Making history and governing America

An African-American rode to the White House yesterday on what pollsters call "a storm of voter dissatisfaction" and the promise of change. The challenge facing Barack Obama is to transform his iconic status into effective leadership on war, the economy, health care and global warming.

On "To the Point" — how Obama mobilized a diverse coalition of blacks, Latinos and whites, including young people across ethnic lines. What’s the reaction from those African-Americans who thought it would never happen? What’s left of the Republican Party? Will fellow Democrats help or hinder the Obama Administration?

Guests:
– Peter Baker: White House Correspondent, "New York Times"
– Walter Shapiro: Washington Bureau Chief, Salon.com
– Thomas Mann: Senior Fellow of Governance Studies, Brookings Institution
– Wayne Bennett: blogger, The Field Negro
– Debra Dickerson: essayist and author
– John Ridley: Founding Editor, ThatMinorityThing.com
– Fernando Guerra: Director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University
– Heather Smith: Executive Director, Rock the Vote

Listen to Barack Obama’s victory speech.

Hosted by award-winning journalist Warren Olney, "To the Point" presents informative and thought-provoking discussion of major news stories — front-page issues that attract a savvy and serious news audience.

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