Politics

Candidates Eye Michigan As Pivotal State In Nomination Race

4:35pm March 08, 2016

by Mara Liasson

Michigan votes Tuesday, and it is the second most populous state to weigh in this primary season. Voters in Mississippi cast ballots Tuesday as well, along with Republican loyalists in Idaho and Hawaii. NPR looks at what's at stake in these four states.

First Mention: Ted Cruz Helps George W. Bush Secure Presidency

4:35pm March 08, 2016

Our occasional feature, "First Mention," is focusing on this year's presidential candidates. The first time we heard the name Ted Cruz was on Nov. 20, 2000 on Talk of the Nation in a conversation about the Bush-Gore election situation. At the time, Cruz was part of the Bush campaign's legal team.

Teachers Struggle With How To Characterize Vulgar GOP Rhetoric

4:35pm March 08, 2016

The GOP presidential race has been brutal and often vulgar. So how do you talk to kids about it? NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks to Chris Wolak, a government teacher in Aurora, Ill.

Nancy Reagan, left, and the Soviet First Lady, Raisa Gorbachev, both smile politely during a tension-filled tea in Geneva in 1985, while their husbands discussed nuclear disarmament.

Cold War, Hot Tea: Nancy Reagan And Raisa Gorbachev's Sipping Summit

4:12pm March 08, 2016

by Nina Martyris

In 1985, while their husbands discussed nuclear disarmament, the two first ladies — both considered influential advisers — held their own tense tea tête-à-têtes in Geneva.

Bernie Sanders addresses a rally at Macomb Community College in Warren, Mich. Sanders needs a good showing in Michigan on Tuesday to start to turn his campaign around.

Pressure Is On Trump, Sanders In Crucial Contests Tuesday

3:15pm March 08, 2016

by Domenico Montanaro

More than 300 delegates are at stake. Michigan is the state to watch. Sanders has a chance to start to reverse the narrative — and Trump needs to quell conversation of a brokered convention.

Brian Barnes, co-director of African American Initiatives for the Ohio Republican Party, speaks at a Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration in Cleveland.

Can GOP Strides With Black Voters Survive The 2016 Campaign?

12:13pm March 08, 2016

by Nick Castele

Republicans' outreach to black communities has focused on Cleveland, site of the party's convention this summer. But their modest gains may not last amid the rhetorical fireworks of the 2016 campaign.

Politics & Government

Black Voters Favor Hillary Clinton Over Bernie Sanders, Early Voting Shows

8:58am March 08, 2016

For a closer look at how both candidates may appeal to African-American voters, Renee Montagne talks to Democratic political consultant Jamal Simmons.

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Politics & Government

Michigan Voters Expected To Give Trump Another Win In The Primary Column

6:46am March 08, 2016

by Don Gonyea

In Michigan, Donald Trump has been steadily leading in the Republican polls. Ted Cruz and John Kasich have been rallying their supporters in hopes of making a stronger than expected showing.

Politics & Government

Why Trade Is An Important Issue In the Presidential Campaign

5:09am March 08, 2016

Steve Inskeep talks to Dartmouth Economist Douglas Irwin about the perceptions and realities of trade policy in the current political primary season.

Politics & Government

Trump, Cruz Pay Attention To Mississippi Leading Up To GOP Primary

5:09am March 08, 2016

by Debbie Elliott

One of the states voting Tuesday is Mississippi, where Donald Trump is looking for the kind of success he's had elsewhere in the Deep South. Ted Cruz would like to chip away at Trump's delegate lead.