Every election, for years, both parties talk nice to the middle to win elections and then promptly forget the middle and govern in the extreme.

FORBES: Break The Addiction: Demand Direction, Not Distraction, From Candidates

But the talk isn't very nice.

FORBES: Valley of the Mudslingers

Felicia Pride joins us here in Studio 3A. Nice to have you on TALK OF THE NATION today.

NPR: Getting 'The Message' from Hip-Hop Lyrics

And, Mark Mothersbaugh, nice to have you on TALK OF THE NATION.

NPR: The '80s Strike Back: Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh

Nice to have you on TALK OF THE NATION today.

NPR: Confronting Misconceptions About Cancer Prevention

Mr. BOB KAGAN (Scholar, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace): The nice thing about a campaign is you can always talk in pretty black-and-white terms about what you'd like to do and what you think.

NPR: Obama Must Manage Great Expectations

He's written about his earlier experiences as a victims fund administrator in a book called "Who Gets What, " and nice to have you back on TALK OF THE NATION.

NPR: Managing The $30 Million 'One Fund' To Aid Boston Victims

Nice thought, although it's maybe a bit optimistic to talk about the crash as history just yet.

BBC: The Queen, Symbolism and Sorrow