Mom-In-Chief: How It Really Is

So, now I can tell the truth.

You really want to know how the working mommy thing goes down? Here it is:

I'm supposed to be here at 6:30 a.m. This morning was especially critical since I was asked to do a quick interview on CNN that would be aired live, just about an hour and fifteen minutes before we ourselves go to air (our first broadcast feed is at 9 a.m.).

Normally, I would never even think of stepping out of the building -- not even for a few minutes -- while we were preparing to go to air. I'd fight you over a fire alarm (but I WOULD go, I would, I swear). But through the miracle of technology (and guest scheduling) all of our guests for today's show were actually recorded yesterday or, in one case, a couple of days before (as he was on the way to London). So, we thought, yes, we can. ... Get to CNN and get back here in time to do right by our show.

Why even bother? Well, they wanted to talk to us about yesterday's special collaboration with the online publication The Root, where we talked about Michelle Obama and what it means to be, and have, the first African American First Lady. We had four great guests who published four essays on The Root, and we talked about the essays in our regular MOMS segment.

So we were excited that CNN wanted to talk to me and TMM regular Jolene Ivey about our contributions. Marie Nelson (our executive producer) and I decided it was worth it to twist ourselves into a pretzel a little bit before our own airtime to make the CNN appearance work.

I picked my outfit the night before. I got the last minute hair lecture from Marie ("put some product in there, don't play no games"). I was ready. I was pumped. I was walking out the door, and ...

Both kids came flying out of their rooms, "Waaahhh!"

"Mommy, can you sit with me?"

"Mommy, where's my drink?" "Mommy, my dolly fell behind he bed."

"Waah."

I tried to take the practical way out. "Mommy is going to be late," I said.

Still, "Waah!!!"

I tried to be a diplomat. "Daddy is still in bed," I said. "Go get in bed with him."

Waaah!

So, yes, I caved.

I took off my shoes and went in their room cuddled with them both for a few minutes. Thankfully, my husband heard something going on, so he came stumbling out, did a quick assessment of the situation, set up the distraction, took up the cuddle position ... and I slipped out.

(Thanks, Billy!)

I raced out the door, tried to obey all laws and came careening into NPR. I dropped my bag and looked at my TMM scripts before CNN started burning up my phone to ask, why wasn't I in the car?

I said, "what do you mean?" (I pretended I already was, sorry CNN!)

But then, in a minute, I was in the car, so ...

I made it.

And that's how it really is.

I know it's not pretty, but it all worked out, right?

-- Michel Martin

1:43 PM ET | permalink

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Onward and Upward

Lee Hill, here ...

Wrapping up a long day, so this will be quick.

Tomorrow on the program, a name that probably needs very little introduction: William "Bill" Ayers.

Remember, during the presidential election season, an alleged relationship between Ayres and now President-elect Barack Obama was the source of much contention on the campaign trail.

Well, Ayers has something to say about that whole controversy, and how Obama chose to respond.

Finally, a shout out to the New Media Institute. The annual conference is a brainchild of the National Black Programming Consortium, and they're meeting this week here in Washington, D.C., this week. Today, I was honored to speak to the group -- along with NPR's Andy Carvin and Sarah Handel -- during their visit to our NPR studios. The focus: NPR's travels into the world of multimedia journalism.

(To learn more about NPR's "transformation", check out the recent piece in the American Journalism Review.)

Needless to say, I learned a good deal from them.

More to come, so meet us back here tomorrow.

And in the words of Marie Nelson, our executive producer, onward and upward ...

-- Michel Martin

6:12 PM ET | permalink

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A Quick Look At the Week Ahead

It's Monday, just Monday, but I already feel like I am swimming fast to get to the shore. We have an amazing variety of interviews for you this week -- four meditations on what it means to be Michelle Obama, and what Michelle Obama means to us. The collaboration is with The Root, the online publication that chronicles the black zeitgeist. That conversation will be on tomorrow's program.

Also tomorrow, a Wisdom Watch conversation with Washington, D.C., powerbroker Vernon Jordan.

And, voices from Israel and Palestine ...

In acknowledgement and commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, a new book captures 60 voices -- half Israeli, half Palestinian. The the book itself is in English, Arabic and Hebrew. Amazing to look at. Tomorrow, we will have two voices from the book and the author, editor.

And that's not all, but all I have time for now because I have to get to work.

But finally, a programming note. If you listened to our Faith Matters segment Friday, you heard us talk about faith and how it sometimes conflicts with end-of-life care. We focused on the story of Motl Brody, a 12-year-old Jewish boy who suffered a brain tumor, which left him brain dead. He was on life support after doctors concluded they'd unsuccessfully done all they could to save him. His parents opposed any decision to remove him from life support, citing religious convictions. Although without most of his faculties, their son's heart was still beating.

Motl Brody died on Saturday.

For many, this case demands such serious reflection, both religiously and ethically. Rabbi Shmuel Herzfeld sent me an e-mail today, and directed me to a recent sermon of his on this subject. I think it's worth sharing ...

