James Bamford – NSA Snooping
David is joined by frequent guest James Bamford to talk about his latest cover story for Wired magazine, Threat Level: NSA Snooping Was Only the Beginning, Meet the Spy Chief Leading Us Into Cyber War. This article, written and submitted shortly before NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden hit the scene with his leaks, not only profiles NSA chief Gen. Keith Alexander, it also talks about some of the NSA’s many methods for conducting cyberattacks and what it may mean for your security.
Original Air Date: 6-20-2013
Part 1
[audio:http://1690wmlb.com/audio/CWDL/CWDL-Jim_Bamford_The_NSA_Part_1.mp3]
Part 2
[audio:http://1690wmlb.com/audio/CWDL/CWDL-Jim_Bamford_The_NSA_Part_2.mp3]
David chats with NY Times reporter David Halpfinger about the political comeback attempt of Anthony Weiner. In 2011, Weiner resigned from Congress after being accused by a number of his Twitter followers of sending inappropriate pictures. Having endured the embarrassment and creative headlines from his ordeal, Weiner is now hoping to revive his political career by running for Mayor of New York City in 2013. Halpfinger describes his time spent with candidate Weiner and his feelings on this political comeback.
David concludes his interview with NY Times national security correspondent Mark Mazzetti about his new book The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth. Pulitzer prize-winning author Mazzetti’s latest work takes a look at the transformation the CIA has undergone in the “war on terror.” While the transition from intelligence gathering to manhunt operations has been touted as a more streamlined approach to combat, it has led to a battle of supremacy between the CIA and the American Military.
David welcomes author David Rohde to chat about his new book Beyond War: Reimagining American Influence in a New Middle East. Perhaps best known for his time as a captive of the Taliban from 2008 to 2009, Rohde uses his knowledge on the area to examine ways that Middle Eastern foreign policy needs change to avoid failure.
David chats with director Roberta Grossman about her new film Hava Nagila – The Movie. Perhaps one of the most recognizable songs – certainly in Jewish culture – Hava Nagila is often considered nothing more than kitsch or a simple dance song. However, the song has much deeper meaning and is sought out by Grossman through interviews with musicians like Harry Belafonte, Connie Francis, and Regina Spektor.
David chats with filmmaker and Boston resident Lorie Conway about Monday’s bomb blast at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. At the time of the explosion, Lorie was making the 5 block trek from her apartment to the finish line when she heard the explosions and began to see the commotion head her way. She chats about the mood in Boston and the possible effects this will have on Boston’s future.
David chats with former Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty President and CEO Steve Korn about his time with the organization in Prague. Originally formed during the Cold War as an anti-communist news source, Radio Free Europe still serves many of the countries in the so-called “Iron Curtain” but also serves more volatile countries like Iran and Afghanistan. Although his tenure only lasted around a year and a half, Korn oversaw the rapidly changing broadcast radio landscape and dealt with often less than hospitable governments.
Journalist Michael D’Antonio chats about his most recent book Mortal Sins: Sex, Crime, and the Era of Catholic Scandal, the definitive history of the church’s “most severe crisis since the Reformation.” Having written histories on a broad range of topics including Dodgers baseball, America’s space program, and Pennsylvania’s most famous chocolate company, D’Antonio’s most recent book examines the history of scandal in the Catholic church and how the most commonly known details are just the beginning of a very long and strange story.