Today on Midday (88.1 FM, WYPR)  Call in at 410-662-8780 or e-mail us at midday@wypr.org

Noon: Marylanders get to call in and weigh in on Friday's debate between John McCain and Barack Obama and the role the Democratic leadership played in steering the $700 billion financial markets bailout through Congress over the weekend. Our guests are: Richard Cross, former speechwriter and press secretary to Republican Bob Ehrlich, and Derek Chollet, former Clinton administration official, senior fellow at The Center for a New American Security and co-author of America Between the Wars, an excellent perspective on American foreign policy between the end of the cold war (11/9/89) and the war on terror (11/9/01). 

Free financial advice: At 1, a look at the financial troubles hitting Main Street and average Marylanders -- how financial social workers help people make the most of their money in tough economic times. We’ll discuss this emerging field with Dick Cook, Director of Social Work Outreach at the University of Maryland, and Robin McKinney, Director of the Maryland Cash Campaign. It's a good time to call with your questions: Should I consolidate my student loans? Why did my credit card interest rate double to 28 percent? 

FYI: Three nonprofits - Maryland CASH Campaign, Baltimore CASH Campaign and Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Maryland and Delaware - created a free financial counseling hot line that is open to all Marylanders, regardless of income. Call the hot line at 877-254-1097. The hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.