Conversations w/Great Minds: Greg Grandin, Kissinger’s Shadow: The Long Reach of America’s Most Controversial Statesman/History Department-NY University joins Thom. Besides Richard Nixon - the president he served as both National Security Advisor and Secretary of State - there is probably no more controversial modern American political figure than Henry Kissinger. Reviled on the left and admired by many on the right - his legacy is to this day the subject of fierce debate. But whether you love him or hate him - there's one thing most people agree about when it comes to Henry Kissinger - that he's the ultimate cold and calculating statesman - a man of realpolitik. That’s the stereotype - at least.

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In this week's Conversations With Great Minds we'll meet a true pioneer who may well help revolutionize your relationship with our healthcare system. For tonight's Conversations with Great Minds I am joined by Dr. Peter Beilenson. He currently heads up the Health Deparment in Howard County, Maryland where he and his team have launched the Healthy Howard Intiative - a program that joins individuals, businesses, schools, community organizations and government to ceate and make accessible healthy alternatives in many different aspects of daily life for county residents. For 13 years he served as the Health Commissioner of Baltimore City in Maryland where his vision led to expanded drug treatment programs, improved immunization compliance, a wide range of extremely effective lead poisoning prevention initiatives, juvenile violence prevention, and the creation of the state-wide initiative for universal health coverage in Maryland called "Health Care for All" He is also the founder of "The Evergreen Project" - an initiative that was inspired by a provision in the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and seeks to create healthcare co-ops that cut costs to both patients and providers while making sure that excellent health care is avaialble to communities. Dr. Beilenson was chosen as an Utne Reader visionary in 2011 - joining a distinguished list of individuals who - as described by the Editors of the publication - "are world visionaries who don't just concoct great ideas but also act on them."

For tonight's Conversation with Great Minds - Thom is joined by Jeff Cohen. Jeff is the founding director of the Park Center for Independent Media at Ithaca College - where he is an associate professor of journalism. The former senior producer for MSNBC's "Donahue" program - he has appeared as a political commentator in national media and helped found both the media watchdog group FAIR -- Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting -- as well as the activism site RootsAction.org. Jeff's most recent book is "Cable News Confidential: My Misadventures in Corporate Media."

Thom is joined by Jeff Shesol, author, Supreme Power: Franklin Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court. He'll talk about how President Obama may be soon facing a crisis with the Supreme Court like one Franklin Roosevelt took on - and how it may play out. To watch this conversation again - as well as other Conversations with Great Minds - go to our website at www.conversationswithgreatminds.com

For tonight's Conversations with Great Minds - Thom Hartmann is joined by blogger - political commentator - and author Keli Goff. You've probably seen her on several television programs - offering up her political and cultural insight on CNN - MSNBC - Fox - and BET. And her writing has been featured in Time magazine - Cosmpolitan - and Essence - as well as the New York Times and USA Today. Her first book - "Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence" received critical acclaim documenting the rise of "Generation Obama." And her most recent book - out just this year - a fictional work entitled "The GQ Candidate" has been labeled a recommended summer read by the Los Angeles Times. Currently she is a contributing editor and columnist to "TheLoop21.com" - and a contributor to the Huffington Post

Thom has an in depth conversation with Larry Beinhart, Fulbright Fellow, author of numerous books (both fiction & non-fiction) and screenplays. His novel "American Hero" was adapted for the screen as "Wag The Dog" starring Robert DeNiro...his latest book "Salvation Boulevard" - currently in production - is scheduled for release in 2011 stars Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear.

Dr. Douglas Rushkoff, "Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now" joins Thom Hartmann.Our addiction to cell phones, tablets and other high-tech gadgets has caused us to start living for the moment - and to lose our sense of a past and future. How can we better adapt to a high-tech world - and strike a balance between living in the now - and living with a past and future?