Democracy when?

As we in Canada await news of a possible election, the U.S. is deep in their own process. I get much of my news of the U.S. election from Democracy Now!, an independent, decidedly left-leaning (that's way left... left of Nader left) daily news program hosted by Amy Goodman. I podcast the show through iTunes, and love it as much for its lack of polish as I do for its non-mainstream positioning. DN is typically full of technical glitches, off-camera coughing and chatting, and throws to the wrong bit of tape. I appreciate seeing behind the machinery of media.

Last week, during the Democratic National Convention in Denver, DN expanded to two hours from their standard one, and covered the slick politics to a depth you will never see on CNN. The producers of the show and its host, Amy Goodman, have a knack for grabbing just the right guest at just the right moment to give the viewer just the right glimpse at process.

I was looking forward to this week's coverage of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, especially since it began with an impromptu interview with Daily Show host Jon Stewart who happened to be waiting for his luggage at the the same carousel as Amy Goodman.

But that was before two Democracy Now producers were detained by the twin cities police after a series of pre-emptive raids on protesters. See the youTube video link below for footage of Amy Goodman herself being hauled off to jail yesterday after she tried to intervene on behalf of her staffers. I am absolutely itching to download today's podcast. Live from the Minneapolis-St. Paul big house, this is Democracy Now!



Oh, John McCain. You're going to need a whole lot of folksy to get past this one.