But while the judge's landmark ruling protects doctors who provide abortions at all Planned Parenthood clinics throughout the country, she declined to issue a more comprehensive injunction protecting all abortion providers out of deference to two other challenges to the law currently underway in Nebraska and New York. The Bush administration has vowed to appeal any and all adverse rulings, which could involve three separate circuit courts. If there's a split in the rulings of the circuit courts, the case will go to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with Beth Parker, the San Francisco attorney who won the case on behalf of Planned Parenthood. She summarizes the judge's ruling, examines current public support for abortion rights, and what a possible second term for George W. Bush could mean for women seeking abortions.

Contact Planned Parenthood Federation of America at www.plannedparenthood.org

While President Reagan will surely go down in history as an adept politician who was successful in shifting the national debate toward his right-wing agenda, the consequences of his policies deserve close scrutiny. During his 1980 election campaign against Jimmy Carter, Reagan's advisors have been accused of making a deal with the Iranian government to delay the release of American hostages it was holding. In the infamous Iran-Contra affair, Reagan traded arms to Iran in exchange for U.S. hostages held in Lebanon, then diverted funds to his illegal Contra war against Nicaragua. The president, who survived a 1981 assassination attempt, supported Central American death squads and the apartheid regime in South Africa, with which he worked to prosecute a bloody war against Angola. While in office, Reagan also sold arms to Iraq's Saddam Hussein and armed Islamic fundamentalists fighting the Soviet Union in Afghanistan.

In domestic policy, Reagan's tax cuts for the wealthy increased military spending and gutting of programs benefiting the underprivileged, resulted in a widening gap between rich and poor, and record deficits. He will be remembered by many for busting the air traffic controller's union, ignoring the AIDS epidemic and classifying catsup as a vegetable for school lunch programs. Between the Lines' Scott Harris spoke with Robert Jensen, author and professor of journalism at the University of Texas, who takes a critical look at how the U.S. media has portrayed Ronald Reagan and explains why he feels it is important for Americans to have an objective understanding of both the accomplishments and failures of his administration.

Robert Jensen is author of "Citizens of the Empire, The Struggle to Claim our Humanity" is published by City Lights Books. Read his articles online at: www.nowarcollective.com

Related links:

• "The Great Prevaricator: The Reaction from Those of Us Who Came of Age During the Reagan Presidency -- and Found It Inexplicably Horrific," by Geov Parrish, Working for Change, June 8, 2004
• "Reagan Played Decisive Role in Saddam Hussein's Survival in Iran-Iraq War," by the Agence France Presse, June 9, 2004
• "No Praise for Reagan," the Progressive, June 9, 2004
• More links ...

This week's summary
of under-reported news

Compiled by Bob Nixon

• U.N. peacekeeping troops accused of sexually abusing young women in refugee camps in the war-torn Congo. ("Sex and Death in the Heart of Africa," The Independent, May 25, 2004 and reports from the New York Times, June 4 and 5, 2004)
• The Indonesian government has ordered Sidney Jones, regional director of the human rights organization International Crisis Group, to leave the Asian country. Jones' report on the Indonesian military's repression in Aceh, has angered the country's security services. ("Indonesia orders head of Crisis Group to leave," The Financial Times, June 3, 2004)
• International green development groups are blasting the World Bank for pledging limited funding increases to renewable energy projects. ("Greens furious with World Bank over renewable energy commitments," OneWorld.net, June 5, 2004)
  

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Credits:
Senior news editor: Bob Nixon
Program narration: Denise Manzari
News reader: Bill Cosentino
Segment producer: Melinda Tuhus
Distribution: Anna Manzo, Harry Minot, Jeff Yates
Senior Web editor/producer: Anna Manzo
Web producer: Jeff Yates
Newswire editor: Hank Hoffman
Web editor: Bill Cosentino
Executive producer: Scott Harris
Theme music: Mikata