Talk of the Nation

Talk of the Nation®

with Neal Conan

About the Program

Talk of the Nation with host Neal Conan is known for intelligent and thought-provoking discussion. Guests, contributors, and listeners explore today's most compelling issues — from breaking news, science, and education to religion and the arts.

Starting June 30th, 2006, both hours of Science Friday, broadcast during Talk of the Nation, will be broadcast on MPR News stations.

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Latest Show
Document What's The Truth About The War In Afghanistan?
 Lt. Col. Daniel Davis ignited a controversy when he wrote that what he saw in Afghanistan "bore no resemblance to rosy official statements by U.S. military leaders." U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Ma), defense analyst Tom Donnelly and McClatchy Newspapers correspondent Johnathan Landay discuss the realities of the war in Afghanistan. (02/09/2012)
Document Occupy Wall Street: The Future And History, So Far
 On September 17, 2011, hundreds of people gathered in Lower Manhattan to protest the growing wealth gap and Wall Street's involvement in the economic crisis. Five months later, most of the Occupy encampments across the country have been disbanded and the future of the movement remains uncertain. (02/09/2012)
Document Historian Seeks Artifacts From Lincoln's Last Days
 In preparation for a book about Abraham Lincoln's life at the end of the Civil War, historian Noah Andre Trudeau is in search of witnesses. The last week of Lincoln's life in April 1865 is a largely unexamined period. Trudeau is seeking diary entries, letters or stories of people who encountered Lincoln at the time. (02/09/2012)
Document Obama Shifts His Position On Super PACs
 President Barack Obama's campaign has urged top donors to support a super PAC run by former Obama aides. The president previously called the fundraising groups a "threat to democracy." The Center for Responsive Politics' Sheila Krumholz discusses the shift and NPR's Ken Rudin reviews the week in politics. (02/08/2012)
Document Three Takes On What Defines Conservatism In 2012
 The remaining GOP presidential candidates, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, New Gingrich and Ron Paul, are all fighting to sell a slightly different brand of conservatism. Conservatism has undergone some big changes and its definition in 2012 continues to morph. (02/08/2012)
Document Keeping Your Resume Out Of Online 'Oblivion'
 Many mid- and large-sized companies rely on computerized systems to scan resumes and narrow the field of job candidates. Some tracking software may overlook qualified applicants who haven't used the right keywords. The <em>Wall Street Journal's</em> Lauren Weber explains what it takes to get noticed. (02/08/2012)
Document Redefining The Grieving Process In The Digital Age
 After a loved one dies, it's becoming more common to offer and receive condolences through a Facebook post or an email. <em>New York Times</em> contributor Bruce Feiler discusses the new customs that are evolving to guide the grieving process in the digital age. (02/08/2012)
Document One Woman's Experience As A Clinical Trial 'Lab Rat'
 A year after recovering from malignant melanoma, Salon.com writer Mary Elizabeth Williams found out it had returned in the form of metastatic, Stage 4 cancer. In October 2011, she started a clinical trial for a new melanoma drug. Halfway through the trial, she discusses her "life as a lab rat." (02/07/2012)
Document Correcting Common Misconceptions About Air Travel
 The claims airline passengers make about flights are often embellished. During turbulence, for example, passengers may think a plane is dropping hundreds of feet, when it's never typically more than 20. Airline pilot Patrick Smith, writes the Ask The Pilot column for Salon.com. He sets the record straight on common air travel myths. (02/07/2012)
Document How Should We Welcome Home Iraq War Veterans?
 St. Louis, Mo. held a parade for veterans of the Iraq War in January 2012 that drew an estimated 20,000 participants and 100,000 spectators. Fifteen other cities are considering similar parades, but some argue that such celebrations should not be held while the war in Afghanistan continues. (02/07/2012)
Document The Next Step For California's Gay Marriage Ban
 The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declared California's same-sex marriage ban, known as Proposition 8, unconstitutional on Tuesday. This paves the way for a U.S. Supreme Court case that could have far-reaching implications for gay marriage around the country. (02/07/2012)
Document Unemployment Numbers Offer Hope And Concern
 The jobs numbers at the start of 2012, shed a ray of positivity on a gloomy economic picture. Some economists warn against premature optimism. While the economy is creating jobs again, it will take years to return to full employment. (02/06/2012)
Document The 'Responsibility To Protect' In Syria And Beyond
 After the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, world leaders vowed that such mass atrocities could never be allowed to happen again. In 2005, the U.N. adopted the Responsibility to Protect, a set of principles to guide the response of the international community if a government fails to protect its population. (02/06/2012)
Document Op-Ed: Komen Foundation Needs A New Approach
 The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation reversed its controversial decision to stop providing funding to Planned Parenthood. Rodger Jones, an editorial writer for the <em>Dallas Morning Star</em>, says that to retain the support of abortion rights opponents, Komen needs to consider different fundraising options. (02/06/2012)
Document Seeking Revenge In The 'Underworld' Of Stolen Bikes
 More than 200,000 bikes were reported stolen in 2010, according to FBI statistics. By some estimates, more than 1 million bike thefts go unreported annually. When thieves stole writer Patrick Symmes' bike in 2006, he set out on a vigilante crusade in "the dangerous underworld of vanished bicycles." (02/06/2012)
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THU1:00 pmNewsFind a station
FRI1–3 pmNewsFind a station

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