NPR 2011-12-07

 It's make-or-break time for the middle class, President Obama's message today at a high school in Osawatomie, Kansas. It's the same town where Republican President Theodore Roosevelt spoke 1 more than 100 years ago in his “New Nationalism” address to fight for average Americans.

 
Mr. Obama says into our third century as a nation, he is pledging to restore greater financial security through education, innovation, across the board financial accountability and assistance.
 
“This country should not be known for bad debt and phony profits. We should be known for creating and selling products all around the world that are stamped for three proud words: Made in America.”
 
But Republicans challenge President Obama's strategies, including calls for an extension of the payroll 2 tax cut that expires at the end of the month. They are arguing over ways to pay for it.
 
With the nation's first presidential nominating contest exactly four weeks away from today, Iowa's governor says the race to win the caucuses 4 is still wide open. We have details from Iowa Public Radio’s Sarah McCammon.
 
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad isn't endorsing 5 anyone before the January 3rd caucuses. He says he thinks Republican voters have been waiting to decide who can beat President Obama. 
 
“So it's still very fluid, very open, and I think a lot of it is because the public is looking for the ideal candidate. And now I think they've come to the realization 6 nobody’s perfect, and we need to choose the one that's the best.
 
A Des Moines Register poll released this weekend put former House Speaker Newt Gingrich at the top of the pack among likely GOP caucus 3 goers with 25% support. For NPR News, I'm Sarah McCammon in Des Moines.
 
Thousands of activists 7 from all over the country are on Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to take action to help middle-class Americans who are having trouble making ends meet. NPR's Craig Windham reports the lobbying blitz is the work of a loose coalition 8 of organizations, including union and church groups. 
 
Albert James, who heads the state chapter of the group USAction, says it's not just the young adults seen at Occupy camp sites who are frustrated 9 with the growing gap between the middle class and the wealthy.
 
“We are part of the 99% that people don't want to give credit to those Occupy Americas. We are the ones who are the retirees, and all the workers, the mothers, the fathersm, OK, and your average neighbor. 
 
Padebo Blank, a retired 10 teacher from Maryland, says the lobbying effort is aimed at “pushing Congress people to really start doing something, make sure the 1% starts sacrificing ‘cause the rest of us are kind of sacrificed out."
 
Craig Windham, NPR News, Washington.
 
At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 103 points at 12,200 in trading of two billion shares; NASDAQ Composite Index gaining four points; it’s at 2,660; and the S&P 500 also up seven points or more than 0.5% at 1,264.
 
This is NPR.
 
Greece's ongoing 11 struggle to avoid default finds lawmakers preparing to vote on new and unpopular austerity measures. Students rattle 12 security barriers during a rally trying to provoke police lines outside parliament. The crowd gathered to also mark the three-year anniversary of a police officer's fatal shooting of a teenager in Athens. Witnesses say hundreds of anarchists 13 clash with police.
 
There’s an atmosphere of tension in Democratic Republic of Congo the day the results of a presidential election were due to be announced amid opposition 14 allegations of vote fraud and fears of unrest. From the capital Kinshasa, NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton reports the authorities warn they will not tolerate any violence.
 
On the final day of election campaigning, security forces in Kinshasa reportedly opened fire on crowds of opposition supporters and some were killed. So many Congolese wary 15 of the prospect 16 of more disturbances 17 are choosing to stay home. The government warns it will crack down on those who incite 18 or foment 19 violence. Kikaya Bin 20 Karubi speaks for the president's party. 
 
“I appeal to the people of Kinshasa not to do anything that would make soldiers or policemen nervous and do something that we'll all regret later.”
 
There were reports of some clashes between protesters and the security forces in parts of Congo yesterday. Ofeibea Quist-Arcton, NPR News, Kinshasa.
 
Confrontations 21 also reported in central Moscow, where protesters are alleging 22 vote fraud from Sunday's parliamentary elections.
 
I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News.