Dan Rather, 09/20/12

Host, 'Dan Rather Reports'

Romney's campaign is reeling and trying desperately to regroup, reboot and rebound. Their candidate's chances have been knocked down -- but not out.

Eric Alterman, 09/20/12

Distinguished Professor of English, Brooklyn College, City University of New York

The choice -- and it is a conscious choice -- to ignore the problems facing poor Americans comes at a moment when those problems are not only multiplying but also as more and more people find themselves either teetering on the abyss of poverty or falling into it entirely.

Terry Connelly, 09/20/12

Dean emeritus, Ageno School of Business - Golden Gate University

Anyone obsessively following the commentary of financial news on cable news networks or the Wall Street Journal -- all based in New York City -- would be struck by the almost unrelenting pessimism that characterizes their editorializing and "straight" reporting, on the actions of the Fed and the ECB.

Jeff Biggers, 09/20/12

Author of 'State Out of the Union: Arizona and the Final Showdown Over the American Dream'

Did Mitt Romney intentionally lie about -- or, in the very least, misrepresent or "air brush" -- the history of his ancestors' documented escape from Arizona justice in his 2004 memoir, Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games?

Robert Koehler, 09/20/12

Syndicated writer

Somewhere in the gap between these two phenomena -- the overheated news about our violent, irrational enemies in the Middle East and the silence surrounding our war and occupation of the region -- lies American politics.

Lewis Lapham, 09/20/12

Editor of Lapham's Quarterly

It is the wisdom of the age -- shared by Democrat and Republican, by forlorn idealist and anxious realist -- that money rules the world, transcends the boundaries of sovereign states, serves as the light unto the nations, and waters the tree of liberty.

Marlo Thomas, 09/20/12

Award-winning actress, author, and activist

Here's a look at some of this year's Emmy hopefuls -- along with a few actresses we wish had been nominated (Kyra Sedgwick? Hello? She's our female Columbo!). I'm sure you'll agree that, the envelope notwithstanding, all of the nominees have already proven themselves winners. Enjoy!

Glenn W. Smith, 09/20/12

Author, consultant, Director, Progress Texas PAC

Are these hateful protests from isolated crackpots? Or do they exemplify a larger fringe America so lost in bigotry and anti-Obama zealotry that they've lost all moral bearings?

Jamal Abdi and Robert Naiman, 09/19/12

Until media outlets like NBC switch from "he said/she said" to real journalism that tries to establish and explain key facts, we will not get the fact-based debate that questions of war and peace deserve.

Alan W. Silberberg, 09/19/12

CEO, Founder Gov 2.0 L.A. and Digijaks

The constant and increasing use of Nazi and Holocaust imagery and associations that have been occurring in what is passing for political discourse in the USA has to stop.

Nomiki Konst and Lindsay Bubar, 09/19/12

The progress toward solving the epidemic of violence against women is a large task. We must create a society where women who are victims of violence feel supported, are able to detect the signs and know where to turn for help.

Craig Kanalley, 09/19/12

Senior Editor, Big News & Live Events, The Huffington Post

Despite having one of the more innovative and unique apps on the iPad, Twitter felt the need to give its app a dramatic refresh. If you haven't yet updated your Twitter app to the new one, you might not want to hit "Update."

Jeff Danziger, 09/19/12

Political cartoonist syndicated by the NYTimes worldwide

Dan Treadway, 09/19/12

Associate blog editor, The Huffington Post

Lost in all this justifiable disappointment and anger over the things Romney said is a key question that should probably be more widely discussed: Why the hell is Mitt Romney having a campaign fundraiser with select individuals who can afford to pay $50,000 a plate?

Nicholas Kralev, 09/19/12

Author and former Financial Times and Washington Times correspondent

What do those people do every day in hundreds of embassies and consulates, when they do not host visiting dignitaries or participate in high-stakes negotiations? On a human level, how does the Foreign Service lifestyle affect its members and their families?

Amy Wu, 09/19/12

Commentator and Journalism educator

The protestors are back again, thankfully. In recent days the college kids have surfaced. They are pitching tents alongside concerned parents, and boycotting classes outside of the Hong Kong Government headquarters. Their presence is both a relief and a concern to the present state and future of Hong Kong.

Edward Wasserman, 09/19/12

Knight Foundation professor of journalism ethics, Washington and Lee University

If we're not careful, we'll end up not so much protecting originality, but criminalizing routines that are integral to some of the most broadly beneficial practices of contemporary reporting.