Biden and McCarthy continue debt talks; Tim Scott runs for president; the spring homebuying slump

Plus, what does an NPR voice sound like? [View this email online]( [NPR Up First Newsletter]( by [Suzanne Nuyen]( May 22, 2023 Good morning. What do you think is going to happen in the Succession finale this weekend? NPR's Glen Weldon thinks we should [stop speculating]( and just enjoy it. Here's what else we're following today. President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will meet this afternoon to address the debt limit. The lawmakers have [less than two weeks to pass a bill]( to avoid the U.S. defaulting on its payments. [Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and Louisiana Rep. Garret Graves speaks with members of the press after participating in a phone call on the debt ceiling with President Biden on Sunday.]( Patrick Semansky/AP Photo 🎧 "The hardliners on both sides of the aisle are not likely to support whatever compromise comes out of this," NPR's Barbara Sprunt says. [On the Up First podcast this morning]( she stresses how the deadline for a compromise is looming and notes that "even if those factions don't support a bill, there's still a path for passage." ➡️ What happens to the markets if there's a default? Wall Street experts agree it [would be devastating](. ➡️ But it's not just markets that would suffer. Ordinary people, from veterans to retirees to homebuyers, [would all be hit hard](. South Carolina Senator Tim Scott is running for president. Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate, is expected to make a "major announcement" today in his hometown of North Charleston. He quietly [filed the paperwork]( to run for president last Friday. 🎧 Scott's entrance into the race "runs the risk of splitting the vote" with former Gov. Nikki Haley, a fellow South Carolinian. NPR's Don Gonyea says former President [Donald Trump remains the frontrunner]( for the nomination, despite his legal troubles. ➡️ Keep track of the crowded Republican race with [NPR's tracker](. Former U.S. Marine Daniel Penny, who put Jordan Neely in a fatal chokehold in a New York City subway, has given his first interview. The 24-year-old said the confrontation had "[nothing to do with race]( Penny is facing a felony charge of second-degree manslaughter. Stay up to date on these stories and more every weekday morning with the NPR News Now Video newscast hosted by Korva Coleman. Watch it [here]( or on NPR's [homepage](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- [A photo depicting a black "For Sale" sign in front of a home. ]( John Raoux/AP Spring is typically the busiest time of the year for the real estate market. But even though homes are selling for top dollar and open houses are drawing big crowds, the market is much slower than in years past, according to NPR's Arezou Rezvani. 🎧 Listen to [how interest rates have made homebuying more challenging]( and homeowners more reluctant to sell. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Side-by-side headshots from left to right of NPR's A Martinez, Debbie Elliot, Ayesha Rascoe and Steve Inskeep. ]( Patrick Strattner, Christine Uter, Mike Morgan /NPR Steve Inskeep joined NPR in 1996 and started hosting Morning Edition in 2004. He also hosts Up First. I’d like to address the “NPR voice.” We know the stereotype! But that’s less and less how NPR sounds. Sergio Martínez-Beltrán recently delivered a story in his distinctive voice. It differs from the voice of [A Martinez]( which differs from that of [Debbie Elliott,]( which differs again from [Ayesha Rascoe](. This involves more than just a “regional accent;” it’s a matter of attitude and word choice. It hasn't always been easy for different voices to break through. Many women, especially women of color, have received online complaints about how they sound. NPR itself once preferred a particular sound. In my early years at Morning Edition, if I did something unusual or offbeat in the show's live feed, it would routinely be cut in the replay! Some people still get grief for how they talk. But many defy it, and that’s good. Great radio, writing and storytelling are the opposite of uniformity. The original use of language or distinctive phrasing is what makes people sit up and listen. So what is an NPR voice? It’s not a particular accent or tone. It’s a passion for the story. It’s clarity of thought, generosity toward other human beings, an interest in other people and a ruthless pursuit of the truth. — [Steve Inskeep]( Morning Edition host --------------------------------------------------------------- [Screenshot of the social post for "CatVana" created by Kayla Delcoure for Pippi's Place.]( Photographer/Source If you're on the market for a "2015 Furcedes" named Buddy, a "Furrari" or a "Meowzda," you're in luck, thanks to a social media manager's [cat adoption campaign]( modeled after Carvana. Careful lighting those candles. Target is recalling nearly [5 million candles]( because the jars can crack or break and cause burns. Science communicator, author, and YouTuber Hank Green announced that he has been [diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma]( a type of blood cancer. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Find a Station]( --------------------------------------------------------------- This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]