If you think the attack ads of the 2010 election have been rough, just think back to what happened during some of the first elections in this country, when just casting a ballot could invite a violent attack. Back in 1859, a Baltimore merchant was beaten, stabbed and shot as he was heading to the polls with his ballot tucked under his arm (back then, everyone had to bring their own ballot with them). He survived, but wasn't able to cast his vote and his candidate lost. Congress ruled the election valid, because any “man of ordinary courage” could have made his way to the polls. On this election day, we revisit our 2008 conversation with New Yorker contributor Jill Lepore on the history of voting in America.

Back in February of 2006, Ellen Knickmeyer was reporting on the sectarian violence sparked by the bombing of a revered Shiite shrine in Iraq. In particular, she reported that the Baghdad morgue had taken in more than 1,000 bodies, as Shiites sought revenge against Sunnis. Then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld went on the air to contradict her reporting, saying that correspondents in Iraq were exaggerating the situation. But the recent dump of 390,000 classified reports by Wikileaks confirms what Ellen and others were reporting and reveals that the situation was in fact much worse.

Mark Bittman writes "The Minimalist" food column for the New York Times and is the author of several books.  In his latest, "The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes For Better Living," Bittman argues that even a partial move towards a vegan lifestyle can have both health and environmental benefits. We speak with Mark Bittman, who by limiting himself  to animal products at only one meal a day has lost 35 pounds.

• Calexico, "Crumble"
• Ken Vandermark, "New Acrylic"
• Nathan Milstein, "Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin"
• Radiohead, "Where I End and You Begin"
• Dean and Britta, "Herringbone Tweed"
• Steve Earle, "Transcendental Blues"
• Graham Blvd., San Francisco (If You're Goig To)
• Calexico, "Crumble"
• Ken Vandermark, "New Acrylic"
• Nathan Milstein, "Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin"
• Radiohead, "Where I End and You Begin"
• Dean and Britta, "Herringbone Tweed"
• Steve Earle, "Transcendental Blues"
• The Brass Monkey Brass Band “Scones”