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Presidential Race
4:57 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Ryan's Speech Provides Fodder For Fact-Checkers

Originally published on Fri August 31, 2012 9:36 am

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.

Tonight, Mitt Romney accepts his party's nomination for president, as the Republican National Convention wraps up in Tampa. Last night, it was his running mate Paul Ryan's turn. And in his speech, Ryan made a number of statements that have made this a busy day for fact-checkers. Among them, Glenn Kessler, who writes the Fact Checker column for The Washington Post.

Glenn, welcome to the program.

GLENN KESSLER: Thank you for having me.

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Politics
4:57 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Ron Paul Supporters Get One Last Shout At RNC

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 6:09 pm

Transcript

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

We turn now to my co-host, Robert Siegel, who's at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, where tonight Mitt Romney accepts his party's nomination for president. We're going to hear about that in a moment. But Robert, first, I understand there's some dissention in the ranks there, at the convention center. What's going on?

ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:

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It's All Politics
4:57 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

As Convention Day Winds Down, Tampa Hosts Republican (And Other) Parties

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 6:09 pm

In Tampa, "Republican Party" can take on a whole new meaning as it gets later in the convention day. That's when delegates, lobbyists, business executives and others begin to mingle, filling up the city's nightspots.

NPR producer Brakkton Booker and I began Tuesday night with a trip to 7th Street in Ybor City, the Tampa neighborhood made famous for its cigar factories of the past. Now it's a mix of restaurants, bars and trendy shops similar to New Orleans' Bourbon Street.

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Election 2012
4:53 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Ryan Tells GOP Delegates U.S. Needs A Turnaround

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

But now to Tampa, where this evening Mitt Romney will formally accept his party's nomination for president.

Last night, though, the stage belonged to vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan. In a campaign, it often falls to the running mate to be the attack dog and Ryan sounded up for the job. It was also a chance for the rising GOP star to defend his own ideas.

Here's NPR's national correspondent Mara Liasson.

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Around the Nation
4:34 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Despite Drought, Some Corn Farmers Reap Bounty

Credit Justin Sullivan / Getty Images
Grimes Sweetcorn worker Paulette Vandyke waits to sell fresh corn in Grimes, Iowa. The drought has pushed the price of corn per bushel up nearly 40 percent in the past two months.

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 8:18 pm

For every farmer who is hurting this year during the drought, others are benefiting. Many fields in the South, Northwest and Upper Midwest are producing bountiful corn crops. And because the drought has pushed prices to record highs, farmers who have corn to sell expect a terrific payday.

"The corn has actually really, really taken off all the way through season. It's grown fast. It's been accelerated. The corn looks really good now," says John Scott, whose family farm in Sargeant, Minn., is just bursting with corn.

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NPR Story
4:34 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

GOP Delegates Say Romney Must Focus On Economy

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 6:09 pm

Robert Siegel talked to scores of delegates of all types to find out what they think Mitt Romney should say in his acceptance speech tonight. The economy and jobs were the most mentioned topics.

NPR Story
4:34 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Republicans Still Need To Win Over Women

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 6:09 pm

For Mitt Romney to win the presidency, he'll have to close the gender gap. Polls show female voters favor President Obama over Romney by wide margins. Robert Siegel sat down with Republican Senator Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire to ask her about women and the GOP.

JazzSet
4:15 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Regina Carter, Wynton Marsalis On JazzSet

JazzSet returns to the 2011 Newport Jazz Festival for performances from two complementary bandleaders on the main Fort Adams stage: violinist Regina Carter and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis.

Regina Carter started playing violin as a 4-year-old Suzuki method student in Detroit, and later played in school and community orchestras. After attending the New England Conservatory of Music, she chose jazz as her primary direction. JazzSet first presented her from the 1995 Telluride Jazz Festival — on a stage in the mountains, playing into the open air.

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Shots - Health Blog
3:55 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Small 'Button Batteries' Pose Big Risks For Kids

Chances are you have a bunch of gizmos at home that contain button batteries, those sleek coin-size power sources that pack an electronic punch.

Batteries like these can keep your TV remote or a child's toy up and running for months. And with more gizmos, there are more of these batteries kicking around.

The ready supply of batteries poses a safety risk, it turns out.

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The Two-Way
3:51 pm
Thu August 30, 2012

Justice Department Closes Investigation Into Deaths Of Two Detainees

Originally published on Thu August 30, 2012 8:19 pm

The Justice Department has closed an investigation into the deaths of two detainees in American custody in Iraq and Afghanistan without bringing any criminal charges.

Attorney General Eric Holder said prosecutors had declined to proceed "because the admissible evidence would not be sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt."

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