Six decades have now passed since the Berlin Wall first went up, not only dividing a nation, but also becoming a globally-recognized symbol of government oppression. On August 13, 1961, the government of East Germany began construction on a barrier surrounding the Allied-controlled West Berlin to stem mass migration from the Soviet-controlled East. In 1987,…
Category: Politics and Government
Race Day: Marathon, historic election generate buzz in Germany’s capital city
Two big races are drawing crowds of people to Germany’s capitol city Sunday — the annual BMW Berlin Marathon and a historic parliamentary election that will decide who succeeds Angela Merkel as chancellor. More than 25 thousand runners and other athletes from all over the world are weaving through the city, with spectators and supporters…
WATCH: Final day of campaigning in Germany’s parliamentary elections
Lane Luckie has a look at the final day of campaigning ahead of German’s federal parliament elections on Sunday.
Lingering East-West division in Germany highlighted by economic issues
This August marked 60 years since the Berlin Wall first went up, creating a physical barrier between East and West Germany. Despite the wall coming down nearly three decades later, a lagging economy in parts of the former East are creating new divisions. Wages, unemployment, and GDP are lower in the former communist East Germany,…
Talking Politics: Analyzing Texas election outcomes with international journalists
With a historic voter turnout in Texas during an unprecedented pandemic, the 2020 general election will likely be studied for years. President Donald Trump garnered roughly 600 thousand more votes in the Lone Star State than Democratic challenger Joe Biden, upending pundits’ predictions that Texas would turn “blue.” Democrats did make in-roads, expanding their reach…
Fmr. Ambassador reflects on George HW Bush’s role in German reunification
As the world marks 30 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall, a former diplomat is reflecting on his tenure as the first U.S. ambassador to Germany following reunification. Robert M. Kimmitt held the post from 1991 to 1993, though his ties to Europe predate his birth. Like 20 percent of Americans, Kimmitt traces…
Economists at Chinese think-tank predict American consumers to feel trade war effects by year’s end
The U.S. trade deficit with China is up for a second straight month and one group of Chinese economists predicts the ongoing trade friction between the two countries will continue to intensify. Citing the numerous U.S. businesses that manufacture products in China, economists at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges proposed this week that…
Tyler closer to formalizing sister city relationship in China
A city in southwest China is closer to being named the sixth official sister city of Tyler. The Tyler Sister Cities program is exploring a new partnership with Qujing, a city of more than six million residents located in southwestern China, located about 700 miles west of Hong Kong. Earlier this year, the Tyler City…
Legendary political consultant, journalist, professor heading into retirement
What a great privilege to spend an evening celebrating my former professor, Raymond Strother. The famed political consultant, author and journalist is retiring as the Erbon & Marie Wise Endowed Chair in Journalism at Northwestern State University. The university held a retirement reception for Strother on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at the NSU Alumni Center….
WATCH: Wisconsin’s State Capitol, a monument on the isthmus
The Wisconsin State Capitol features the only granite dome in the United States. Click here to take a look around.
Reporter’s Notes: Lessons learned in Germany
As I stepped off the platform onto my train to the Frankfurt Airport, my world seemed to transform into a slow motion flood of memories. After three weeks in Germany as a fellow with the RIAS Berlin Commission, this life experience had just become my standard by which all others will be measured. Gazing out…
Germans take to social media to create traditions for national holiday
Germans have reason to celebrate Tuesday as the country marks 27 years since East and West Germany were peacefully reunified, forming the Federal Republic of Germany. Though the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, the task of joining two countries didn’t go into effect until nearly a year later, with the adoption of the German…
WATCH: History and transparency converge in Germany’s Bundestag building
Built in 1894, Germany’s Reichstag building now features a glass dome symbolizing transparency in government. Click here to watch a tour.
WATCH: Berlin crowd protests right-wing AfD party after 2017 parliamentary election
Click the video below to watch Lane’s report from Alexanderplatz.
WATCH: 2017 German federal election results & reaction
Lane Luckie reports from SPD party headquarters in Berlin, Germany after the Social Democrats’ historic loss in the 2017 Bundestag elections. Click the video below to watch.
Fmr. Texas senator addresses N. Korea threats in first month as NATO ambassador
Kay Bailey Hutchison, the former U.S. Senator from Texas, is stepping into a new role on the international stage as tensions continue to escalate between the U.S. and North Korea. Hutchison was sworn in as the U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, on August 15, and has spent much of her first…
KLTV anchor Lane Luckie to participate in broadcast journalist exchange abroad
I am embarking on an immersive learning opportunity that I suspect will become the standard by which all others will be measured in my life.
