The Two-Way
11:52 am
Mon November 5, 2012

Superstorm Sandy: Latest Figures & How To Help Those In Need

Credit John Moore / Getty Images
Long Beach, N.Y.: Volunteers unloaded water at an aid distribution center on Sunday.

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 2:13 pm

NPR librarians continue to help us keep track of the recovery from Superstorm Sandy and the deadly toll from the storm that blasted New Jersey, New York City and other parts of the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England one week ago.

-- Number of deaths: At least 115 in the U.S., by NPR's count. The Associated Press reports there were at least 106 fatalities. There were 69 Sandy-related deaths in the Caribbean and two in Canada.

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Middle East
11:32 am
Mon November 5, 2012

U.S. Presses Fractured Syrian Opposition To Unite

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 12:27 pm

Could a united Syrian opposition be the game changer that finally topples President Bashar Assad, after almost 20 months of revolt and more than 30,000 dead?

"You need a game changer, either military or political, and hope it will break the stalemate," says Amr Azm, a Syrian-born professor at Shawnee State University in Ohio.

The Obama administration appears to embrace this view, and last week Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the surprise announcement that the U.S. backed a plan to overhaul the Syrian opposition.

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The Two-Way
11:21 am
Mon November 5, 2012

Arizona Group Reveals Source For $11 Million Political Contribution In California

Credit Reed Saxon / AP
California Gov. Jerry Brown appears at a rally in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday.

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 2:29 pm

This morning a shadowy Arizona group decided to disclose where $11 million in political contributions came from. The money was used to fight for an anti-union ballot measure and against a proposition from Gov. Jerry Brown to raise sales and income taxes.

California's Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) says the $11 million is the largest contribution "ever disclosed as campaign money laundering in California history." FPPC says it may be the largest anonymous donation in state history.

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Music Reviews
10:34 am
Mon November 5, 2012

Taylor Swift Leaps Into Pop With 'Red'

Originally published on Wed November 14, 2012 2:44 pm

The Two-Way
10:19 am
Mon November 5, 2012

Election Guides? We've Got 'Em

Credit Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images
In Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday, folks lined up to cast early ballots.

As Eyder said earlier, "it's almost over."

The campaign, that is.

But if you haven't had enough of it all yet, here's are three places to go if you're looking for tips on what to watch for and when to watch for it.

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On Disabilities
10:00 am
Mon November 5, 2012

A Special Olympian On Pundit's Use Of The R-Word

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 11:11 am

Conservative political commentator Ann Coulter drew criticism after she called President Obama "the retard" on Twitter. In an open letter to Coulter on the Special Olympics blog, John Franklin Stephens, a Special Olympian living with Down syndrome, asked her to reconsider using that word.

Around the Nation
10:00 am
Mon November 5, 2012

Sandy Recovery Effort Faces A New Storm

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 11:08 am

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. Since this time last week, parts of the Northeast have been transformed. The lights are back on in many areas, the floodwaters retreated, most public transportation is up and running, and most New York City schools reopened this morning. But wreckage still blocks streets, hundreds of thousands still lack power, gas is still short in North Jersey and on Long Island.

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Media
10:00 am
Mon November 5, 2012

Should Newspapers Make Political Endorsements?

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 11:21 am

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

In the run-up to Election Day, newspaper readers usually expect to see endorsements on the editorial page, but that tradition's come into question. Last month, the Los Angeles Times received a flurry of criticism following its endorsement of President Obama, and the editorial board responded with a defense of the practice. On the other hand, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is among the papers that's decided to stop endorsing political candidates altogether. We want to hear from you: Should newspapers make political endorsements?

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Economy
10:00 am
Mon November 5, 2012

Sluggish Economy Relies More On Part-Time Workers

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 11:16 am

Transcript

NEAL CONAN, HOST:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. Over the past few years, the definition of work has changed in parts of the American economy. More and more restaurants and retailers have half as many full-time workers as they used to and twice as many part-time. They save money on pay and benefits, and they use new technology to schedule part-timers based on the season, the time of day or even on the temperature.

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It's All Politics
9:59 am
Mon November 5, 2012

On Election Eve, Obama And Romney Try Blazing A Path To 270

Credit Brendan Smialowski / AFP/Getty Images
A citizen votes on a paper ballot during the final day of early voting Monday in Lancaster, Ohio.

Originally published on Mon November 5, 2012 6:44 pm

(Revised at 5:46 pm ET)

On the final day of the 2012 campaign for the White House, President Obama and Mitt Romney are making the last push for votes in states each believes critical to achieving the 270 Electoral College votes needed for victory.

Obama was scheduled to campaign in three swing states, while Romney had events planned in four. The only overlap was in Ohio, considered the linchpin of the election.

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