Letter from America by Alistair Cooke: The Bush Sr Years (1989-1992)

The realities of unlimited immigration, andthe movement that proposes to make English the official language of the United States.

Casablanca's impact and the effect the film had on cinema audiences of 1942 are remembered by Alistair Cooke on its 50th anniversary.

A month on from the presidential election, Alistair Cooke anticipates the effect that a new president, and a boost in public confidence, will have on the economy.

Following the death of Millicent Fenwick in September, Alistair Cooke profiles the late Congresswoman and details the female additions to the Senate in 1992.

Why a change of president does not necessarily mean a shift in power, and why it takes so long to move in, and out, of the White House.

Complex methods for predicting presidential election results, and the effect Ross Perot had on the outcome, are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The tendency of journalists flock to Washington to hear the result of an election and the rejection of the blue blazer for jeans by President-elect, Bill Clinton.

The 1992 Presidential election, the dangers of predicting the outcome of the vote and a look to history for examples of election certainty.

The business of sport, and an embarrassing incident involving the Canadian flag are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The legacy of Christopher Columbus is examined by Alistair Cooke. Should he be regarded as a hero or an enslaving villain?

The history of electoral debates from Lincoln to Clinton and the power of public perception in the run up to the 1992 US presidential election.

The modern author as touring book salesman, the autobiography of Gulf War General H Norman Schwarzkopf and a potential scandal for President Bush.

Some notable entries from a dictionary of 20th Century history leave Alistair Cooke wondering if the upcoming election will feature in a future edition.

The UK withdraws from the European Exchange Rate Mechanism after Black Wednesday, and the way in which the US allocates powers and responsibilities to individual states.

The political situation in Burma, a proclamation by Reverend Pat Robertson, and Senator Quentin Burdick of North Dakota.

The closure of the Smith-Corona factory in Syracuse, New York, the financial troubles of US manufacturers and strategies for survival in an age of free trade.

Remembering his time aboard a ship travelling in extreme weather conditions from England to New York, Alistair Cooke anticipates the beginning of the 1992 hurricane season.

The effect that party conventions have on opinion polls, and the contenders for the Republican nomination are reviewed by Alistair Cooke.

A look at the political career of the presidential advisor and former US Defense Secretary, Clark Clifford, following Clark's recent indictment in connection with the BCCI scandal.

Ross Perot withdraws from the 1992 presidential race, the mystery surrounding his exit, and one tiny, fatal slip during Perot's speech to the NAACP.

Three dramatic party conventions from the past, and how the system of choosing a presidential candidate has evolved.

The role of Canada within the UN peacekeeping force, the need to compare foreign democracies, and the insular nature of the US debate on abortion.

The idea of sportsmanship and the battle against the steroids which can help fulfil athletic ambitions in the approach to the Barcelona Olympic Games .

The law surrounding extradition and the relationship between freedom of speech and racism, following two prominent Supreme Court rulings.

A recollection of the first gathering of the UN, the celebrity journalists who covered the meeting; Joan Stitt McMenamin, the outgoing headmistress of Nightingale-Bamford School.

How the military downsizing will impact on employment, and the opposition to President Bush's proposals at the recent Earth Summit in Rio 1992.

The rise of Ross Perot, the American dissatisfaction with the two party system and how President Bush planned to win back the White House.

Businessman Ross Perot runs for American presidency. Alistair Cooke analyses the man who founded Electronic Data Systems and owned General Motors.

With the riots in Los Angeles over, Alistair Cooke describes the conclusions drawn by Vice-President Quayle following the violence, and questions the priorities of the White House.

The latest mission of the space shuttle Endeavour, and what President Bush will have to do to improve his approval rating following the Gulf War, are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

The Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, Jack Kemp's work, and the social problems faced by the large cities of the United States.

Following the conclusion of trial of the police officers accused of beating Rodney King, Cooke details the violent disturbances in Los Angeles happening in the wake of the verdict.

The mixed emotions felt by the Americans and Spanish towards Christopher Columbus, and the work of science fiction writer Isaac Asimov.

Following the income tax declaration deadline of April 15th, Alistair Cooke examines the case of Leona Helmsley, a wealthy New York hotelier accused of tax fraud.

The potential perils of a large welfare state and how one presidential candidate, Ross Perot, is proposing to reduce government spending, discussed by Alistair Cooke.

