Steve Inskeep

Politics In The News

Steve Inskeep — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:21:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

Again and again, President Obama's administration tries to pivot attention toward East Asia. Administration officials believe China and its neighbors are where the economic future lies.

GREENE: And yet it's the Middle East that keeps demanding the president's attention. It brings to mind that line from F.

U.S. Point Man On Syria Meets With Rebels Inside Syria

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 10 May 2013 09:45:00 +0000

Ambassador Robert Ford crossed into northern Syria on Wednesday. The secret visit was confirmed by Syrian activists at the media office at the Bab al-Salama crossing on the Turkish frontier.

FAA Expected To Gain Flexibility On Budget Cuts

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:45:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

Now that automatic spending cuts are causing wider pain, Congress has begun finding ways to adjust some of them.

MONTAGNE: Today the House is expected to take up a bill the Senate has already approved.

Racin Case: Charges Dropped Against Miss. Man

Steve Inskeep — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:03:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Here's another reminder that a fast-moving news story can completely change. Prosecutors have dropped the charges against Paul Kevin Curtis. He's the Elvis impersonator first arrested in the case of ricin being sent to U.S. officials, as we reported last week.

Now we're reporting, just as prominently, the change in focus to another Mississippi man's house. NPR's Debbie Elliott has been following this case. She's on the line.

Boston Marathon Investigation Continues

Steve Inskeep — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 08:42:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

Venezuelan Humorist Engages Kidnappers In Election Dialogue

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 11:53:00 +0000

Earlier this week in Caracas, we were about to go to an interview when it had to be rescheduled. The man we were going to speak with was unavoidably detained — kidnapped, to be precise.

It took awhile after that for Laureano Marquez to free up his schedule and meet us in a coffee shop.

"I'm so sorry," he said when he finally arrived, as if it was his fault for being thrown into a car and driven off to the far reaches of town.

We'd been planning to talk with Marquez about Venezuela's presidential election this weekend, an election that opens a door on a changing Latin America.

How Hugo Chavez's Policies Affected Ordinary Venezuelans

Steve Inskeep — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:45:00 +0000

In the days before elevators, there was no such thing as a penthouse on the top floor. The highest floors of a building had cheaper rents because the stairs were hard to climb.

Caracas, Venezuela, is organized roughly the same way, with many poor neighborhoods climbing up the sides of a mountain valley. Some of the poorest homes are among the most remote, accessible not by any road but by alleyways and long flights of stairs.

Up one of those flights of stairs, we found a woman whose life says a lot about Venezuela and by extension about Latin America.

Hugo Chavez's Legacy Looms Over Venezuelan Election

Steve Inskeep — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:38:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep in Caracas, Venezuela. This country is about to hold a presidential election. Voters are replacing the late Hugo Chavez, who shouldered this oil-rich republic onto the world stage. He often denounced the United States as an oppressive empire - even as he sold Americans oil - and imported gasoline from U.S. refineries.

Pentagon May Take Over Drone Program From CIA

Steve Inskeep — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:10:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Good morning.

We're learning this morning of a possible change in the American use of unmanned drones. The change, if it happens, would affect who gives the orders and possibly how much the public learns.

MONTAGNE: A senior U.S. official tells NPR the administration may now move the drone program away from control of the Central International Agency.

Installation Mass Launches Pope Francis' Papacy

Steve Inskeep — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 11:52:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

(SOUNDBITE OF BELLS RINGING)

INSKEEP: That's the sound of bells in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, as Pope Francis celebrated his inaugural Mass today.

When Pitching The Common Good Is Bad

Steve Inskeep — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 08:43:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

When President Obama recently called for stricter gun control laws, he started out by saying this.

(SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: This is the land of the free, and it always will be.

INSKEEP: The land of the free, he said. But he added this.

(SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH)

OBAMA: We don't live in isolation. We live in a society, a government of and by and for the people.

