Morning Edition on KCCU

Just about every president since Richard Nixon has set energy independence as a goal, and both major candidates have brought it up the current campaign.

As it turns out, there is a place, not so far from here, that has achieved energy independence: Canada.

Canada produces far more oil than it consumes. They're not dependent on the Middle East! They've got all the oil they need!

I called Stephen Gordon, a professor of economics at Université Laval in Quebec City, to ask him about what energy independence means for his nation.

Democrats and Republicans are on track to spend about $1 billion each on television advertising in the presidential race. Most of it is negative, and almost all of it is concentrated in nine battleground states.

If you live in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia or Wisconsin, you cannot get away from the ad blitz being waged by both sides. For the folks who track political advertising at Kantar Media CMAG, these commercials tell a story.

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep. Donald Trump returned to the headlines, offering $5 million if President Obama would release college and passport records. Jay Leno brought this up when the president appeared on "The Tonight Show."

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE TONIGHT SHOW")

JAY LENO: What's this thing with Trump and you? I don't - it's like me and Letterman. What has he got against you?

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: This all dates back to when we were growing up together in Kenya.

The city council passed a law banning pants or skirts that expose more than 3 inches of undergarments or skin. But in the hipster heaven of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, no one would be caught dead in baggy pants. The new website Styleblaster is capturing skinny jeans and slim fits with its webcam on the main drag. Viewers can rate passersby with a click on an old-fashioned top hat.