Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• If choosing a president were like hiring a CEO...
  There are a slew of online quizzes designed to match voters with the presidential candidate who most closely shares their politics. Most of the quizzes focus on the issues, but there is one that examines a completely different aspect of the candidates -- their leadership skills.7:20 a.m.
• A taste of yesterday
  The general store is mostly a memory now, but it's still an important part of one small Minnesota town.7:45 a.m.
• One arts critic unimpressed with Minnesota's sesquicentennial
  More than 25 historic aircraft will soar over the State Capitol this weekend to mark Minnesota's 150th anniversary as a state. It ends a week of events commemorating Minnesota's sesquicentennial. Morning Edition arts commentator Dominic Paptola has been unimpressed with the celebration.7:50 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Obama Visits Michigan, Wins Edwards' Support
  Barack Obama hit the campaign trail in Michigan on Wednesday. That's where former rival John Edwards endorsed Obama for the Democratic Party's nominee. It was the Illinois senator's first campaign visit to Michigan this year. Obama didn't compete in the state's January primary that was outlawed by the National Democratic Party for violating party rules.
• Shoddy Work, Leadership Blamed in School Collapse
  The earthquake earlier this week in Southwestern China caused the collapse of a middle school, trapping and killing hundreds of students. The school was expanded from two stories to four, which residents say may have contributed to its collapse. They also blame local officials, who they say are corrupt.
• GOP Leader Weighs In on Congressional Losses
  Congressional Republicans have lost three special elections this year in districts they would normally win. U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is one of the Republicans leading the effort to keep the party from losing any more seats this year.
• Golf, Tennis Champs Sorenstam, Henin to Retire
  Two top female athletes — tennis player Justine Henin and golfer Annika Sorenstam — this week announced that they're retiring. Christine Brennan, sports columnist at USA Today, talks about their surprising departures.
• Bush Reinforces Iran Opposition in Israel Speech
  President Bush is in Israel to celebrate the country's 60th anniversary. He is using a speech to the Israeli parliament to reiterate his position that Iran must not be allowed to attain nuclear weapons.
• Lebanese Fear That Recent Fighting Isn't Over
  Violence between Hezbollah and pro-government forces erupted last week in Beirut and nearby mountain villages. In the aftermath, the government is taking stock of its political influence against Hezbollah in the region, while the citizens bury their dead.
• A Week of Dramatic Stories from Around the World
  Hosts Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne recall Morning Edition coverage of this week's news, from disasters in China and Myanmar to voices in finance and politics.
• Brisk Scooter Sales Tied to High Gas Prices
  Scooter dealers across the country are reporting brisk sales, especially of models that get 75 to 100 mpg. A dealer in California says 95 percent of people who come in mention high gasoline prices, and a dealer in South Dakota says even people who don't fit the biker mode are buying.
• Judge OKs Shareholder Suit Against Countrywide
  A federal judge has ruled that executives from Countrywide, one of the nation's biggest mortgage lenders, will have to face a lawsuit from angry shareholders like the Arkansas Teacher Retirement Fund that have lost fortunes since the housing market meltdown.
• Experts Warn Senate Panel of World Food Crisis
  The House defied a White House veto threat and voted overwhelmingly for a five-year, $306 billion farm bill Wednesday, the same day that U.S. officials told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that sharp increases in food prices could soon swell the ranks of the world's hungry by a hundred million people.
• Dam Scrutiny, Quake Aid Efforts Ramp Up in China
  The rescue effort in China has turned toward helping those who survived Monday's earthquake and retrieving bodies from the rubble. Now, the safety of the area's dams is in question — in particular, Zipingdu dam, a staging point for relief efforts that is upstream from a city of a half-million people.
• Conservative Keene: McCain 'Marginally' Reassuring
  Presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain has been courting conservatives by saying he'd appoint conservative judges. But he's also trying to appeal to independents and blue-collar Democrats on issues like global warming. Keene says he is "marginally more reassured" by McCain's efforts to solidify the GOP base in recent weeks.
• Letters: Quake 'Mandate,' Texting, Political Insults
  Hosts Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne read listeners' responses to Morning Edition coverage of the earthquake in China and a new book about political pudowns.
• Investor Icahn Urges Yahoo-Microsoft Merger
  After Microsoft withdrew its bid for Yahoo, it's been reported that billionaire Carl Icahn bought 50 million shares of Yahoo. Apparently, he wants to see the two companies merge, and he has even launched a proxy contest to get rid of Yahoo's entire board of directors.
• New York Cabbie Fined for Cursing
  The days when New York cabbies could curse each other are over. They can still honk, but they cannot — as one taxi driver recently did — unleash a string of profanities on another driver for honking. The loud-mouthed driver was accused of assault — and suspended and fined $1,000 by the taxi commission.

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