Lest anyone accuse me of conflict-of-interest, let me fully disclose at the outset that this post is both highly self-interested and written to introduce you to a new project with which The Nation is directly involved and invested.

That said, I’m delighted to announce that the new RadioNation show, hosted by author, activist and award-winning radio personality Laura Flanders, debuted on the Air America Radio Network this past weekend in a new collaboration betweenThe Nation, Air America and Laura and her team.

Broadcast live for three hours each Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 to 10:00pm EST, and available online, the show features news and programming from around the country; special remote broadcasts; interviews with Nation writers, editors and Nation Institute journalism fellows; reader call-ins; a weekly journalists’ roundtable; coverage of Nation events; live musical performances and cutting-edge political and cultural commentary.

We’re psyched to also be producing a one-hour version of the new RadioNation, which is being provided free to noncommercial community and college stations. This is a universe in which Laura and her producer Steve Rosenfeld are well-known names. We’re thrilled to be pulling off what to our knowledge is an unprecedented example of a political talk-show bridging the gap between commercial and non-commercial radio.

For general information, click here to check out the show’s website, where you can read the show’s blog, find out where you can hear it live, and listen to it online. This past weekend’s episode featured material from Brooklyn’s “Out of Iraq” event, a journalists’ roundtable with Raw Story‘s Larisa Alexandrovna and The Nation‘s Bruce Shapiro, an interview with former Congressman Chris Bell, who first filed ethics charges against Tom DeLay, and a special commentary by Nation columnist Katha Pollitt.

So listen to the show. I think you’ll like what you hear. And watch the RadioNation site, the EmailNation list and the pages of The Nation for information on upcoming special programming. Head’s up: On January 14 and 15, Laura will be broadcasting live from Salt Lake City, where she’ll meet with the city’s progressive mayor, Rocky Anderson. And on January 21, RadioNation will broadcast live from the Sundance Film Festival in Park City to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute.

Questions for Alito

As the second day of Samuel Alito’s confirmation hearings get underway today, one of the very few things liberals and conservatives agree on regarding Bush’s nominee to replace Sandra Day O’Connor on the Supreme Court is that if Alito is confirmed, the Court is likely to shift to the right, especially on abortion issues and in disputes over the separation of church and state.

Read and circulate The Nation magazine’s Case Against Alito.

Then click here to implore your Senator to vote against the nomination.

We also want to know what you think. If you were a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, what would you ask Samuel Alito about his record and judicial philosophy? Send us your questions, and as the hearings unfold, TheNation.com will publish the best of them.

And watch TheNation.com this week for regular reporting by Bruce Shapiro from the Senate hearings.