An unfamiliar place: Making sense of the current political landscape
Time and again the current presidential campaign has defied tradition, shedding any familiarity to previous election cycles. After a brutal primary season for candidates, the two presidential nominees and their running mates are ramping up the rhetoric. The next 100 days are sure to mired in mudslinging, with more tweets, nicknames, and distractions from the…
Texas DMV rejects hundreds of ‘indecent, vulgar’ personalized license plates
Picking a personalized Texas license plate isn’t a free-for-all. The Department of Motor Vehicles uses very specific criteria for reviewing vanity plate requests, resulting in more than 1,600 rejected requests. Car enthusiasts at Saturday’s ‘Classic Cars & Art in the Park’ in Mineola are very familiar with the application process. Dozens of hot rods, rat…
WATCH: CNN’s Candy Crowley joins GMET for Presidential Debate analysis
Click here to watch CNN’s Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley join Good Morning East Texas for a preview the October 16, 2012 presidential debate.
WATCH: Members of Congress remember Charlie Wilson
Click here to watch my coverage of memorial services for East Texas congressman Charlie Wilson.
Larger than life: Remembering Congressman Charlie Wilson
The outpouring of comments, calls, and e-mails made it quite apparent that most every East Texan had at least some memory of Charlie Wilson’s influence. Following his death from cardiac arrest on February 10, 2010, everyone I came in contact with had an opinion of some sort. Many recalled the first time they met Wilson….
Camera cops are watching our streets
In the blink of an eye, you’ve not only run a red light, but now you’re facing a automatic traffic ticket. Since moving to East Texas, it’s been hard to find an intersection that doesn’t have a set of electronic eyes watching and waiting for a car to run the red. Photo-enforced intersections aren’t as new as you’d…
>Live Election Chat
Lane Luckie will be answering your Election 2008 questions and hosting discussions about the issues important to you. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take part in this special election chat! Update 3:36 AM Wednesday: Election 2008 Chat has been closed for the evening. Thanks to those who participated!
Voting is becoming big business for non-partisan companies
Can you measure the value of a vote? Does each one really count? Obviously in 2008, a person’s right to vote is held in high regard. With two days left until the election, early and absentee voting numbers have been staggering. This trend will probably carry over into the turnout numbers for the general election. Do…
One State, Two State, Red State, Blue State
What will likely be remembered as one of the longest and most unpredictable presidential races in history is nearing an end. With absentee voting already underway, voter turnout could reach levels exceeding the record turnout in the 1960 presidential election between John Kennedy and Richard Nixon. Until recently, this campaign cycle actually focused on issues, rather…
“…And I approve this message.”
Blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other new media have assumed a more prominent role in the 2008 Presidential election. Barack Obama is touting more than a million Facebook friends and John McCain is capitalizing on his “Original Maverick” brand of advertising. This historic campaign is unlike any that we’ve seen in recent history, with a number…
Governor Jindal vetoes legislative pay raise
Today, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal vetoed Senate Bill 672, which would have more than doubled the salaries of state legislators. The bill would have increased legislator’s pay from $16 thousand a year to over $37 thousand. Sponsored by Senator Ann Duplessis of New Orleans, the bill originally proposed tripling legislator pay. That proposition was later…
NBC News’ Tim Russert dead at 58
I just learned of the death of Tim Russert, long-time moderator of NBC’s Meet the Press. As we approach Father’s Day on Sunday, I can’t help but think of the many stories I remember hearing in interviews about his close relationship with his father. This is certainly very sad news for journalists, young and old….
Raymond Strother: The Father of Political Consulting
Using the word “colorful” to describe Louisiana’s political scene has become so cliché. With grandiose political personalities in every corner of the country from Senator Robert Byrd, to Governor Schwarzenegger and Senators Larry Craig and Ted Kennedy, Louisiana isn’t the only state with famous politicians. Louisiana, however, still maintains control of its own style of…
More than 50 thousand demonstrators pack tiny Louisiana town
Thousands of marchers gathered in Jena, Louisiana on Thursday to rally support for Mychal Bell, one of six black students initially charged with attempted murder for the beating of a white classmate. Charges were eventually dropped against five of the teens, while Bell still sits behind bars awaiting trial. I traveled to Jena with my crew…
Day 13: And the winner is…
I’ve always been a huge history buff. Whether it’s the Articles of Confederation, the Lincoln presidency or World War II, I’m fascinated. Being interested in history plays a huge role in why I’m studying to become a journalist. Watching current events unfold before my eyes each day and being able to share this news with countless others is exactly what drives…
