NPR News: 04-29-2025 6AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: April 29, 2025, 6AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Publisher: NPR
Duration: Approximately 5 minutes

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1. President Trump's First 100 Days: Public Opinion Poll

Timestamp: [00:15]

Korva Coleman opens the episode by highlighting a new NPR-PBS NewsMarist poll assessing President Donald Trump's performance during his first 100 days in office. The poll, conducted by telephone, online, and text responses with over 1,400 participants, reveals significant public dissatisfaction.

Key Findings:

• Overall Rating: 45% of respondents graded Trump's performance with an "F," the highest proportion giving a failing mark. Conversely, 23% awarded him an "A."
• Demographic Breakdown:
  • Democrats: 80% rated Trump an "F."
  • Independents: 49% gave an "F."
  • Republicans: 54% supported Trump with an "A."
• Approval Rating: Trump holds a 42% approval rating overall, marking the second-lowest for a president's first 100 days in the 80-year history of such polling. This is only slightly better than his initial approval in 2017.

Domenico Montanaro elaborates, stating, “Trump has just a 42% approval rating in the poll overall, the second worst score for a president's first hundred days in 80 years of polling” ([00:29]).

The survey carries a margin of error of ±3.3 percentage points, indicating a reliable representation of current public sentiment.

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2. Trump's Detroit Rally and Canada's Election Outcome

Timestamp: [01:10 – 01:52]

Korva Coleman reports that President Trump is scheduled to hold a rally outside Detroit to celebrate his 100 days in office tonight. Concurrently, significant political developments are unfolding in Canada.

Canada's Next Prime Minister: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) projects that Liberal Party leader Mark Carney will become Canada's next Prime Minister. NPR's Kyra Joakim attended a watch party in Toronto with fellow Liberal Party member Chrystia Freeland.

Chrystia Freeland's Remarks: “At the Liberal campaign watch party, attendees expressed immense relief and jubilation as the results confirmed Mark Carney’s victory,” says Freeland ([01:32]).

Audience Reactions:

• Audience Member 1: “I say Mark, you say Carney.”
• Audience Member 2: “Mark Carney. Mark Carney.” ([01:44] - [01:48])

Context: The election is deemed one of the most consequential in Canadian decades, influenced by a surge in Canadian nationalism following perceived threats from President Trump. Freeland notes, “The election was seen as one of the most consequential in decades here after threats from US President Trump kicked off a wave of Canadian nationalism” ([01:52]).

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3. Fire at Memphis Civil Rights Landmark

Timestamp: [02:02 – 02:46]

Korva Coleman reports a devastating fire at the historic Claiborne Temple in Memphis, Tennessee, a significant civil rights landmark.

Historical Significance: The Claiborne Temple served as the epicenter for the civil rights movement, notably as the staging ground for the 1968 sanitation workers’ strike during the "I Am a Man" campaign. This movement attracted Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis, where he was ultimately assassinated.

Statements:

• Debbie Elliott (Reporter): “Heartbreaking to see one of the nation's greatest treasures lost to this fire” ([02:30]).
• Paul Young (Memphis Mayor): “Claiborne Temple has been a stately fixture in downtown Memphis for more than 130 years” and “History was made in this building. It has been the epicenter of the civil rights movement” ([02:23] - [02:38]).

Current Status: The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and authorities are mourning the loss of this pivotal historical site.

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4. Major League Baseball and Pete Rose's Ban

Timestamp: [03:07 – 03:52]

Korva Coleman transitions to sports news, reporting on MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s consideration of lifting the long-standing ban on Pete Rose.

Incident Overview: Pete Rose, who was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling offenses, remains ineligible for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Recently, Trump mentioned the potential for a pardon, intensifying discussions about Rose's status.

Giles Snyder's Report: “Commissioner Manfred didn't say when he will make a ruling on Pete Rose's ban, but he told a meeting of the Associated Press sports editors that he will not give the issue a pocket veto” ([03:52]).

Key Points:

• Rose was discussed during Manfred's meeting with President Trump at the White House about two weeks prior.
• Trump previously indicated intentions to sign a complete pardon for Rose.
• Despite Rose’s death in September at age 83, the ban remains a significant topic within MLB.
• A petition has been filed by Rose’s lawyer to remove him from the ineligible list, aiming for Hall of Fame consideration.

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5. Los Angeles City Workers Strike

Timestamp: [04:36 – 04:55]

Korva Coleman reports that thousands of Los Angeles city workers are engaged in a two-day strike, demanding fair negotiations for their next contract.

