Radio America Online News Bureau

On Thursday, at least three rockets struck northern Israel out Lebanon.  No group is claiming responsibility, but are we about to witness a two-front war or could this just be an isolated incident?  Is Israel crossing the line with the number of civilian casualties in Gaza or are the people being used as as cannon fodder by Hamas?  How is the Israeli mindset different than it was in the war with Hezbollah back in 2006?  And is the Bush administration too quiet during this crisis or striking the right posture?  We ask retired U.S. Navy Captain Chuck Nash.

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Is Barack Obama being forced to answer tough questions about his record-setting economic stimulus plan or are members of the press giving him a free ride?  Are we getting any real specifics about this package?  And what questions should be asked as more details become known?  We ask Dan Gainor of the Business and Media Institute.

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How does President Bush defend his presidency to conservatives?  Are conservatives buying the explanation?  How did Rod Blagojevich score a political win over the Obama senate seat?  Why Is Missouri Sen. Kit Bond not running again in 2010?  And why is Jeb Bush passing on a run for a senate seat in Florida?  We ask John Gizzi, political editor for Human Events, who earned a one-on-one interview with President Bush this week.

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On Thursday, a Joint Session of Congress unsealed and counted the electoral votes from the 2008 presidential election.  The move officially declares Barack Obama the next president of the United States.  But should the electoral college remain the way it is?  Should it be abolished and the Oval Office be awarded to the winner of the popular vote?  Or are some minor reforms in order?  That’s what we ask University of Virginia political science Prof. Larry Sabato, who encourages some electoral college reforms to the Constitution.

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We bring you the latest on the Israel-Hamas conflict, including the U.S. call for Israel to agree to a cease-fire.  What has to happen before Israel stops fighting?  What should the U.S. posture be?  And how has this conflict been helpful in separating the radical Arab states from the moderate ones?  We ask Dr. Walid Phares of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

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We have more of Wednesday’s top news…Why did Russia do that has much of eastern Europe shivering?  What’s the latest explanation from Harry Reid on the fight over who will replace Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate?  If Burris is seated, who is the real winner of this struggle?  What dis Barack Obama have to say about his lunch with the current and three former presidents?  And what happened on Wall Street?  We have all the answers as we bring you more of the biggest stories for Wednesday, January 7, 2009.

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Is the cease-fire brokered by Egypt and France going to be accepted?  What are Egypt’s real interests here?  Will Hamas honor any cease-fire that forces Israel to stop short of its military goals?  We ask David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee.

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Democrats hope to pass an expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.  What is that and how much more do they want to spend on it?  Why might the cost estimates be far lower than what the real pricetag could be?  And what else do the Dems have on the health care horizon?  We ask Grace-Marie Turner, President of the Galen Institute.

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We have Tuesday’s top news…What happened when Illinois Democrat Roland Burris tried to become a U.S. Senator?  How will the situation likely get resolved?  Why is Norm Coleman contesting the results of the senate race in Minnesota?  What did Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner say as the 111th Congress convened today?  And what is Barack Obama saying about his priorities for his national intelligence team?  We have all the answers as we bring you the biggest stories for Tuesday, January 6, 2009.

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