Amy Goodman does L.A.

The strident host of Pacifica Radio's "Democracy Now" show brings her book tour to Wilshire Boulevard tonight, but first the Times' Greg Braxton weighs in with a Calendar section (meaning subscribers only) advancer. First stop: the Cal State Fresno student center.

Surveying the scene from the back were frowning fire marshals who moments earlier had threatened to shut down Goodman's lecture, as well as event organizers who had not expected the massive turnout. Finally, to appease the authorities, dozens of latecomers reluctantly departed, resigned to listening to the talk on speakers outside along with more than a hundred others who could not get in.

"So many people have turned out that I've decided to cut short my five-hour speech," began Goodman. The roar of laughter and applause from her faithful following suggested that, even though they got her joke, they would have welcomed an all-night session with Goodman, the most high-profile personality on the left-leaning Pacifica radio network.

It was the opening night of the Amy Goodman Radio and Road Show, a 70-city whirlwind jaunt that will take her across the country to promote "The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers and the Media That Love Them." The new book, which she wrote along with her brother, David Goodman, is described by the pair as an exposé of the "lies, corruption and crimes of the power elite — an elite that is bolstered by large media conglomerates."

Newsday also examines Goodman and her book today.