Why Senator Warren Rudman quit, the importance of 9th July to the Army of Northern Virginia, and the story of Sir Lionel Sackville-West, Ambassador to America in 1888.

The differing attitudes of French and American politicians towards immigration and the expectations of a brand new US citizen, examined by Alistair Cooke.

The US Presidential campaign, and the ethics of the closure of the bank of the House of Representatives.

The presidential tenure of Richard Nixon and his diplomatic activities after leaving office.

Following the New Hampshire primary, Alistair Cooke profiles Republican candidate Pat Buchanan, and asks whether a vote for Buchanan is really a vote against George Bush.

The allegations made against Judge Clarence Thomas, and the fate of the journalists who brought the story to the public consciousness.

Executive Order 9066, Franklin D Roosevelt's presidential order that authorised the removal of all Japanese living in California in February 1942, remembered.

Alistair Cooke assesses the candidates for the upcoming New Hampshire primary elections, including Democrats Clinton and Tsongas, and Republicans Bush and Buchanan.

Following a recent opinion poll on the significance of the major events of 1991, Alistair Cooke looks back on the previous year and examines the top American choices on the list.

The proposed cuts to the United States defence budget, and the wide spectrum of reactions from both Republicans and Democrats, discussed by Alistair Cooke.

Governor Bill Clinton, the front runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, and the scrutinizing of his personal undertakings.

The successes and failures of Operation Desert Storm a year on , along with the story of political activist Angela Davis.

American and Japanese relations over the years, a history of Japanese trade, and how General MacArthur shaped modern Japan.

American public schools and their limitations, and how one educator from Alabama, Kevin Welch, is at war with developmental psychologists, discussed by Alistair Cooke.

Considering extended awareness of American issues in Britain, how similar the economic and social concerns of the two countries have become and thoughts on Alzheimer's disease.

Alan Greenspan confirms a US recession despite the Bush administration's refusal to recognise it, attention turns to domestic policy and fear of nuclear weapons on the loose.

Would US libel law have prevented Robert Maxwell from blocking examination of his business dealings? Alistair Cooke compares the differences between US and English libel law.

Senator Joe Biden's echoing of a speech by Neil Kinnock, the effect on his presidential campaign in 1987, and the danger of a politician speaking out of turn in the digital age.

A fall in the confidence of President Bush's handling of the economy, the suspension of Congress in 1991, and the diaries of James Agate.

A profile of David Duke, the former Grand Wizard of the Knights of the Klu Klux Klan running for the governorship of Louisiana as a Republican in 1991.

The unfailing luck of George H W Bush, and the failure of the Democrats to capitalise on the president's poor performance on the economy and hesitance towards domestic issues.

Memories of British publisher Robert Maxwell (1923-1991) and Double Indemnity actor Fred MacMurray (1908-1991).

Why the Federal Trade Commission decided to ban the sight of tobacco brand names on TV after the 1991 World Baseball Series between the Minnesota Twins and the Atlanta Braves.

The 1991 Cambodian peace treaty is signed in Paris. Alistair Cooke compares the rehabilitation of dictator Pol Pot to Cuba's Fidel Castro and Iraq's Saddam Hussein.

Examining Anita Hill's sexual harassment allegations against President Bush's new choice for the Supreme Court, Judge Clarence Thomas, and defining sexual harassment in US law.

President Bush's attempts to reform US education, the impossibility of defining an average American family, and sexuality among schoolchildren.

A look at the strained relations between Israel and the US, the plight of refugees in the Middle East, and the global misconception about the state of US finances.

The trial of former Marine Colonel, Oliver North, over the sale of arms to Iran which resulted in the 1986 Iran-Contra scandal, shows how key witness immunity can devastate cases.

An orgy of tv trials awaiting the American public and the surrogate trials that go under the name of Congressional Committee hearings are discussed.

President George H W Bush's ratings for re-election are boosted by the Gorbachev coup. Cooke compares his invulnerability with that of Winston Churchill.

After the Soviet coup to overpower Gorbachev, America is now wondering who is in charge of the nuclear arsenal.

Gennady Yanayev and the Gang of Eight grab for power in the 1991 August coup against Gorbachev. Cooke explores how the popularity of Boris Yeltsin inevitably caused their downfall.

Could the United Nations' economic sanctions have crippled Saddam Hussein? Plus, how personal boycotts enable consumers to become socially responsible.

