3:59pm

Wed February 8, 2012
Mitt Romney

Conservatives Worry Romney's Vision Is Cloudy

Originally published on Wed February 8, 2012 7:20 pm

Credit Marc Piscotty / Getty Images

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's losses on Tuesday, while not very meaningful in the race to accumulate delegates, have raised questions once again about his ability to inspire passion from his party's base and about his viability in the general election.

Rival Rick Santorum's victories in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota dealt a setback, if not exactly a body blow, to Romney — whom Santorum routinely dismisses as a candidate with a big machine but no core.

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3:53pm

Wed February 8, 2012
Education

Detroit Schools' No. 1 Mission: Getting Kids To Class

Credit Larry Abramson / NPR

Ask Detroit teachers about their biggest challenge and many will say, "You can't teach kids who don't come to class." Last year, the average Detroit public high school student missed at least 28 days of school.

Now, as part of its effort to get parents more involved, the district has launched a major initiative to improve attendance. The effort includes parent workshops and attendance agents charged with pushing parents to send their kids to school every day.

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3:34pm

Wed February 8, 2012
It's All Politics

Counting The GOP Delegates, But Not Before They're Official

Credit CRAIG LASSIG / EPA /Landov

In honor of Tuesday's delegate-free caucuses and primary, NPR is launching a 2012 Delegate Tracker.

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3:22pm

Wed February 8, 2012
Around the Nation

Beached Dolphins Keep Cape Cod Rescuers Busy

Credit Julia Cumes / AP

Dolphins have been stranding themselves along the shores of Cape Cod, Mass., since the Pilgrims' times, and this winter is no different. What is different is how long the latest round of strandings has lasted — almost a month. So far, rescuers have counted 147 strandings and 38 successful rescues and releases.

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3:21pm

Wed February 8, 2012
World

In Russia, Punk-Rock Riot Girls Rage Against Putin

Originally published on Thu February 9, 2012 7:18 am

Anti-government protests in Russia are taking many different forms, from mass rallies and marches to defiant street art and music.

Just recently, members of a feminist punk group were arrested in Moscow's Red Square after they performed a song ridiculing Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The group, which calls itself Pussy Riot, says it's planning more stunts before March's presidential elections.

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3:10pm

Wed February 8, 2012
It's All Politics

After Glum Night, Romney May Find Signs Of Hope In Colorado Swing County

Originally published on Wed February 8, 2012 6:09 pm

Credit Marc Piscotty / Getty Images

While Rick Santorum won Colorado along with two other states last night, he did not win the key Colorado county of Arapahoe.

Political experts say Arapahoe has been on the winning side in nearly every presidential election of the past four decades.

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3:05pm

Wed February 8, 2012
World Cafe

The Front Bottoms On World Cafe

Brian Sella and Mathew Uychich of the New Jersey band The Front Bottoms have been playing together for years.

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2:38pm

Wed February 8, 2012
The Two-Way

CNN Suspends Roland Martin Over Super Bowl Ad Tweets

Credit Stephen Lovekin / Getty Images

CNN's political commentator Roland Martin has been suspended, because of tweets sent out during the Super Bowl that organizations like GLAAD called homophobic.

NPR's David Folkenflik reports that the network was also reacting to online criticism of Martin. David filed this report for our Newscast unit:

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David Melville Commentaries

David Melville is a life-long citizen of Shreveport-Bossier and community activist. He is a United Methodist pastor, currently serving Fellowship United Methodist Church of Bossier City. He loves a variety of artists and music, and appreciate their work and special spirit and he also loves KDAQ Radio for making music and words come alive in fresh ways every day. He take these moments to ask each of us to examine the art and beauty around us and take note of the people who make the arts come alive in our community.

2:05pm

Wed February 8, 2012
The Picture Show

A Mom And A Baby Find Out What's Really Rural In California

Most moms probably don't want their babies around pot growers, but San Francisco-based writer-photographer Lisa Hamilton is totally cool with it.

In fact, her baby, Ada, is a little over a year old and has probably already seen more of California than most Californians. And that, to Hamilton, is a problem.

For her, the basic issue is exemplified by something like this: We can see what a stranger in Japan is having for lunch on Instagram. But we can't so easily see where that lunch came from, or who harvested the ingredients.

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