The Remarkable Career of Anthony Lewis Listen

Anthony Lewis

Read Anthony Lewis' good-bye column

Forums: What do you think of the job the media has done since September 11th?

Anthony Lewis has covered the most important events of the past half-century in his long journalistic career. The two-time Pulitzer Prize winner has written eloquently about the Vietnam War, Watergate, apartheid in South Africa, among many other issues. A lecturer in law at Harvard Law School, Lewis frequently returned to the theme of the importance of law in a civil society.

Anthony Lewis wrote his last column for the New York Times last week. Tonight, Lewis joins us for a look at his remarkable career -- and an examination of the lessons the United States should take from the key events of its recent history.

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Forums: Have you turned to Amtrak as a travel option since September 11th?

Amtrak: A Solution to the National Fear of Flying? Listen

In the days following the September 11th attacks, Congress stepped in to provide billions of dollars in emergency relief to the devastated airline industry. That was the right thing to do, says Amtrak's Acting Chairman and former Presidential Candidate Michael Dukakis. But, he says, the rail industry needs only one-tenth of that amount for it to continue to play its vital role in America's transportation system.

With the airlines grounded for several days and many people afraid to fly, the railroad was critical in the weeks after the attacks. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor provided a lifeline to New York City. Dukakis says the Amtrak just needs a little assistance to become a profitable entity. Critics argue that Amtrak is a wasteful and mismanaged monopoly, and that rail travel -- even high-speed rails -- will never replace flying for the fast-paced American society. This hour, we ride the rails and ask should Amtrak be given more money as it tried to achieve profitability.

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