A day of political chatter, as I find myself with a different view than US-based pundits of both President Obama’s first year in office and of last night’s Republican victory in the special election for US Senator in Massachusetts. Take your pick from BBC World Service (from start, my contribution from 0:11:45), BBC Radio 5 (1:39:20 mark), BBC Radio Wales (2:37:00), or BBC Radio Scotland (0:40:00).

I spoke on Monday with BBC Radio Five’s “Up All Night” programme, specifically on today’s story that Vice President Dick Cheney ordered the CIA to withhold information from Congress about a CIA counter-terrorism programme, generally on the expansion (sometimes illegal) of Executive power under the George W. Bush Administration. The interview begins at the 17-minute mark of the programme.

I spoke today with BBC Radio 5’s Morning Reports about President Obama’s record so far (I hate the catchphrase “first 100 days”), including his handling of the economic crisis and foreign policy: “This is a man who couldn’t create the waves; he’s had to ride them in terms of foreign policy crises and the economy.”

The interview is at 18:20 in the on-line player.

I’m on air right now with the BBC Radio 5 Breakfast phone-in on torture: not sure what will come out of this, but the outcome will be up later on BBC’s website.