In The Loop: Voting and its Discontents

October's "In The Loop" is here!

It's a take on election-season unlike much of anything else you'll hear. And -- in the words of one reviewer -- it's "a hoot." As always, there are two ways to listen:

1. Download the MP3 (right-click this link and choose, "Save Target As...")

2. Stream the show on your computer using RealPlayer

Audience volunteers (left) join our professional voiceover artists for some fun with political ads

Some highlights from "Voting and its Discontents:"
(Links point to individual stories on MPR's news site)

• What's behind the biggest group of American voters: those who don't bother
  
• A search for our political roots in the race for student council
  
• Two prominent voices of political ads show how sounding deadly serious can be seriously funny
  
• Congressional challengers talk about what it's like to run for office in a seat everyone else considers "safe"
  
• We track some campaign "trackers" -- those guys who follow the opposing candidate around with video cameras
  
• What happens when political fundraising meets...public radio fundraising?(Listen!)

Our house band for this show was The Smarts, who offered up great interludes and an original tune for the season: "Why Can't People Think Like Me?"