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Danny talks with Stephen Ansolabehere, author of "Going Negative, How Political Advertisements Shrink and Polarize the Electorate" (The Free Press, Simon and Schuster). Ansolabehere says that contrary to popular belief, negative ads don't cause voters to change their minds. In fact, according to one study Ansolabehere and his colleagues completed, negative ads reenforce voters pre-existing political views, with one glaring exception, independents. In this case, Ansolabehere says, negative ads tend to make independents stay home and not vote at all and since independents tend to be the moderating force in elections, the fact that they are discouraged from voting by negative ads may be leading to the polarization of American politics.

With just over a week until the Iowa caucuses, organizers for various candidates are trying to make sure their troops will show up in force for one of the most important early contests for the presidential nomination. NPR's Laura Ziegler reports that for many people in Iowa, the up-close-and-personal nature of the caucus process offers them a chance to meet the candidates and for many, it is the closest encounter they have with representative democracy.

of the first American to die in Bosnia, the implementation of the ceasefire and the de-mobilization of the various factions.

Satirist Harry Shearer gives us a look into the future, when the sale of NFL teams between cities become so numerous that one network, Fox, creates a new program where fans can call in their votes and pledges to get a team or keep a team.

action in California. At issue is an anti-affirmative action initiative. Supporters claim they have enough signatures to get it on the November ballot, but opponents still think the measure can be defeated.

Robert talks to two actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company, who are here in Washington performing "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Kennedy Center. They are Desmond Barrit, who plays Bottom, and Lindsay Duncan, who plays Titantia. Barrit was an accountant until he was 35 years old and then became on actor on a bet.

As part of our continuing election coverage, we have been running excerpts from the standard stump speeches of the Republican presidential candidates. Tonight it's Pat Buchannan's turn.

Linda Gradstein reports that for two Sundays in a row now...terrorist bombs have struck Israel...leaving that country grieving and angry...and unsteadying the always delicate middle east peace process. Last Sunday, twin suicide bombings killed 26 in Israel. Today, a bus bomb in downtown Jerusalem killed at least 19. In response, Prime Minister Shimon Peres today declared war on the militant Hamas organization, which claimed responsibility for the attacks. Peres said Israel would not rest until Hamas has been destroyed.

Linda Gradstein reports from Tel Aviv on the bombing at a busy intersection that left at least a dozen people dead and more than 100 wounded. This is the fourth suicide bombing in 8 days. Splinters groups of the Islamist extremist organization Hamas claimed responsibility for the first two attacks and reportedly for the third.

where today voters are going to the polls.