Talk of the Nation

The war in Afghanistan has gone largely unmentioned by both presidential campaigns. With a withdrawal scheduled for 2014, public opinion has turned ever more negative on America's longest war. Amid continued insider attacks, many ask why we continue to risk American lives.

It's been four days since Superstorm Sandy battered the Northeast U.S., flooding towns and coastlines and knocking out power to millions. Concern is growing for the elderly and the physically disabled, many of whom remain isolated in cold, dark homes without assistance, food and running water.

Funny lines, well-delivered can help a president's popularity. Whether they're spontaneous or carefully crafted, they have the power to persuade. Michael Phillips-Anderson, assistant professor at Monmouth University, says laughter helps us believe politicians will govern in a way we like.

With less than a week left until Election Day, Superstorm Sandy has changed the course of both campaigns. NPR's Political Junkie Ken Rudin, Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg and Matt Continetti, editor of The Washington Free Beacon talk about the campaigns in the homestretch.

The remnants of Hurricane Sandy continue to push north toward Canada, leaving behind flooding and destruction. Millions of people remain without electricity across more than 15 states, thousands are in shelters and it may be days before power and public transportation systems are restored.

Sandy has been downgraded to a post-tropical storm, and continues to move north and west. Heavy winds, rains and snow battered states from Maine to North Carolina to Ohio, millions of people are without power, and a record-breaking storm surge poured into Manhattan streets and subway tunnels.

As Sandy moved north, stories and pictures of her power spread across social media. But not every photo could be believed. And on Wall Street, Sandy exacted a financial toll, closing down trading for two consecutive days.

In a piece in the Washington Post, retired Army officer John Nagl argues that the U.S. has forgotten what losing a war really looks like. Nagl talks about what's been accomplished in Afghanistan, and the concerns that remain.

With just over a week left before what may be another very tight election, many offices are seeing more and more heated conversations about politics. But what are the rules? Employment lawyer John Barr and human resources expert Lynn Taylor talk about the collision of politics and the workplace.

U.S. officials warn Hurricane Sandy may affect as many as 60 million Americans, with heavy rain, high winds, and dangerous flooding. Thousands of flights have been canceled, schools are closed and public transit systems in New York and Washington have been shut down.

Hurricane Sandy is already huge, powerful and deadly. Now meteorologists warn it's set to collide with cold air moving in from the arctic and a wintry storm blowing in from the west. NPR'S Joe Palca, Margot Adler and Joel Rose discuss the unusual series of events that helped create the "superstorm."

In Medusa's Gaze and Vampire's Bite: The Science of Monsters, science journalist Matt Kaplan writes of real-life zombies in Haiti, poisoned by a witch's brew of pufferfish and tree frogs, and discusses how rabies infection could explain the vampire's aversion to garlic, water and sunlight.

The Science Friday Book Club meets this week to talk about our fall pick: "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!" : Adventures of a Curious Character. Physicist Lawrence Krauss joins the club to discuss Feynman's contributions to physics and his unconventional life.

Earthquakes, terrorist attacks and muggings have all scared people to death. Sporting events, too, sometimes cause frenzied fans to drop dead. Neurologist Martin Samuels of Brigham and Women's Hospital explains how positive or negative excitement can lead to a heart-stopping surge of adrenaline.

Social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, have been important parts of this year's presidential campaigns. As Americans prepare to head to the polls, experts discuss social media's influence on politics, and whether Twitter can predict who will win the election.