Election 2012
5:14 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

For Evangelicals, Romney Is The Lesser Of Two Evils

Credit Charles Krupa / AP
Experts say that in order to win this year's election, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will not just have to satisfy evangelicals — he will have to thrill them.

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 6:52 pm

On Saturday, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney will deliver the commencement address at Liberty University, the nation's largest evangelical university. The speech will be attended by nearly 35,000 people, and it will give him a chance to win over a huge constituency that, up until recently, has been lukewarm about his campaign.

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Sports
5:14 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

Red Sox Slump Threatens Home Sellout Streak

Credit Jim Rogash / Getty Images
Boston Red Sox left fielder Cody Ross looks down during a seven-run third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park on May 5. The Red Sox trail their division, losing 11 of their last 12 home games.

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 6:52 pm

It was supposed to be a banner season at Fenway Park — the ballpark's 100th anniversary. But the Boston Red Sox are stuck in the basement of their division, having lost 11 of their last 12 home games.

It's putting Major League Baseball's record sellout streak in jeopardy. Ever since 2003, the Sox have sold out Fenway Park for every game — 727 consecutive games.

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It's All Politics
4:42 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

On Citizenship Question, Bachmann Not So Neutral

Credit Steve Pope / Getty Images
Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann and her husband, Marcus, recite the Pledge of Allegiance before announcing her candidacy for president last June in Waterloo, Iowa.

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 5:24 pm

The Two-Way
4:36 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

Carroll Shelby, Race Driver And Designer Of The Shelby Cobra, Dies

Carroll Shelby was a race car driver; he was a racing team owner, a chili entrepreneur. He survived a liver transplant and a heart transplant. But perhaps the thing that most people will remember him for is his automotive creations, especially the Shelby Cobra.

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Europe
4:15 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

Who Needs Marriage? Not France's New President

Credit Francois Mori / AP
French President-elect Francois Hollande waves to supporters with his companion, Valerie Trierweiler, as he celebrates his election victory in Bastille Square in Paris, May 6. Hollande and Trierweiler will be the first unmarried couple to move into the French presidential palace.

Originally published on Sat May 12, 2012 2:42 am

The French are known for being more tolerant than Americans about their politicians' private lives. One former French president even fathered a child with a mistress while in office.

But every French leader in history has been married — until now.

Next week, after Socialist Francois Hollande is sworn into office, he and his longtime companion, journalist Valerie Trierweiler, will become the first unmarried couple to move into the Elysee presidential palace.

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The Two-Way
3:47 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

In Greece, Third Bid For Coalition Government Fails

Credit Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP/Getty Images
Greece's radical leftist party Syriza chief Alexis Tsipras (L) shakes hands with Socialists leader Evangelos Venizelos before their meeting at the Greek parliament in Athens on Friday. Venizelos admitted that he had failed in a last-ditch bid to form a government after Syriza key leftist party ruled out joining a pro-austerity coalition.

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 4:12 pm

Evangelos Venizelos was the third politician mandated by the Greek president to form a coalition government.

Today, reports the BBC, after meeting with the leaders of different parties, Venizelos emerged empty-handed.

"I am going to inform the president of the republic tomorrow and I hope that, during the meeting with Carolos Papoulias, each party will assume its responsibilities," Venizelos told the BBC.

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Million-Dollar Donors
3:42 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

Head Of Shrek's Studio Puts Millions Behind Obama

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 6:52 pm

Some two dozen Americans have given $1 million or more to superPACs in the 2012 presidential campaign. The vast majority of them have been Republicans, but one movie mogul has chipped in $2 million to help out the superPAC supporting President Obama.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, the head of DreamWorks Animation studios, was also the co-host of Obama's sellout event Thursday night at the home of actor George Clooney. Katzenberg told the crowd the event raised nearly $15 million, which would make it the most profitable presidential fundraiser ever.

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'It's All Politics': NPR's Weekly News Roundup
1:35 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

It's All Politics, May 10, 2012

Credit KRISTOPHER SKINNER / MCT /Landov
  • Listen to the Roundup

Gay marriage gets an advocate in the White House, but only after Vice President Joe Biden has his say. President Obama's announcement comes a day after North Carolina voters overwhelmingly rejected the concept. And Dick Lugar's 36-year Senate career comes to an end in Indiana. Meanwhile, in the West Virginia primary, Obama defeats a jailed felon from Texas, 59 percent to 41 percent.

Listen to the latest political roundup with NPR's Ken Rudin and Ron Elving.

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The Two-Way
1:22 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

Catholic Bishops Are Investigating The Girl Scouts

Credit Francis Miller / Time
The first girl scout, Daisy Gordon Lawrence (left), demonstrates techniques like rope-tying and fire-making to young scouts in the late 1940s.

Originally published on Fri May 11, 2012 1:48 pm

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops sent an "official inquiry" to the Girl Scouts of the USA. NPR's Barbara Bradley Hagerty reports the bishops will investigate whether the iconic group has ties or views that conflict with Catholic teaching.

Barbara filed this report for our Newscast unit:

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The Two-Way
1:18 pm
Fri May 11, 2012

'Mama Bird' Evelyn Johnson Dies At 102; Logged 7 Years Of Flight Time

Originally published on Tue May 15, 2012 2:12 pm

Evelyn Bryan Johnson, a record-setting pilot who was born just six years after the Wright brothers made their historic flight, has died at the age of 102. Johnson, who began flying in 1944, holds the Guinness world record for the most hours logged by a female pilot — more than 57,000.

In addition to her accomplished flying record, Johnson also helped many other pilots earn their wings. After one student called her Mama Bird, the nickname stuck with Johnson, as she gave lessons and FAA flight exams to thousands of pilots.

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