MPR News Presents

Speeches, documentaries and debates.

Thomas Friedman talks slowing down, staying optimistic at Minneapolis forum
MPR News Presents a broadcast of the Westminster Town Hall Forum featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, discussing his new book: "Thank you for Being Late."
'War on Cops' author: Criminals emboldened, police are backing off
Heather Mac Donald says in recent years police are backing off, and criminals are emboldened in a phenomenon she's dubbed "The Ferguson Effect." Mac Donald spoke in Minneapolis about the dangers of anti-police sentiment.
What might the economy look like in the Trump era?
What will the future of America's economy look like? Will trade deals be dissolved? Will manufacturing jobs return? Will wages and interest rates go up - or down? And will Americans ever believe what economists tell them?
New Ulm, Minn. experiences World War II
Some residents of New Ulm, Minn., served in the Pacific and in Europe during World War II. Coming from a town with deep roots in Germany, New Ulm residents share their struggles and experiences from the draft to the end of the war.
Top non-partisan political analyst unsurprised by election results
Amy Walter of the Cook Political Report says she's not entirely surprised by the election results, because the anxiety about globalization and cultural, demographic and technological change made many Americans constantly uneasy.
Does the worth of a college degree outweigh the cost?
NPR's Robert Siegel spent more than a year visiting with college students about their choice of school, and asked how it all turned out. How have they handled the finances? And do they feel well-positioned for the future? The program is called "College Choice: the Value of It All."
Are we in a new era of African-American athletic activism?
Sports, race, politics and social change. LeBron James, Colin Kaepernick, Serena Williams... are more African-American athletes speaking out on race and other social issues? Or is it reminiscent of earlier eras with Muhammad Ali, Paul Robeson and Jesse Owens?