-- Michel Martin

4:33 PM ET | permalink

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Elections Over, But We're Still Going Full Speed

Happy Friday! I don't mind telling you that it was an emotionally draining week -- not in a bad way, but that's just the truth of it. There is still the carryover effect from last week's election. Some people are still celebrating, and others, well, are trying to sort through the toxic waste dump of recriminations that seem to follow every losing campaign, but seem particularly noxious this time.

It's not just the McCain campaign sniper fire that seems to be directed at Sarah Palin, there's also the lingering angst over Proposition 8 in California, and news that, thank goodness, Thanksgiving is coming.

And speaking of Thanksgiving ...

We want to know, what are you thankful for?

Have you had a Thanksgiving you'll never forget?

Last year, we recorded your observations and sprinkled them throughout our Thanksgiving Day program. They were just the seasoning we needed to make that program special, so we are at it again.

Call, write or blog. We want to hear from you. We especially welcome your calls, because we may want to use these observations on the air. Connect to the TMM comment lineon 202-842-3522. And, please, do remember to leave your name and how to find you if we need to call you back.

Now, get busy (please), have a great weekend and remember that we are grateful to you!

-- Michel Martin

11:52 AM ET | permalink

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Measured Craziness ...

A crazy salad of a show today, but you will see there's a method to our madness.

As you probably know, we try to focus on international news on Thursdays in our international briefing. For the next couple of weeks we are going to try making rounds to the embassies to hear what representatives of a number of countries have to say about what they what they hope and expect from an Obama administration. We are plan to focus on Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean; we feel that most major news organizations go to the European capitals first, we want to round out that perspective.

And I was very happy to get that postcard from Kabul. The writer, Gayle Tzemach, has a forthcoming book about women entrepreneurs. Tzemach has been visiting Afghanistan off and on since her days as a student at Harvard Business School. Anyway, Gayle sent me an email when she arrived on her latest trip and just after Election Day she sent us her latest postcard.

We want to hear from you.

We always hoped that our listeners would keep us up to date on their travels. And, yes, we do care about the food and sightseeing, but we're more interested in those nuggets that tell us something about a place, about which we are not hearing anywhere else. It's the reporter's eye, if you want to call it that, but you don't need a title.

Let us know. Keep us in mind the next time you get on a plane somewhere interesting.

And, speaking of listening ...

James Lipton.

Are you one of the 89 million people who watch Bravo's "Inside the Actors Studio"? Do you ever find yourself wondering about the guy behind the blue cards, James Lipton? Well the 200th episode of the program just aired this week, and Lipton is also out with a new memoir, Inside Inside.

I confess, when I learned that he interviews his subjects for three and four, and even five HOURS, I felt kind of deflated. Our 20-minute visit just scratched the surface, and to be honest it does just scratch the surface.

I did my best, check it out. And do watch the anniversary show with Dave Chappelle, if you can.

And what can I say about our girl, PINK???

-- Michel Martin

5:25 PM ET | permalink

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A Long Road Traveled, A Long Road Ahead

Lee Hill, here. Today, I'm happily passing the virtual mic to TMM producer Jasmine Garsd. She produced much of today's program. After twisting her arm a bit (don't worry, in a friendly way), Jasmine agreed to share her behind-the-scenes perspective of today's program. So, Jaz, take it away ...

Thanks, Lee. Jasmine Garsd, here ...

Today's show was a discussion about how far minorities have come in the U.S., yet how much backlash there continues to be.

Our opening conversation was with Tony Asion, executive director of El Pueblo, and Kevin Johnson, Dean of Law at UC-Davis. This conversation gave us a window into how civil rights activists continue to deal with threats against their life. And it's not just activists. As we heard on the show today, hate crimes against Hispanics have been on the rise.

Why do you think this trend, confirmed by the FBI, is happening? And how should it be combated?

We also featured a discussion with John Rogers, an example of how far minorities have come in the U.S. Rogers heads Ariel Investments, the nation's first African-American owned mutual fund. His investment philosophy is grounded in patience, discipline and independent thinking and was recognized this month by the National Council on Economic Education.

Something that struck me about the conversation is what an important role Roger's parents had in making him who he is today. His father encouraged him to become involved in the world of financing. This reminded me of a conversation I had the other night, with a friend of mine who is working at an elementary school in one of Washington, D.C.'s most socio-economically depressed neighborhoods.

My friend's biggest question (she just started at this job): how to instill this type of thinking in young, talented students who come from broken homes, where basic survival trumps school work every day?

And speaking of role models, we visited with Washington Post fashion writer Robin Givhan, hairstylist Anthony Dickey, and historian Catherine Allgor, for a discussion on future First Lady Michelle Obama, her unique style (hey, don't forget to check out our fashion slideshow) and what type of role model she will be.

Overall, what type of impact do you think Michelle Obama will have as First Lady?

-- Jasmine Garsd

-- Lee Hill

Tags: John Rogers | Latino | Michelle Obama | economy

4:48 PM ET | permalink

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Remembering Our Veterans

Every year around this time I am reminded how little military life and service affects most of us anymore.

Most of the men in my family are veterans. In my father's generation, the generation of WWII and Korea (and in my younger uncle's case, Vietnam), that was the norm. But as we have transitioned to an all-volunteer army, that has become less common. In some communities and families, of course, military service is common. But many people no longer know anyone personally who is serving or has served in uniform.

