NPR 2008-11-01

With the presidential campaign now coming down to a matter of days, the candidates are getting in some last-minute stumping 1. Republican John McCain has been barnstorming the state of Ohio. At  appearance in Columbus, he was joined by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who said Ohio and the nation can not have a Democrat 2 in the White House. "We are in a tough time right now, Ohio can not afford, America can not afford the economic proposals of Senator Obama.” Earlier in the day, McCain told a crowd in Steubenville that Ohio is a battleground state and that its voters would decide the election. McCain began the day appearing on the ABC program "Good Morning America" where he said Obama's economic policy is from the far left of American politics.

 Several new state polls in Arizona, North Dakota and Georgia are showing a tossup race between Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and Republican contender John McCain. As Georgia Public Broadcasting John Sepulvado reports, Obama is now making a push for those states to combine 20 electoral votes in the final days of the campaign.

 The Obama campaign will run TV commercials focusing on the economy in Georgia and North Dakota. The Democratic candidate will air it by a graphical ad in Arizona, McCain's home state. Obama yanked his commercials out of Georgia and North Dakota earlier this year after polling showed him trailing McCain by double digits 3. Berry College Political Science Chair Michael Bailey says the expansion into traditionally Republican states is a testament 4 to Obama's record-breaking fundraising. "Basically they have this money. They have an outside chance given the amount of extra money they have, I think the idea is what do we have to lose at this point. " McCain campaign officials say Obama is wasting his money because they say McCain will carry those states. For NPR News, I'm John Sepulvado, in Rome, Georgia.

 General David Petraeus took command of the U.S. Central Command today, a position responsible for both the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. NPR's JJ Sutherland reports.

 On MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa under a row of flags, the official change of command ceremony took place in bright sunshine. General David Petraeus has been lauded 5 by many as the architect of what security gains have been made in Iraq over the past few years and now many pin their hopes for Afghanistan on him as well, certainly Secretary of Defense 6 Robert Gates does. "History will regard him as one of our nation's great battle captains. He is the preeminent 7 soldier, scholar, statesman of his generation, and precisely 8 the man we need at this command at this time.'' General Petraeus has already ordered a review of U. S. strategy in Afghanistan and travels to the Central Command Area of Responsibility on Saturday. JJ Sutherland, NPR News.

 On Wall Street today, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 144 points to close at 9, 325. The NASDAQ gained 22 points today. This is NPR.

 Libya has paid 1.5 billion dollars into a fund set up to compensate 9 the families of American victims of Libyan-linked attacks in the 1980s, including the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 in the skies over Lockerbie, Scotland. The payment clears a final hurdle 10 towards normalization 11 of relations between Washington and Tripoli. Under terms of the agreement worked out earlier, President Bush today signed an executive order, restoring the Libyan government's immunity 12 from terror-related lawsuits 13. It may well go into a nearly two-billion-dollar fund to pay claims over not just the Pan Am bombing but also a 1986 bombing of a German nightclub.

 Follow up the Phillies fans turned out for a World Series parade through town today. The team won the championship Wednesday. For the first time in 25 years, Philadelphians are enjoying a major sports title. From member station WHYY in Philadelphia, Elizabeth Fiedler reports.

 Phillies fans crowded along the parade route, cheering wildly. North Philadelphia resident Terrill Hall says it has been too long since the city celebrated 14 the sports championship. "I know what's gonna happen, because we're the greatest fans in the world. The last time we won in 1983 was one of the six we won the championship. I was twelve years old, and I didn't go to the parade, because I had to go on my sixth grade graduation trip. You know, everybody’s just having fun. Even if you are not from Phillies, you support the Phillies, you are champion in the day. " One fan held the sign supporting the Phillies manager for president. For NPR News, I'm Elizabeth Fiedler in Philadelphia.

 Chicago author Studs Terkel has died. Terkel, a legendary 15 oral historian, also authored a number of books including "Working", "Hard Times", and his Pulitzer Prize winner "The Good War". Terkel was born on May 16th, 1912. He died today in Chicago. Studs Terkel was 96 years old.