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Conservative Christian leaders met in Memphis this past weekend to talk about their role in the upcoming elections. The movement, which turned out millions of voters in the 1994 elections and has been considered pivotal in some races, appears to be experiencing some growing pains. NPR's Lynn Neary reports that members are divided over the best tack to take in the presidential elections, especially if the Republican nominee is not committed to their strong anti-abortion views.

Commentator Michael Hood describes the depraved atmosphere of fraternity life and the preference frat boys have for terrible food.

Commentator David Bernstein says that as a young conservative, he doesn't see anyone in the GOP field of candidates he wants to vote for. He warns that if the republicans don't recruit a visonary leader, with some spunk, they are going to miss an opportunity to bring in a lot of young conservatives.

Commentator Stewart Cheifet (shih-FAY) says the Internet can be an intimidating place for newcomers, whose ignorance about on-line protocol is often met with rudeness, ridicule and outright hostility.

Robert has the story of a costly error on the part of wireless communications company -- the difference between $18 million dollars and $180 million.

NPR's Peter Overby reports that House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt today responded to an ethics complaint filed against him. He denied that he filed false financial disclosure statements and spent campaign funds for his personal use. That ethics complaint was filed a week ago by Republican Jennifer Dunn of Washington.

NPR Senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that several new polls show that Americans are alarmingly out of touch with their government and each other.

NPR's Trevor Rowe reports that the UN and Iraq are close to working out an agreement allowing Iraq to sell limited amounts of oil for food and medicine. But many countries in the region are concerned about the effect Iraq's re-entry into the oil market might have on oil prices.

David Culhane reports from Paris on a shakeup in the French defense industry. The government offered the biggest overhaul and the most comprehensive review of French military strategy since World War II. President Chirac announced in an address to the nation today that over the next 6 years military conscription will be replaced by a professional army.

Alan Cheuse reviews Criminals by Scottish writer Margot Livesey. (LIV-see). It's a dark comedy about moral ambiguity in the life of a English business man. (Publisher:Knopf)

Danny talks with Stephen Ansolabehere, author of "Going Negative, How Political Advertisements Shrink and Polarize the Electorate" (The Free Press, Simon and Schuster). Ansolabehere says that contrary to popular belief, negative ads don't cause voters to change their minds. In fact, according to one study Ansolabehere and his colleagues completed, negative ads reenforce voters pre-existing political views, with one glaring exception, independents. In this case, Ansolabehere says, negative ads tend to make independents stay home and not vote at all and since independents tend to be the moderating force in elections, the fact that they are discouraged from voting by negative ads may be leading to the polarization of American politics.

Robert and Linda read from another batch of listeners' comments.

Commentator John Rosenthal is a photographer and at a wedding he was working at he befriended a little girl in a white dress and patent leather shoes who wanted to pose for a picture. She also wants to know why he is taking so many pictures if he doesn't know anyone at the wedding.

We're asking our listeners to phone our call-in line to tell us for Valentine's Day...what they remember of their first real kiss.

With just over a week until the Iowa caucuses, organizers for various candidates are trying to make sure their troops will show up in force for one of the most important early contests for the presidential nomination. NPR's Laura Ziegler reports that for many people in Iowa, the up-close-and-personal nature of the caucus process offers them a chance to meet the candidates and for many, it is the closest encounter they have with representative democracy.

Satirist Harry Shearer gives us a look into the future, when the sale of NFL teams between cities become so numerous that one network, Fox, creates a new program where fans can call in their votes and pledges to get a team or keep a team.

NPR's Jim Zarroli reports that the debate over the North American Free Trade Agreement has resurfaced, with political candidates making claims and counter-claims about the trade agreement's effect on jobs in the U.S. Pat Buchanan insists that NAFTA has cost the U.S. 300,000 jobs, but most economists say he has no hard evidence to support such claim.

Alan Cheuse reviews "The Cardinals," a novel by the well-known South African writer Bessie Head. Cheuse says the book, which tells of the transformation of a journalist during the oppressive days of apartheid, is raw and powerful.

Noah talks with Joe Queenan who made a movie using his own money and neighbors for actors. He wanted to demonstrate how easy it is to make a bad movie. He also managed to publish a book about his effort. (for stations: book is The Unkindest Cut: How a Hatchetman Critic Made His Own $7000 Movie and Put It All On His Credit Card published by Hyperion)

Minnesota Public Radio's John Biewen has a profile of a working poor family. Many political leaders now say curing poverty is beyond the ability of government; poor people simply have to go to work. But millions of the poor already work. One in six Americans is poor, or near poor, despite having one or more family members in the workforce. The proportion of workers earning poverty-level wages has grown by 50-percent in the past 13 years.