Selection Sunday Sets NCAA Tournament Brackets

Steve Inskeep — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:06:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

OK. The field is set for the NCAA Division One men's basketball tournament. Top seeds include Kansas, Louisville, Indiana and Gonzaga. The team previously known for its heroic upsets in the NCAA tournament is now one of the teams to beat. NPR's Mike Pesca is here to discuss the selections. Mike, good morning.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: Hello.

INSKEEP: How'd Gonzaga do it?

PESCA: I know, right? You read those other teams, and it's, like, perennial power, perennial power, perennial power, Jesuit school from Spokane.

(LAUGHTER)

PESCA: But they're awesome.

Pakistani Advocate For The Poor Slain By Gunmen

Steve Inskeep — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 13:34:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Gunmen killed a woman in Pakistan yesterday. The news stories about this were formulaic for Pakistan, she was killed in a customary manner by assassins on motorcycles who rolled away with impunity. What's remarkable is the way she lived. Parveen Rehman came from Karachi, one of the world's largest cities.

Vatican Is Without Sitting Pope

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 10:41:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Good morning. In Italy the papacy is officially vacant. The Vatican is now under the control of the cardinals who will elect a new leader of the Catholic Church. Yesterday Pope Benedict XVI gave up his ring, his cape and red papal shoes to become Pope Emeritus. Cokie Roberts was there, joins us from Rome.

Witnesses To Take The Stand In BP Trial

Steve Inskeep — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:21:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

And I'm Linda Wertheimer.

Today, a federal judge in New Orleans hears from witnesses to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. A civil trial of BP opened yesterday in a case to determine blame and financial liability for the environmental disaster that was the worst disaster in U.S. history.

INSKEEP: NPR's Debbie Elliott covered that disaster as a reporter, and is now covering the trial. She was in the courtroom yesterday.

Syria Accuses Israel Of Bombing Its Military Facility

Steve Inskeep — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:10:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Let's sort through what we know and do not know about Israel's reported airstrike on Syria. Syrian officials, the government of Bashar al-Assad, have affirmed that Israeli warplanes struck, although we have conflicting reports about what the target was. We're going to work through the information with NPR's Jerusalem correspondent, Larry Abramson. Hi, Larry.

LARRY ABRAMSON, BYLINE: Hi there, Steve.

INSKEEP: What do you know, and how do you know it?

ABRAMSON: Well, some of this we know from confirmation by U.S.

Politics In The News

Steve Inskeep — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

We have a clearer picture this morning of just what an immigration overhaul might look like.

INSKEEP: A bipartisan group of senators is spreading word that they have agreed on principles for change.

MONTAGNE: The proposal would include a pathway to citizen for millions of people now in the U.S. illegally.

Gen. John Allen Cleared In Email Probe

Steve Inskeep — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 10:14:00 +0000

A Pentagon investigation has cleared General John Allen, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. The Pentagon had been looking into whether the general's email correspondence with a Florida socialite was inappropriate and violated military rules. Allen's nomination to become the top commander of NATO is still on hold, however.

Baseball Writers Vote For No Hall Of Fame Candidates

Steve Inskeep — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 10:39:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Baseball writers send a message when they vote for candidates for the Hall of Fame, both in who they select and in who they pass up. And for the first time since 1996, only the eighth time in baseball history that baseball writers decided not to nominate anyone for induction. The winners are no one. The pool of candidates was one of the most star-studded ever. It included Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa - players all linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman joins me.

How Do gun Bans Affect Violent Crime Rates?

Steve Inskeep — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:06:00 +0000

On Monday, Morning Edition explored crime rates in Chicago and how the murder rate went up in 2012. That was against national trends and even against Chicago's long-range decline in crime. We discussed police focus on "hot spots," and the dissolution of gangs. But listeners asked: What about gun bans?

What Does Senate Budget Deal Mean For You?

Steve Inskeep — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 09:59:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm David Greene.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Happy New Year.

Let's start with the upside. Congress has yet to rattle the financial markets so far in 2013.

GREENE: Of course, the markets are closed on this New Year's Day, as the House considers a deal on taxes and spending.

