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A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals some alarming trends among African-American smokers. The news comes just as the National Medical Association (NMA) begins a new campaign to "stomp out" smoking in black communities. Ed Gordon discusses the campaign with NMA head Dr. Sandra Gadson.

Former senator and vice presidential candidate John Edwards has a new job as the director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina. He's touring the country in an effort to drum up support for the plight of the nation's poor.

Democrats offer proposals to reform the rules under which lobbying takes place. The move comes after Republicans in the House and Senate laid out their own plans Tuesday. The proposals come in the wake of the Jack Abramoff scandal, which threatens GOP control of Congress this year.

Not long ago, "new journalism" referred to changes in approach and style, ushered in by such writers as Hunter S. Thompson and Joan Didion. They're the subject of Marc Weingarten's new book.

Writer and commentator Jimi Izrael offers his views on New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's comments about welcoming black residents displaced by Hurricane Katrina back to their "chocolate city" -- a city Nagin said God himself wants to preserve as a majority-black area. Nagin has since distanced himself from those comments.

The wet spell in the Pacific Northwest is seen as an opportunity for Nancy Pearl, the Seattle librarian who regularly shares her recommended readings. She shares her list of books for a rainy day.

President Bush appears before a joint session of Congress Tuesday to deliver his annual State of the Union Address. Liane Hansen speaks with two lawmakers who will be in the House Chamber for the speech: Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Sen. Craig Thomas (R-WY).

We hear excerpts from a speech Coretta Scott King gave in New York City three weeks after the assassination of her husband, Martin Luther King Jr. He was scheduled to address an anti-Vietnam War rally. Speaking from notes found in his pocket after his death, King delivered his messages to the group.

The Onion bills itself as American's Finest News Source, though its brand of news is far from the "real" variety. Recent headlines include: "Cat General Says War On String May Be Unwinnable," and "Miracle of Birth Occurs for 83 Billionth Time." Now a daily audio version is zooming to the top of iTunes' list of most-downloaded podcasts.

In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, President Bush talked about fighting terrorism, making certain tax cuts permanent and easing U.S. dependence on foreign oil. Madeleine Brand talks with Slate political correspondent John Dickerson about the president's tone, and some of the issues he addressed.

Prosecutors in the trial of terrorism suspect Jose Padilla say they've found a document that shows he "applied" to join the al Qaeda global terrorist organization. Slate senior editor Andy Bowers answers the question of whether would-be terrorists actually fill out applications before joining extremist groups.

Envoys from the United States, Russia, the U.N. and the European Union consider halting aid to the Palestinian Authority unless Hamas renounces violence and recognizes Israel's right to exist. The militant Islamist group is likely to lead the next government after its success in last week's polls.