May 28, 1996 - Midday’s Gary Eichten talks with Ann McBride, president and CEO of Common Cause, a non-partisan citizens' lobby organization dealing with issues of money in politics, government ethics, and government responsibility. The organization's current focus is campaign finance reform and special interest influence. McBride also answers listeners questions.
May 20, 1996 - Midday speaks with Minnesota 8th District Congressman Jim Oberstar, whose in the studio to talk about aviation safety, the BWCA, the congressional debate over the budget, and more. Oberstar, the senior member of Minnesota's congressional delegation, also answers listener questions.
May 16, 1996 - Midday presents Nobel Prize-winning writer Toni Morrison speaking as the distinguished Carlson lecturer at the University of Minnesota. Morrison’s speech was entitled “Mutual Hesitancies,” looking at the relationship between fiction and history.
May 13, 1996 - Midday puts the focus on education as MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews David Berliner, professor at Arizona State University and author of the book The Manufactured Crisis: Myths, Fraud, and the Attack on America's Public Schools. Berliner also answers listener questions.
May 10, 1996 - Bill Kling, president of Minnesota Public Radio, and Steve Rothschild, MPR board member, discuss a Minnesota Attorney General investigation into executive compensation, other financial matters at MPR, and its affiliated for-profit companies. They express their concern on perceptions and misunderstanding of organization’s funding. Kling and Rothschild also answer listener questions.
May 8, 1996 - Midday presents a special Talk of Minnesota program to hear the views of Minnesota Public Radio listeners on the proposed cut in the federal gas tax repeal and energy conservation in general.
May 6, 1996 - Midday examines land mines and their disastrous effects. In the first half of the program, a rebroadcast of the Minnesota Public Radio documentary about about efforts to clear land mines in Cambodia called A Plague of Plastic Soldiers. Afterwards, a call-in program about land mines and defense and military procurement issues with David Evans, director of National Defense Issues for Business Executives for National Security.
May 3, 1996 - Midday examines proposals to change the way campaign advertising is done with guests Dean Alger, political science professor and member of the Minnesota Compact Coalition; and Sarah Janecek, co-author of the newsletter "Politics in Minnesota."
May 2, 1996 - Midday presents Scott Cook, the Founder and Chairman of Intuit, speaking at Minnesota Meeting held at Hilton in downtown Minneapolis. Cook’s address was titled "Buying and Selling in Cyberspace: The Future of Electronic Commerce and Financial Services in the Information Age." After speech, Cook answers audience questions.
April 25, 1996 - Midday presents a live broadcast of the Westminster Town Hall Forum, featuring author and Washington Post editorialist Juan Williams. Williams talks about the absence of the issue of race in presidential politics.