Mayor of New York City, David Dinkins, opens his doors to the public to hear their solutions to social problems such as drugs, homelessness and crime.

Is President George H W Bush unbeatable in the next election? Alistair Cooke considers his Desert Storm glory verses chronic social problems at home.

The Bank of Credit and Commerce International scandal is heightened when Mr Major dares Mr Kinnock to use the word "liar" in the House of Commons.

How commentators around the world now view Mr Gorbachev, and his attendence of the 17th G7 summit held in London.

American 'know how' and the rise of stress related illnesses in both America and Britain are discussed by Alistair Cooke.

How Serbian Gavrilo Princip, the murderer of Arch Duke Franz Ferdinand of Austro-Hungary, destroyed the empire and instigated the First World War in one shot.

Nude dancing in the state of Indiana causes the American Supreme Court to question the violation of the 1st Amendment, and the obscenity of publicly exhibiting genitalia.

Yeltsin's visit contrasts to one he made in '89 when the US favoured Gorbachev. A bizarre encounter with Senator William Cohen of Maine, and an end to the trials of Oliver North.

Michael Weiss' research into zip codes can determine the books you read, the car you drive and how you like your eggs in the morning. Alistair Cooke finds out how.

The American Department of Defence's publication of Iraqi casualties from the Gulf War leads Alistair Cooke to explore the uses and abuses of the Freedom of Information Act.

The social injustice which sparked riots in Tompkins Square Park in 1988, and how the social acceptibilty of homelessness has changed over the years.

Public smoking restrictions get Alistair Cooke investigating how the Food and Drug Administration are protecting the public health and he turns his eye on cholesterol.

President Bush's heart surgery causes a wave of media panic and scrutiny to fall on Vice-President Dan Quayle.

A May Day parade in Moscow gives Alistair Cooke a curious topic to discuss with UN Soviet Ambassador Andrei Gromyko before considering cummunists in America.

An unauthorised biography of ex-pesident's wife, Mrs Reagan makes Alistair Cooke question how gossip becomes news, whilst President Bush struggles to defend his Gulf War.

Gorbachev's visit to Japan to encourage investment is stalled by Soviet ownership of the Kuril Islands. Plus, a 1958 meeting between Soviet leader Mr. Khrushchev and Richard Nixon.

President George H W Bush has to defend his Gulf War actions against Saddam Hussein as the American public debate whether troops should have been sent to Saudi Arabia.

How CNN's constant Gulf War coverage has led to a post war malaise amongst some of the viewing public.

Gorbachev's banning of a Yeltsin rally in Moscow worries Alistair Cooke before he reflects on a rift between President Bush and General Schwarzkopf.

April Glaspie, American Ambassador to Iraq, is called to explain her pre-war conversations with Saddam Hussein. Could her words have aided the start of the 1990/1 Persian Gulf War?

J M Keynes' economic cure for President Roosevelt was to borrow and spend, but with pressing social problems and limited funds, how will Congress split their 1992 budget?

The Gulf War (1990-91) is over and President Bush Snr basks in its glory, but Cooke reflects on the fickle nature of opinion polls and whether public approval will be sustainable.

Kuwait, Riyadh and Baghdad are now known all over America. Alistair Cooke reflects on how war has added new locations to the public conscience.

Water conservation in Los Angeles, the first couples register their domestic partnerships in San Francisco, and Churchill's refusal of the term "impaired combatant personel".

In times of war how much care-free behaviour should we indulge in? Alistair Cooke ponders on what classifies as indecent behaviour.

Fears of terrorist attacks have reduced the number of people flying. Alistair Cooke considers if the Gulf War has exacerbated the situation and whether extra security is needed.

Should news from the Gulf War be censored? Alistair Cooke explores how public support for the war changes with each news report.

Whilst Saddam Hussein's Scud missiles attack Israel, Alistair Cooke considers how the 24/7 spontaneous news coverage is being viewed by both the allies and the Iraqis.

Aerial bombs dropping on Kuwait signal the start of the Gulf war. Reports of Operation Desert Storm reveal how the age of the instant satellite communication affects broadcasting.

Examining the iconic airline Pan Am's rise and fall, whilst considering how the US constitution has enforced tax payment and may protect a woman's right to strip.

Does legal firearm ownership increase the number of murders in America? Alistair Cooke reflects on what is causing the high volume of murders in New York City.