A Moment Of Silence To Remember Newtown Victims

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:41:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It is raining in Newtown, Connecticut, where people observed a moment of silence seven days to the minute after a gunman opened fire at Sandy Hook Elementary School. NPR's Kirk Siegler is in Newtown; he's on the line. And Kirk, what do you see this morning?

KIRK SIEGLER, BYLINE: Well, right now, Steve, the bells are still ringing, as you may be able to hear in the background here. It's a very moving scene. People have literally stopped. The town is at a standstill. All the traffic has stopped.

Under Fire, Egypt's Morsi To Meet With Judicial Officials

Steve Inskeep — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:16:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi has granted himself almost absolute power, but has not been able to win anything like unanimous approval. The new president faces criticism for a decree stating he can do anything he thinks will advance Egypt's revolution, and that courts cannot review his decisions. Egyptians have taken to the streets in protest.

Notre Dame Beats USC, Moves To BCS Title Game

Steve Inskeep — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:16:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep.

College football's wild season was not so wild this past weekend. There were no major shifts at the top of the BCS rankings as there were the week before. That's mainly because Notre Dame beat the University of Southern California on Saturday and maintained its number one ranking.

And no, you are not caught in a time warp back to the last century when the Fighting Irish often ruled college football. This is indeed 2012.

Gaza Violence, Palestinians

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:47:00 +0000

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep. Israel has called up its military reservists, bolstering its army in preparation for the possibility of invading Gaza. If the order was given, it would add to Israel's air campaign against Gaza, which is controlled by Hamas; and which has been the source of rocket fire against Israel - deadly rocket fire, in some cases. NPR's Anthony Kuhn is in Gaza now, that little strip of land on the coast between Israel and Egypt.

Voters In Swing Counties Revisit Election Issues

Steve Inskeep — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 09:28:00 +0000

Now that the election is over, Morning Edition is getting back in touch with some voters we met over the summer for our series First and Main. That's when we visited three political swing counties.

Steve Inskeep talks to Jim Meeks and his daughter-in-law Xiomara in Hillsborough County, Florida. Jim supported Governor Romney and Xiomara, President Obama.

David Greene spoke to voters in Winnebago County, Wisconsin.

Softbank To Buy Majority Of Sprint Nextel

Steve Inskeep — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 08:52:00 +0000

Japanese mobile phone company Softbank has announced it has agreed to buy 70 percent of Sprint Nextel for $20 billion. The deal would make Sprint Nextel a tougher competitor against its bigger rivals, Verizon Wireless and AT&T.

Sandusky Sentenced For Penn State Assaults

Steve Inskeep — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 15:25:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And here's another story we've been following throughout the morning. Jerry Sandusky was sentenced today to at least 30 years in prison. The former Penn State assistant football coach was convicted in June of sexually abusing 10 boys. NPR's Jeff Brady was in the Pennsylvania courtroom today. He joins us now. Jeff, what's the sentence? More details.

JEFF BRADY, BYLINE: Well, the sentence is no less than 30 years, no more than 50 years.

Major League Baseball To Begin Post-Season Play

Steve Inskeep — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:26:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Major League Baseball's regular season ended yesterday with the kind of day that would warm the commissioner's heart: fans cheering from coast to coast, a towering achievement for one very good hitter, and the promise of even more excitement to come as the playoffs begin. NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman has been tracking this season. He's on the line.

Good morning, Tom.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hello.

INSKEEP: Got to start with the hitter I mentioned. Detroit's Miguel Cabrera did something that no one has done in 45 years.

GOLDMAN: He sure did.

Nigeria Reports Increase In Polio Cases

Steve Inskeep — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 09:13:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

A disease that once ravaged the world, killed countless children, even famously affected President Franklin Roosevelt, has now been eradicated in all but three countries: Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The disease is polio. And at the United Nations last week, Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon met leaders of those three countries, who pledged to step up efforts to wipe out polio entirely.

Which focuses attention now on Nigeria, the only nation on Earth reporting an increase this year in the number of cases of that disease.