WAMU 88.5FM American University Radio

New Era of Civic Engagement?

On Tuesday, after a lengthy campaign, a hard-fought primary and a bitterly contested general election, Barack Obama rode a groundswell of support and was elected the 44th President of the United States. Turnout was high, with voters telling stories of waiting 3, sometimes 4 hours at the polls - often speaking of enduring those long waits with a sense of pride... and wearing the 'I Voted' sticker as a badge of honor. But it's one thing to look at the numbers and get final figures on turnout, the tougher part will be figuring out what it all means. We're joined by Curtis Gans, Director of American University's Center for the Study of the American Electorate.

Fred Fiske: Election 2008

Over the past eight decades, WAMU Senior Commentator Fred Fiske has seen his share of history. But he says he can't remember another day quite like this past Tuesday.

Lincoln at 200

With the 2008 election ready for the history books, we turn our attention to America's 16th President. The Abraham Lincoln bicentennial is almost upon us. He was born in 1809, so there's still some shopping time left - the big two-oh-OH is February 12th. As the city's cultural institutions kick off a year-long celebration, a couple of museums are ahead of the game, with 'The Mask of Lincoln' at the National Portrait Gallery and 'Lincoln's Inaugural Ball' at the Smithsonian American Art Museum already on display. Stephanie Kaye reports.

Arts in Hospitals

'ArtStream.' The name may summon images of paintings drifting down a river but it's actually a DC-based organization that brings artistic programs to communities that are traditionally under-served by the arts. Last Sunday, ArtStream debuted a new play, Knights of Glory at the Children's Inn at the National Institutes of Health. The Inn provides free lodging to families whose children are receiving care at the NIH Clinical Center. The medical center performance was the first in Artstream's 'Arts in Hospitals' program. Andrew Hiller reports.

Who Are You - The Life of Pete Townshend

And now for more in our Adventures In Self Publishing series, we're joined by a man who penned a new, nearly 600 page biography of Pete Townshend. Mark Wilkerson spent more than a decade working on the book - and after first posting it online and then releasing a version himself, a revised edition called 'Who Are You - The Life of Pete Townshend' has now been published by Omnibus Press. Author Mark Wilkerson talks about his journey.

Nightlife: DC Dive Bars

Trendy lounges these are not. Fritz Hahn brings us his list of the best dive bars in the DC region. Fritz writes about nightlife for the Washington Post and the Washington Post dot com.

Reuben Jackson: Does Flip-Flop Weather Ever End?

Writer Reuben Jackson has been getting upset about flip flops lately. No, it's not standard political behavior that's been keeping him up nights... he's actually bothered by flip-flops.

Reuben Jackson, a writer and a wearer of shoes with real laces, lives in the District.