Morning Edition

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And let's turn to the issue that is front and center this election year - the economy. Austerity measures aimed at curing Europe's debt crisis have thrown a number of eurozone countries into recession. The threat of defaults in Greece and even larger countries like Spain have rattled U.S. financial markets, and President Obama recently said that Europe's troubles are casting a shadow over the U.S. economy.

To better understand what the president is talking about, we brought in NPR economics correspondent John Ydstie.

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Tiny bags of pretzels followed by some kind of rubber mystery meat - for those who fly, you know exactly what I'm talking about: the joys of airplane food. Well, some airlines are now trying to shake things up. They're showcasing some new cuisine in hopes of luring more passengers. But producing food that actually tastes great at cruising altitude is not easy, as NPR's Wendy Kaufman reports.

To be perverse, I'd suggest that for the horse-racing industry, it'd be best that I'll Have Another does not — yes, does not — win the Triple Crown this Saturday.

Oh, certainly, absolutely every year you want a horse to win the first two races — the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness — so that suspense builds and a horse has a chance to win the Belmont and take the Triple Crown. But isn't it better to have the potential winner barely get beat so that the losing streak continues, building interest?

This is the latest story in our series on money in politics.

If you have a mortgage on your home, you can deduct the interest from your taxes. It's a popular, well-entrenched policy. But according to one policy adviser to a U.S. senator, "the mortgage-interest deduction, from a purely policy perspective ... makes no sense."

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And the Senate votes today on legislation aimed at shrinking the pay gap between men and women. It's called the Paycheck Fairness Act.

NPR's Ari Shapiro reports President Obama is using the bill as a tool in the 2012 campaign.

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

You might say there's a tectonic shift going on in morning television. TV critic Eric Deggans says that ABC's "Good Morning America" is doing something that seemed unthinkable for more than a decade: it is rocking NBC'S "Today Show" off its ratings pedestal.

ERIC DEGGANS: Even "Today" show co-host Matt Lauer admits it.

MATT LAUER: The show is not where I want it to be right now. The ratings are not where I want them to be right now.

DONNY DEUTSCH: Where do you want to be right now?

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

NPR's business news starts with Disney delving into nutrition.

Today, Disney comes out with nutritional standards for food advertised across its platforms. The company has taken flack for contributing to the obesity epidemic by airing ads for junk food that targets kids.

This move marks a dramatic change, but the company's chairman told The New York Times, quote, "this is not altruistic; this is about smart business." Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And here's a reminder of how TV is adjusting to the modern world. Trey Parker, a creator of the animated comedy series "South Park," spoke in Los Angeles at the big E-3 video game industry conference yesterday. And Parker poked fun at the ever wired world of digital entertainment.

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

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

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene.

Republican Gov. Scott Walker faces Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett in a recall election Tuesday that has attracted a lot of outside money. The attempt to remove Walker came after he successfully pushed to limit collective bargaining rights for public sector unions.

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And our last word in business this morning is: Jubilation.

Hundreds of thousands of Britons gathered outside Buckingham Palace last night for the Diamond Jubilee concert, celebrating the queen's 60-year reign. The evening offered a break from Britain's bad economic news and another opportunity to rebrand positively the Royal Family.

DAVID GREENE, HOST: