Patt Morrison for Tues, April 28

PATT MORRISON SCHEDULE
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
1-3 p.m.

PATT MORRISON BROADCASTS LIVE FROM
THE MILKEN INSTITUTE GLOBAL CONFERENCE
THE BEVERLY HILTON (DAY 2)

1:00 – 1:30
Obama's Foreign Policy Starts in Our Backyard
Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Russia, China….all very exotic, dangerous and distant global hot spots that were widely speculated to be the focal points of President Obama's new administration. After almost 100 days in office it turns out that the more important foreign policy priorities were in America's backyard. While drug violence in Mexico threatened the stability of our closest neighbor and demanded President Obama's immediate attention, an unthinkable change in 60 years of American policy toward Cuba was being considered. All of these issues came to a head at last week's Summit of the America's, and we talk to the Obama White House point man who navigated these choppy diplomatic waters.

Guests:
Ambassador Jeffrey Davidow, president of the Institute of the Americas; White House Advisor the Summit of the Americas; former ambassador to Mexico & Venezuela

1:30 – 1:40
OPEN

1:40 – 2:00
How Will California Spend its Stimulus Funds?
As head of California's Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, Dale Bonner is a key part of every decision regarding stimulus funds for the state. Secretary Bonner has spoken at length about money for infrustructure, education and housing, but he also spends much of his time encouraging different interest groups to see the larger picture and focus on the opportunity at hand instead of pushing pet projects. Just how will he manage to balance what's in the best interest for the state of California when implementing the stimulus dollars? By treading a careful line – and picking the smart projects. Secretary Bonner explains.

Guests:
Secretary Dale Bonner: Head of California's Business, Transportation and Housing Agency

[NPR NEWS]

2:00 – 2:40
Stem Cell Therapies: From a Laboratory to a Pharmacy Near You
Research on the amazing healing properties of stem cells, from the ability to regenerate tissue to the potential for correcting genetic defects, has been going on for decades with the long held promise of revolutionary therapies for the masses. The game changing stem cell therapies aren't quite ready for the commercial market yet but they're closer than they've ever been and the promise of a medical revolution is real. Patt talks with two of the leading researchers and shapers of stem cell policies about the first therapies that will hit the market and the ethical questions that come with employing stem cells on a massive scale.

Guests:
John McNeish, executive director of regenerative medicine for Pfizer
Alan Trounson, president of the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine

2:40 – 3:00
The Thankless Job of Feeding a Hungry World
Poor countries of the world can't catch a break: the populations of these countries are among the first to feel the negative effects of global warming and also aren't immune to a global recession, especially as donor dollars become sparse. Feeding the hungry people of the Third and developing worlds has become a bleak task in the past year, and even when everyone agrees that everyone should eat, politics makes finding solutions immensely difficult. The UN World Food Programme takes on the thankless job of advocating for the world's hungry populations and is on the front lines of global debates about water management, agriculture policy and genetically modified crops. In the 21st century with all of our scientific and cultural advances, why should anyone go hungry?

Guests:
Josette Sheeran, executive director of the United Nations World Food Programme