E-mail a friendJanuary 22, 2009
New York Times' chief Washington correspondent David Sanger weighs in on the challenges facing President Obama. Singer-songwriter-producer Akon describes his African roots and explains how he came into the music business with a 10-year plan.
David Sanger
David Sanger
New York Times Washington correspondent assesses President Obama inaugural address. (1:54)
Full interview. (11:05)
David Sanger has been called one of the most trusted correspondents in Washington. In more than two decades at The New York Times, he's covered such issues as foreign policy, nuclear proliferation and the presidency. He's also a two-time member of the paper's Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting teams. Now Chief Washington Correspondent, the Harvard grad previously served as Tokyo bureau chief. Sanger describes the costs of distraction and lost opportunities caused by the Iraq war in his best-selling first book, The Inheritance.
Akon
Akon
Singer-producer talks about the mishap during the release of his collaborative disc with Michael Jackson that upset both of them. (2:09)
Full interview. (13:00)
Praised by The New York Times as a "groundbreaking artist," Akon rose to prominence in '04 with "Trouble"—his debut multi-platinum CD. The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter became the first to ever hold the number one and two spots simultaneously on Billboard's Hot 100 charts twice. He's also much in demand as a guest artist and producer, working with the likes of Eminem and Michael Jackson. The son of a famed jazz musician and raised in Senegal, Akon has impressed both music critics and the disc buying public.