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Newsmaker Lisa Ling's Baby Girl

Our Newsmakers friend Lisa Ling is featured in the most recent edition of US Weekly Magazine, where she introduces us to her baby girl, Jett.  Click here to read more and see photos.  Congrats, Lisa!

Lisa Ling and her husband, Dr. Paul Song (not pictured), welcomed daughter Jett Ling Song on March 8. The couple shared exclusive photos of their daughter in the May 20 issue of Us Weekly.

Newsmaker Sally Ride Will Recieve Posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom

President Obama will honor our Newsmakers friend, the late Dr. Sally Ride, with a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom.  In addition to being the first woman in space, Dr. Ride was a leader in expanding educational opportunities for women in the areas of science and math.  Read more from the Washington Post about this well deserved honor.



Newsmakers on the IRS Scandal: Schieffer, Woodward, Noonan, Bernstein, Brokaw, Carville, Gergen, Gingrich, Leno and Brazile

Washington was buzzing last week with Congressional hearings into why the Internal Revenue Service took an aggressive (and some would say discriminatory) stand against conservative leaning non-profit groups.  Pundits right, left and center have been quick both to criticize the agency itself and the Obama Administration about whom opinions vary insofar as its involvement in the issue.  Newsmakers guests past and future weighed in with their opinion of the scandal and what it might mean to the White House.  See a summary below.



Bob Schieffer's commentary on CBS' Face the Nation
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3460_162-57585200/bob-schieffer-on-dumb-and-dumber-in-washington/


 

Bob Woodward and Peggy Noonan on NBC's Meet the Press
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3032608/#51932107



Peggy Noonan's column for the Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323582904578487460479247792.html



Carl Bernstein on MSNBC's Morning Joe
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/carl-bernstein-irs-watergate-91244.html?hp=r3




Tom Brokaw on MSNBC's Morning Joe
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/13/tom-brokaw-obama-irs_n_3266355.html?utm_hp_ref=media



Dan Rather on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/vp/51885751#51885751



James Carville on MSNBC
http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/05/16/james-carville-outlines-scandal-survival-plan-for-president-obama/



David Gergen on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/14/gergen-irs-scandal-not-a-partisan-issue/?hpt=ac_mid



Newt Gingrich on NPR and MSNBC
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/17/newt-gingrich-gop-overreach_n_3292962.html

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/newt-gingrich-irs-scandal-obamacare-91245.html



Jay Leno's interview with Mitt Romney on NBC's Tonight Show

http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/mitt-romney-on-irs-scandal/n37047/



Donna Brazile's column appearing in various newspapers
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130518/OPINION03/130519281/donna-brazile-a-bipartisan-solution-to-a-partisan-scandal

Join the Lesher Foundation in Restoring the Mount Diablo Beacon--Your Contribution Will be Matched

The Lesher Foundation is making a $50,000 challenge grant to Save Mt. Diablo for their project to restore the beacon on the mountain.  The beacon is an important part of our county history, and we hope you will consider partnering with us to restore it.  Click here for more information on how you can contribute.  Also read the column about the effort in the Contra Costa Times from our Newsmakers friend Tom Barnidge at http://www.mercurynews.com/top-stories/ci_23249883/barnidge-mount-diablo-beacon-needs-little-help-from

Save Mount Diablo logo

HBO's "Manhunt" Based on Newsmaker Peter Bergen's Book About Bin Laden

HBO has unveiled the documentary Manhunt about the search for Osama bin Laden.  The film is running all month on the cable network and is based on the book by our Newsmakers friend, CNN Terrorism Analyst Peter Bergen.  The movie features some of Bergen's famous interview with the world's foremost terrorist.  Read more about the film from the New York Times

Hacker Leaks Upcoming Book From Newsmaker Candace Bushnell

The same hacker who tapped into President Bush's email has reportedly also made a victim of our Newsmakers friend, Candace Bushnell, sharing with the public portions of her upcoming book.  Read more from the Los Angeles Times.
   

Newsmaker Robert Ballard Leads Establishment of National Oceans Endowment

Our Newsmakers friend, famed oceanographer Robert Ballard, used his influence to sway the U.S. Senate last week with the establishment of the National Endowment for the Oceans.  Read more about the Senate vote and Ballard's role in the New York Daily News.   


 

National Tribute to Newsmaker Sally Ride Next Week

NASA will be convening a star-studded lineup (pun intended) in the nation's capitol next week to pay tribute to our Newsmakers friend, the late Dr. Sally Ride.  Dr. Ride gave one of the Lesher Speaker Series' most memorable presentations back in 2007 when she shared her shuttle photos and her views on women and science.  Read more about the upcoming tribute to America's first woman in space here

Newsmaker Schieffer Interviews Newsmaker Angelou

Two Lesher Speaker Series alumni shared a national stage yesterday as Bob Schieffer interviewed Maya Angelou for a special Mother's Day segment on CBS' Face the Nation.  Click here to watch.

 

Newsmaker Maya Angelou Celebrates Motherhood

Our Newsmakers friend Dr. Maya Angelou celebrates motherhood and the role of her mom in her most recent book.  Read an interview with her in the Washington Post as part of your Mother's Day.

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