Strike Details:

• Demands: Workers seek equitable negotiations to ensure fair contracts.
• Impacts: The strike has resulted in closures of libraries and healthcare clinics across Louisiana. However, hospitals remain operational to ensure public health services continue uninterrupted.

Current Status: Negotiations are reportedly progressing slowly, with both sides yet to reach an agreement. The strike underscores ongoing labor tensions within major urban centers.

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Conclusion: This episode of NPR News Now provided a comprehensive overview of significant national and international events, including the declining approval ratings of President Trump, pivotal political shifts in Canada, the tragic loss of a key civil rights site in Memphis, evolving discussions within Major League Baseball regarding Pete Rose, and labor actions in Los Angeles. Each segment was enriched with direct quotes and insights from relevant figures, offering listeners a thorough understanding of the day's top stories.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. A new NPR PBS News Marist Poli is taking the measure of President Trump's first 100 days in office. NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports. Many Americans say they're not pleased with what they're seeing.

[Domenico Montanaro]

More than 1,400 people were reached by telephone, online or by text, and they were asked to grade Trump's first hundred days in office. The top answer was an F. 45% of respondents gave Trump the failing mark. About half that, 23% gave him an A. 80% of Democrats and 49% of independents gave Trump an F. 54% of Republicans, meanwhile, gave him an A. Trump has just a 42% approval rating in the poll overall, the second worst score for a president's first hundred days in 80 years of polling. The lowest Trump Trump in 2017, when he was just a point lower. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points. Domenico Montanaro, NPR News, Washington.

[Korva Coleman]

Meanwhile, President Trump will hold a rally outside Detroit tonight. He will celebrate his 100 days in office. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is projecting that Canada's next prime minister will be Liberal Party leader Mark Carney. NPR's Kyra Joakim attended an election watch party with Carney's fellow Liberal Party member Chrystia Freeland in Toronto.

[Chrystia Freeland]

Attendees at this Liberal campaign watch party breathed a sigh of relief as the CBC Radio Canada results rolled in and projected Mark Carney as the next prime minister of Canada. Here's Krista Freeland celebrating the win.

[Audience Member]

I say Mark, you say Carney.

Mark Carney. Mark Carney.

[Chrystia Freeland]

The election was seen as one of the most consequential in decades here after threats from US President Trump kicked off a wave of Canadian nationalism. Kyra Joachim, NPR News, Toronto.

[Korva Coleman]

A fire has damaged a civil rights landmark in Memphis, Tennessee. The historic Claiborne Temple was the staging ground for striking sanitation workers during their iconic I Am a Man campaign. NPR's Debbie Elliot reports. That campaign drew the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. To Memphis, where he was later assassinated.

[Paul Young]

Claiborne Temple has been a stately fixture in downtown Memphis for more than 130 years.

[Debbie Elliott]

Heartbreaking to see one of the nation's greatest treasures lost to this fire.

[Paul Young]

Memphis Mayor Paul Young.

[Debbie Elliott]

History was made in this building. It has been the epicenter of the civil rights movement.

[Paul Young]

Claiborne Temple AME was where labor activists and civil rights leaders, including the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. Met to strategize in 1968 when Memphis sanitation workers went on strike over deadly working conditions. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Debbie Elliott, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street, in premarket trading, stock futures are higher. Dow futures are up more than 100 points. This is NPR. Police near Springfield, Illinois, say three children and a young adult were killed yesterday. A car plowed into a building hosting their after school program. The youngest victim is 4 years old. Several other children were hurt. Police say the vehicle plunged through the entire building and drove out the other side before it stopped. The driver was alone and unhurt. Officials have not said what led to the crash. Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manford is not hinting at his thinking, but NPR's Giles Snyder reports. Manfred says he is weighing whether to end the MLB ban on the late Pete Rose.

[Giles Snyder]

Commissioner Manfred didn't say when he will make a ruling on Pete Rose's ban, but he told a meeting of the Associated Press sports editors that he will not give the issue a pocket veto. He also confirmed that Rose came up during his meeting with President Trump at the White House roughly two weeks ago, but he declined to give details on the back and forth. At the end of February, Trump said on social media that he will be signing a complete pardon for Rose, who was banned from baseball in 1989 for gambling. Trump has not revisited the ban since Rose died in September at age 83. A lawyer who represented him has filed a petition for Rose to be removed from MLB's ineligible list so he can be considered for baseball's hall of Fame. Giles Snyder, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

Thousands of Los Angeles city workers are in the middle of a two day strike. They're demanding the city fairly negotiate their next contract. Talks have been moving slowly. Louisiana. Libraries and health care clinics are closed today. Hospitals are open. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.

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