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The Public Making Sense Of The State Of The Union Address

NASA HQ PHOTO via Flickr

Tues. 1/27 8:30a: After the State of the Union address, one paper's headline was "Obama Pulls No Punches," but another said the speech consisted of "modest proposals," while a third deemed it "A Bold Call to Action Even if No Action Is Likely." What's the public to make of this exercise in political theater and the media's morning-after tea leaf-reading? We'll talk with journalist and activist Keane Bhatt.

Also on the show: A proposed Pennsylvania law aimed at silencing Mumia Abu-Jamal targets our right to hear as much as his right to speak. Why aren't more journalists up in arms? We'll talk to one who is: Daniel Denvir, senior staff writer at Philadelphia City Paper.

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  • Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep and NPR reporters give a "close read" of President Obama's State of the Union speech. In some cases they are checking facts. In others, they are asking what some parts of the speech really mean.
  • Presidential speeches are usually meant to inspire — and sometimes challenge — Americans. Host Michel Martin continues her State of the Union conversation with a group of diverse people: Oakland Lewis, who is looking for work, Gaby Pacheco, an immigrant rights activist, and Trei Dudley, a college student.
  • The "State of the Union Machine" randomly generates text based on different presidents' actual speeches. Their words and phrases can be patched together to create a multi-administration text.