaches political science. His polling results have been picked up by all the T-V networks and most of the major newspapers and newsmagazines in the country. He's written a new book about the history of polling, called "The Superpollsters: How The Measure and Manipulate Public Opinion." (Four Walls Eight Windows Press)

Political consultant Neil Oxman. He specializes in media consulting and designed Lynn Yeakel's ads for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate. She'll run against Senator Arlen Spector. Yeakel was a virtual unknown at the start of the race. It's believed that Yeakel's T-V ads made the difference in the campaign. One emphasized her work as head of Women's Way. The other received national attention because it attacked Spector for his role in the Thomas hearings.

British elections are coming up this week: We'll look at the elections, and how the British media is covering them, with New York Times London correspondent William Schmidt.

Terry interviews Patricia Ireland, the new president of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Ireland talks about NOW's agenda, as well as her own.

Writer Joyce Schuck (shuck). In 1986, her husband ran for governor of Colorado, and lost in the primaries. But the experience gave Schuck the impetus to interview other wives of politicians. Schuck's book, "Political Wives: Veiled Lives," combines the interviews, along with excerpts from a diary Schuck kept during her husband's campaign. (Interview by Marty Moss-Coane)

E.J. Dionne's new book is an analysis of what's gone wrong in American politics. He will soon start publishing a column in the Washington Post.

Journalist and broadcaster John Chancellor. He's currently senior commentator for NBC News. Chancellor's new book is "Peril and Promise: A Commentary on America." (published by Harper & Row).

Wall Street Journal reporter Brooks Jackson details how election campaigns raise funds by finding ways to circumvent legal donation limits, and coordinating with special interests and political action committees. Corporations and other groups are exploiting these actions in an attempt to influence policy. Jackson's new book is called Honest Graft.

Investigative journalist Mark Hertsgaard examines the relationship between the press and the Reagan administration in his new book, On Bended Knee. Hertsgaard says that Reagan's press team was masterful at manipulating the news media by limiting access to the president, choreographing photo opportunities and television appearances, and disseminating controlled, daily messages to reporters.

Standup comic Will Durst. Durst's passion is politics, and the election season is providing him with plenty of material.