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A new Washington Post poll shows President Obama inching ahead of Mitt Romney in Ohio. The state swapped political allegiances in the past — going for President Obama in 2008, then going for a GOP governor in 2010. Former Governor Ted Strickland lost that race and is now a surrogate for the president. He joins guest host Celeste Headlee.

Kenneth Blackwell has a long history in Ohio politics. He was the Republican mayor of Cincinnati, and later Ohio's Secretary of State, and now he's a fellow at the Family Research Council. Guest host Celeste Headlee continues the discussion on Ohio politics with Kenneth Blackwell.

If you get health insurance at work, it's just about time to pick your plan again. The good news for this open enrollment season is that premiums aren't expected to increase quite as much for 2013 as they did this year.

The increase looks to be about 5.3 percent instead of an average 5.9 percent rise for 2012, according to Towers Watson's annual health care survey of mid- to large-size employers.

Using the example set by the life of slain U.S. Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens, President Obama this morning told delegates to the United Nations that the diplomat's killers will not determine the world's future. Instead, Obama said, it will be people such as Stevens who build "bridges across oceans and cultures" and set the world's agenda.

We updated as the president spoke. Scroll down to read through the highlights.

Saying that foreign aid must play a role in bringing peace to the Middle East, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney made the case today for what he calls "prosperity pacts" that would aim U.S. assistance packages at nations that develop "the institutions of liberty, the rule of law, and property rights."

Romney was addressing the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, a forum that will host President Obama later today.

If he's elected in November, Romney said (per his prepared remarks):

Good morning.

Our early headlines:

-- Syria's Children Are Victims Of 'Appalling' Violence, Report Says.

-- Obama To Tell Iran That U.S. Will 'Do What We Must' On Nukes.

Unfortunately, this news is not a surprise:

"As Syria's civil war has intensified, thousands of children have died in brutal attacks and many more have been injured, traumatized or forced to flee their homes," the international charity Save the Children reports. And it warns that "boys and girls continue to be killed, maimed and tortured. These appalling violations against children must stop and those carrying them out held to account."

"President Barack Obama will warn Iran on Tuesday that the United States will 'do what we must' to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and appeal to world leaders for a united front against further attacks on U.S. diplomatic missions in Muslim countries," Reuters reports this morning.

Update at 8:30 a.m. ET. According to excerpts released by the White House, the president will say:

Football fans are furious. Bettors are out an estimated $150 million. Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin — the Republican who's famous for battling with organized labor — is on the side of the referees union. And the NFL is in something of a "prevent defense," saying that nothing can be done to change the outcome.

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning, I'm Steve Inskeep. A State Department spokesman had an angry email exchange with a reporter, and Philippe Reines wrote: Feel free to use every word. So the reporter did, publishing their whole profane exchange, like this high-toned dialogue:

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

I'm misreading you as needlessly antagonistic.

INSKEEP: No, you read my email correctly. I found your statement offensive.

GREENE: Why ask questions you've already decided you know the answers to?

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

And I'm David Greene. Good morning.

President Obama addresses the United Nations General Assembly today, at a time when U.S. embassies and consulates have been the target of protests across the Muslim world. Mr. Obama's aides say he will use this speech to again condemn the anti-Islam video that offended many Muslims.