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Robert talks to poet Catherine Bowman about the work of Czeslaw Milosz, 84-year-old poet and Nobel Laureate.(8:00) Funder 0:29 XPromo 0:29 CUTAWAY 1B 0:29 RETURN1 0:29 NEWS 2:59 NEWS 1:59 THEME MUSIC 0:29 1C 6. RETURN TO KIKWIT. NPR's Michael Skoler visits Kikwit, Zaire almost a year after the ebola (ee-BOH-lah) epidemic broke out there. The virus appeared in May last year and is usually fatal. The epidemic was stopped but left 244 people dead. Scientists from the U-S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are testing samples of tens of thousands of insects and animals taken from the forest where the virus originated but still have not found the source. Hospital workers in Kikwit are still reluctant to treat patients, and while many people have overcome their fear of the disease, there remain superstitions and misinformation among the population.

Daniel talks with Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa about the grueling and dehumanizing nature of campaigning in the presidential caucus in his state.

Daniel talks wtih Dr. John Wennberg of Dartmouth Medical School about a recent study which found that medical care varies dramatically depending on what part of the country your in. The lesson, Wennberg says, is that America doesn't have a health care "system" and that many of the medical decisions made are due to supply and not demand.

Danny talks with NPR's Lynn Neary, who attended a meeting of conservative Christian voters in Memphis, Tennessee today. All the presidential contenders from both parties were invited to attend, but President Clinton, and more interestingly, Bob Dole, did not show up. Lynn says that Dole, who said he had a scheduling conflict, may have stayed away because he is not terribly popular among conservative Christian voters...or because he may not believe he needs their support to capture the Republican nomination for presidency.

Actress Audrey Meadows, who starred with Jackie Gleason in the hit television show "The Honeymooners" died today of cancer. She was 71. We have this remeberence.

NPR's Jon Greenberg reports that the weather continues to plague parts of the country. Today is was flooding in Pennsylvania and Ohio, among other places; and sub-zero temperatures in northern states such as Minnesota.

Dean Olsher has an appreciation of jazz artist Gerry Mulligan, a baritone saxophonist who died yesterday. He was 68.

Commentator Andrei Codrescu offers his thoughts on Harrah's Casino, now being built in the heart of New Orleans. Construction of the casino is snarling traffic, confounding politicians and, Andrei says, giving "the moralists among us a reason to shake our heads".

Yasser Arafat has won yesterday's Palestinian elections, and Danny talks about the vote, and the future of relations between Palestinians and Israelis with former President Jimmy Carter. Carter headed a team of election observers who were in Israel for the balloting.

On Tuesday, President Clinton delivers the state of the union address. Danny looks back at the history of the speech with Wayne Fields, author of a new book called "Union of Words: A History of Presidential Eloquence." We hear excerpts of past state of the union addresses by FDR, LBJ, Ronald Reagan, and Clinton.

NPR's Mandalit Del Barco reports from Los Angeles on Congresswoman Andrea Seastrand's return home to California to visit with her constituents. Seastrand is one of the 73 freshman Republicans in Congress. And like many of her colleagues, Seastrand is now worried how the budget stalemate might impact her re-election campaign this fall.

Reporter Chris Arnold visits the Pajaro Valley School District in California, where the white, wealthy town of Aptos (AP-toss) wants to set up a separate school district, which would leave out the poor, largely-Latino town of Watsonville. Aptos parents and some school officials say they could get better quality education for their students in a smaller, less bureaucratic setting, but many residents feel this split will tear their community in two at a point when Latino and white students should be encouraged to mix. The hurt feelings in the district is something many schools are going through in California and elsewhere as parents and educators look for avenues to improve education thru local control.

Commentator Marion Winik explains her dislike of shopping and her inability to do it well.

New York Times Sports and City columnist Robert Lipsyte comments on plans for inter-league professional baseball. He says the prospect of teams from the American and National leagues playing one another regularly will rekindle fans' waning love affair with the game.

Just a week ago political pundits were saying that the era of retail politics -- of candidates shaking hands and knocking on doors --- had been eclipsed once and for all by television advertising. But as the architect of the new model, Steve Forbes, stumbles out of Iowa, New Hampshire voters are questioning his decision to forgo a grassroots campaign. Leda Hartman of New Hampshire Public Radio reports.

NPR's Sunni Khalid reports from Cairo on the violence wracking the island of Bahrain, a strategic station for US military forces. Anti-government Shiites, reportedly with ties to Iran, have been waging a campaign of arson and bomb attacks, raising concern that Iran is helping destabilize the Gulf.

Former congressman Kweisi Mfume officially takes over as president of the NAACP (N-DOUBLE-A-C-P) today. He's being sworn-in in style, with President Clinton presiding, in the Great Hall of the Justice Department. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports.

President Clinton says he will sign a Defense Bill containing provisions the president has opposed, including requiring the military to discharge service members who carry the AIDS virus. NPR's Mara Liasson reports.

Robert Siegel speaks with Keven Willey, a political columnist with The Arizona Republic, about the upcoming Republican primary. She says that 55% of the voters are undecided, and the race is wide open.

Commentator Mickey Edwards says Pat Buchanan cannot lead the Republican Party to victory in November. He says the party had better wake up to that fact and nominate somebody who is electable, or face the probability of another four years of Bill Clinton in the White House.