This isn't to say that there are not other ways to serve the country--I think our diplomats, our Peace Corp volunteers, missionaries, our covert operatives, politicians are all public servants and they all have a role to play in keeping the country safe . But today is the day we set aside to recognize those who have served in this particular way, and it's fitting, I think, as we continue to fight two wars and to confront terrorism, that we acknowledge those who have worn the uniform, and their families.

I also think it's fitting that we had the stories of two very different public servants today:

Madeline Albright, former Secretary of State in the Clinton Administration and former United Nations Ambassador. She's offering her thoughts on what the next President should do, as she puts it, to restore America's reputation abroad. We talked about the new book she has out that expands on those ideas and we talked about it (hint: CLOSE Guantanamo Bay and rejoin the climate emission talks are two of her suggestions).

We also heard from "Buffalo Soldier" Joseph Stephenson (who happens to be the father of our regular parenting panel contributor Jolene Ivey), who talks about serving in the all-segregated army and coming under fire.

To all those who serve, in uniform or out, both here and abroad, we thank you.

-- Michel Martin

Tags: Veteran's Day

2:05 PM ET | permalink

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The Obamas Drop In On The Bushes

Lee Hill, here ...

As I'm posting this entry, President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, are meeting behind closed doors with President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush. Although Mr. and Mrs. Bush have both called to congratulate the Obamas on winning the U.S. presidency, this afternoon's face to face meeting is a first since last week's election.

The Obamas' young daughters, Sasha and Malia, are not in attendance.

The meeting is an attempt to show that the presidency should be above partisanship but it also serves as the future commander-in-chief's first major step forward since emerging as the victor in a long and, often, tense race to the White House.

President Bush extended the invitation for today's visit at a press conference on November 5, in which he also congratulated his successor with the following remarks:

It will be a stirring sight to watch President Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their beautiful girls step through the doors of the White House. I know millions of Americans will be overcome with pride at this inspiring moment that so many have awaited so long. I know Senator Obama's beloved mother and grandparents would have been thrilled to watch the child they raised ascend the steps of the Capitol -- and take his oath to uphold the Constitution of the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

So, what are they talking about in there? Earlier today, White House press secretary Dana Perino described the agenda for the visit, during which include Laura Bush will give Michelle Obama a personal tour of the Executive Mansion, as "very private."

We may never know everything that was discussed today. We can live with that.

But, seriously. We all know that this past campaign season wasn't exactly the bipartisan love fest that today's meeting -- judging by the photo above -- might attempt to convey. Remember, Obama's "more of the same" slogan describing his Republican opponent Sen. John McCain --- the "same" being President Bush? And, President Bush, although not surprisingly, supported fellow Republican McCain's presidential bid over Obama's.

The point: the two families are not the best of friends.

Of course, the visit is part of the changing of guard, and has been a tradition for years, but one can't help but wonder if there's any awkwardness in the air during the short visit.

Would you feel awkward during such a "visit" -- as either the host or the guest?

And, what do you think they're talking about, aside from essentials explicitly related to the transition?

The weather?

It's not like they can go and meet the neighbors.

But maybe they really are laughing, hugging and singing "Kumbaya."

Politics, gotta love it.

-- Lee Hill

Tags: Barack Obama | John McCain | Laura Bush | Michelle Obama | President Bush | White House | election 2008

3:17 PM ET | permalink

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Covering History: The Next Steps

It was an exhausting and exciting week for many people; now the real work begins.

Next week, we are going to keep taking a look at the challenges -- both political AND cultural --facing the next President and his family. We started with Gen. Wesley Clark (ret.) today and we are going to keep it moving.

For example -- the first African-American first lady -- what special challenges does she face? We have several newsmakers lined up, names whom you know.

You won't want to miss a day. Trust me.

Have a good weekend.

-- Michel Martin

Tags: Barack Obama | election 2008

4:43 PM ET | permalink

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A Final Look Back At Election Day ... In Baltimore

Lee Hill, here ..

So, in my blog post on election night, late Tuesday evening, I mentioned that we'd experienced technical challenges with NPR.org, which led to some complications on the production front. Here's even more material from TMM's virtual bag of Election Day goodies. Enjoy!

On Tuesday morning, TMM producers Jennifer Longmire, Argin Hutchins and intern Leila Taha headed north to Baltimore, about a 45-minute drive from our shop here in Washington, D.C.

Here's Jennifer with a last look back at the Election Day scene.

Hey, Lee. What struck me was how determined people were to vote in Baltimore. I saw people in wheelchairs, walkers. I saw people helping others to the polls, doing car pools -- all in an effort to get themselves there, and help others get there, too. They all said the same thing upon exiting, it's my right, and change is upon us. They told us that they take voting seriously, and want to be heard. And just about all of the voters we talked to, seemed to have one thing in common: a strong desire to see Sen. Barack Obama claim victory.

Thanks, Jennifer.

See for yourself. Check out the audio slideshow.

-- Lee Hill

Tags: Barack Obama | election 2008

6:47 PM ET | permalink

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