NPR 2008-08-30

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is John McCain's choice for vice 1 president. McCain introduced his running mate to a crowd of Republican supporters in the battleground state of Ohio. NPR's David Schaper has more from Dayton, Ohio.

The 44-year-old first term governor says she's just average hockey mom, going from the PTA in the City Council, then elected mayor of the small town of Wasilla, Alaska. Sarah Palin is a steadfast 2 opponent of abortion 3 and a strong supporter of gun owners' rights who rose quickly through Alaska politics to the governor's office with a reputation as a reformer. And in her first speech as John McCain's running mate here in Dayton, she emphasized those reform credentials 4. "I told Congress 'thanks, but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere. " Palin also made an appeal to Democrats 5 who supported Hillary Clinton saying while they may have made 18 million cracks in America's glass ceiling, with her, women can shatter it once and for all. David Schaper, NPR News in Dayton Ohio.

Hurricane Gustav is bearing down on the Cayman Islands after churning for almost a day over Jamaica. Gustav is forecast to hit the Gulf 6 coast of the US as a major hurricane early next week. NPR's Jason Beaubien reports from Mexico City.

Gustav has veered 7 slightly to the east and is now on track to pound Cuba over the weekend. Hurricane warnings are in effect for the Cayman Islands and the western tip of Cuba. So far Gustav has killed dozens in its journey across the Caribbean and the storm is expected to grow even stronger once it enters the Gulf of Mexico. Petroleum 8 companies are evacuating 9 staff from offshore 10 oil and natural gas rigs in preparation for what could be the worst storm season since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. The Gulf of Mexico provides almost a quarter of US crude production and the threat of Gustav has pushed oil futures 11 higher. Forecaster has warned that it's still too early to predict where Gustav will make landfall on the US gulf coast. Jason Beaubien, NPR News, Mexico City.

Leadership of Boeing's biggest union is recommending its members reject what the airplane builder's called its last best contract offer. The leadership of the 27, 000-member International Association of Machinists and Aerospace 12 Workers says the offer from Boeing which called for 11% pay raise over three years and a 3% cost of living adjustment isn't good enough. The Union leadership has also authorized 13 a possible strike. Boeing spokesperson said the company was extremely disappointed by the Union's response.

The average American worker may have noticed their wallets were a little lighter 14 last month, and that also seems to show up in terms of consumer spending. The Commerce Department says incomes fell by the largest amount in nearly three years in July, down 0. 7%. Consumer spending was up but just barely 0. 2%. The numbers would seem to indicate that much of the effect from those one-time government stimulus 15 payments has now receded 16.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 171 points ending the session at 11, 543. For the week, the Dow was down 0. 7%. The S&P 500 fell 17 points. This is NPR News.

The former Soviet 17 Republic of Georgia announced today it is cutting diplomatic ties with Russia to protest the Russian occupation of two breakaway provinces. Georgia said today it will withdraw its remaining diplomats 18 from Moscow tomorrow. The move follows a unanimous vote by Georgia's parliament yesterday to sever 19 ties with Russia. Russia for its part says it will have to close its embassy in Georgia if diplomatic ties are ended. Two sides have been in a tense standoff since a brief war erupted between them after Georgian forces moved into the two restive 20 provinces and Russia responded with a massive show of force, moving its troops into Georgia.

The recall of 857, 000 vehicles includes more than a dozen different GM nameplates including the Buick Luceme, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Yukon. The affected 21 models are from the 2007 and 2008 model years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the recalled vehicles are equipped with a heated windshield wiper system. The federal agency says a short circuit in the system can cause it to overheat. The problem could create smoke, cause other electric systems to fail and increase the risk of fire. In a separate action, GM is recalling 80, 000 GMC Acadia and Saturn 22 Outlook SUVs in 28 states because snow or ice could cause the wiper to detach from its motor. Dealers 23 will make repairs at no cost to consumers. For NPR News, I'm Jerome Vaughn in Detroit.

Memorial service will be held tomorrow for Ohio Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Tubbs Jones, the first black woman to represent Ohio in Congress died last week at the age of 58 after suffering a brain hemorrhage caused by a ruptured 24 aneurysm. Among those scheduled to attend, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.