Diane Rehm: On My Mind

Diana Williams lived a rich life by any measure. She was a wife, a mother, a traveler, and the founder of a job training organization at San Quentin prison in California. But for three decades, Williams was plagued by mysterious symptoms. These included exhaustion, night sweats, brain fog, and throbbing headaches and chills that left her bedridden for days. Specialists diagnosed her with a series of maladies such as multiple sclerosis, Lyme disease, and toxic mold exposure. They prescribed grueling treatments that took up time, money, and ultimately proved unsuccessful. Williams eventually decided enough was enough. In January of this year, she traveled to Dignitas, a “death with dignity” group in Switzerland, and ended her life. In December 2023, just weeks before her “death date,” Williams joined Diane for a conversation about her agonizing choice and why she felt it was so important to tell her story of “a life well lived, a death well planned.”You can read more about Diana Williams’s story in her posthumously published memoir, “Traveling Solo.”

Three years ago, conservative activists took over the school board in a small suburb in Texas. They ended diversity initiatives, rolled back LGBTQ protections, and banned books they said did not reflect their values. Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC News senior investigative reporter, has been following the story ever since. He says what happened in Southlake inspired a movement that threatens to undermine public education in America. Hixenbaugh’s reporting led to the award-winning podcast,Southlake, and the new book “They Came for the Schools.” He joined Diane to talk about one town's fight over race and identity, and the new war for America’s classrooms

About half of American voters say, if given the chance, they would replace both Trump and Biden on the ballot. While nearly two-thirds agree with the statement that “a third major party is needed.” Given the mood of the country, what will the role of third-party candidates be in the 2024 election? Could, say, Robert F. Kennedy, break through? How worried are Trump and Biden about an independent acting as “spoiler” and handing the race to their opponent? Michael Scherer is a national political reporter for the Washington Post. He joins Diane to discuss the ways independent and third-party candidates are affecting the campaign -- and could affect the election.

Will Biden and Trump take the stage? Last week President Biden said he would be willing to debate Donald Trump ahead of this year’s election in November. This came after months of back and forth between the candidates. Biden’s answers had been coy regarding a face off, citing the “behavior” of the former president. This was likely referencing Trump’s frequent interruptions and name calling in their 2020 meetings. Meanwhile the GOP turned this reluctance into a campaign talking point, claiming Biden was afraid to face the former president and the American people. If their commitments to share the stage fall through, this would be the first presidential campaign since 1976 without a debate. But with so many other methods available for candidates to reach potential voters, do debates even matter anymore? “Candidates control so much of the campaign process with their ralies, ads and conventions,” says Mitchell McKinney, dean of the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Akron and an expert on political communication. “We the votes deserve a moment when they are not in control, and debates provide that.” McKinney joins Diane to talk about the past, present, and continued relevance of presidential debates.

Last year was the hottest on record. 2024 is predicted to be another record year. Meanwhile, we are seeing the very real effects of our changing climate in more intense forest fires, and more severe and unpredictable weather. This has pushed the idea of geoengineering -- or deliberately intervening in climate systems -- closer to reality. Christopher Flavelleis a reporter for the New York Times. His work is part of a new series for the paper called “Buying Time,” a look at the risky ways humans are starting to manipulate nature to fight climate change. He joins Diane to talk about the perils and promise of these technologies.

Once a taboo topic, menopause has recently come out of the shadows. Media headlines declare it is “having a moment,” as celebrities like Michelle Obama, Drew Barrymore and Oprah have shared their experiences with “the change.” Even Washington is paying attention. In March, President Biden signed an executive order that funds research into women’s health – including midlife conditions like menopause. “We cannot afford not to address the health issues of women as they age,” says Dr. Sharon Malone, a gynecologist and vocal advocate for menopause awareness. She points out that menopausal women are the fastest growing demographic in the country, 80% of whom will experience menopause related symptoms such as hot flashes, sleeplessness, or anxiety. This is not just a matter of inconvenience, adds Dr. Malone, but left untreated, can lead to more serious conditions like cardiovascular disease. Dr. Malone is the author of a new book titled “Grown Woman Talk.” She calls it a “‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ book for women who plan to live past 40,” referencing the popular pregnancy guide. Dr. Malone joins Diane on this week’s episode of On My Mind to explain why the current attention to menopause is long overdue, and why understanding this phase of life is so critical to a woman’s ability to get – and stay – healthy.

Donald Trump has enjoyed strong support from white Evangelical Christians since his first run for the presidency. But recently, he has made a specific brand of Christianity a centerpiece of his campaign. He repeatedly casts himself as a messiah figure, even comparing his legal troubles to the persecution of Christ. He regularly ends his rallies with prayer. And last week he started hocking a version of the Bible that also includes copies of the founding documents of the United States. “Trump is now wrapping his candidacy around this idea of White Christian Nationalism,” says Robert P. Jones, president and founder of the Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI. He is also author of two books about the relationship between race and religion in the United States, “The Hidden Roots of White Supremacy,” as well as “White Too Long: The Legacy of White Supremacy in American Christianity.” Jones joins Diane on this week’s episode of On My Mind to talk about what’s behind the attempts to build The Church of Trump, and why he sees it as a dangerous development for the country. To find out more about Robert P. Jones and read his latest, visit his blog, “White Too Long”: https://www.whitetoolong.net/.

Donald Trump has made cognitive decline a major issue in this year’s presidential race. On the campaign trail he accuses Biden of impairment, while boasting of his own brilliance. Yet, this line of attack is nothing new. He has long accused rivals of mental frailty, weaponizing the issue of dementia for his own gain. Washington Post investigative reporter Michael Kranish says Trump’s fixation on mental fitness came after years of watching his father’s own experience with Alzheimer’s disease. Kranish joins Diane on today’s episode of On My Mind to discuss Fred Trump’s dementia, Donald Trump’s reaction to it, and what questions we should be asking of our candidates when it comes to cognitive ability. You can read Michael Kranish’s piece about this here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/03/20/donald-trump-dementia-father-fred-alzheimers-biden/