Charleston church massacre; Senator Ted Cruz

On today’s program, we’ll have a pair of discussions on the aftermath of the shooting massacre of nine people at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.

In our first conversation, civil rights attorney Connie Rice, co-founder and co-director of the Advancement Project, shares her thoughts on how the murders represent a culmination of several critical issues pervasive in America, including the lack of effective gun control, and the problem of personal and systemic racism. Then, criminologist and civil rights attorney Brian Levin, a professor of criminal justice and director of the Center for the Study of Hate & Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino, discusses the undercurrent of hate and racism that prompted the shootings.

In March, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz became the first Republican to officially announce his candidacy for president. In an extended conversation, Senator Cruz tells us why he’s running, explains his criticisms of the Obama administration and lays out his vision for the campaign.