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CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks for taking 10 minutes to catch up on today's headlines. I'm Carl Azuz. We're gonna look at some memorable moments from the past in just a few. We start with preparations for the future.
AZUZ: The not-so-distant future. We're talking about the midterm elections coming up in November. The primaries taking place around the country right now are determining who will take part in those November elections. And according to some experts, voters are sending off some mixed signals. We've seen a lot of scenes like this one recently: protests, people speaking out against the government, angry with how things are going in Washington. Based on the results at the ballot box, that anger might be directed at both Democrats and Republicans.
There's also a question of what this all means for incumbents, politicians who are currently in office and are running for re-election. Some analysts argue that how things are playing out during the primaries could offer a preview of what will happen in November. As for Tuesday, Candy Crowley wraps up the results and explains what they might mean. As you hear her talk about some of the winners and losers, keep in mind she's mostly talking about primary elections, so they haven't won a seat in Congress yet. So far, they've just won the chance to be on the ballot in November's general election.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: In politics, they don't come much tougher than 80-year-old Arlen Specter. But this hurt.
SEN. ARLEN SPECTER, (D) PENNSYLVANIA: It's been a great privilege to serve the people of Pennsylvania. And it's been a great privilege to be in the United States Senate.
CROWLEY: Specter was a Republican until a year ago. In a Democratic primary, it hung like an anvil around his neck. So did his 30 years in the Senate, set aside for a congressman with four years in the House.
REP. JOE SESTAK, (D) PENNSYLVANIA SENATE NOMINEE: A win for the people over the establishment, over the status quo, even over Washington.
CROWLEY: The year the anti-incumbent looked real; real enough for Blanche Lincoln, too. Running for her third term, the Democratic senator from Arkansas won, but not by enough to avoid a runoff.
SEN. BLANCHE LINCOLN, (D) ARKANSAS: Tonight we begin our countdown to victory, folks.
CROWLEY: There were no insiders in the Kentucky Republican race for senator, but there was Trey Grayson, endorsed by insiders. Grayson lost to Rand Paul, a Tea Party favorite.
RAND PAUL, (R) KENTUCKY SENATE NOMINEE: Washington is horribly broken. I think we stand on a precipice. We are encountering a day of reckoning, and this movement, this Tea Party movement, is a message to Washington that we're unhappy and that we want things done differently.
CROWLEY: Still, for all the headlines of the night, perhaps the most telling story is about the congressional district of the late Congressman John Murtha, a district that is blue collar, mostly white, socially conservative. The kind of place Republicans thought they could take now and in the fall. Mark Critz versus Tim Burns was the only Democrat versus Republican race of the evening, a special election.
MARK CRITZ, (D) PENNSYLVANIA REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT: You like the tie? It's got donkeys on it, you know? And we have a great victory tonight, don't we?
CROWLEY: It's more than a Democratic win. It's a major league talking point for Democrats who argue that in the first real test of strength in the fall elections, Republicans failed. So, this fall could change a lot of things or maybe not so much. Candy Crowley, CNN, Philadelphia.
(END VIDEO)
Shoutout
TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Mr. Martin's world geography classes at Minden High School in Minden, Nebraska! Felipe Calderon is the president of what country? If you think you know it, shout it out! Is it: A) Spain, B) Argentina, C) Mexico or D) Philippines? You've got three seconds -- GO! Felipe Calderon has been the president of Mexico since 2006. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout!
AZUZ: President Calderon's country shares a 2,000-mile border with the U.S., and during a trip to the U.S., he and President Obama are talking about some of the issues that cross over that border: immigration, drugs, trade. Today, President Calderon is making a speech in front of Congress. Yesterday, he met with President Obama at the White House. The leaders said they both need to work on these cross-border issues. Mexico is cracking down on illegal drugs, and it's getting some help in that fight from the U.S. Helicopters, drug scanners: It's part of a $1.3 billion program aimed at fighting the illegal drug trade. While drugs flow north across the border, guns flow south. Mexican authorities have captured 45,000 weapons that could be traced back to the U.S. President Obama's administration has promised to screen all train cargo headed south to try to crack down on that number.
Thailand Crisis
AZUZ: Over in Thailand, things are relatively calm. But yesterday, reporters described the capital city of Bangkok as a war zone. The military stepped in to end weeks of intense fighting between police and protesters who are called Red Shirts. You can see some signs of yesterday's violence in this iReport. Military forces stormed areas where the Red Shirts gather. The protesters threw grenades at the soldiers. At least five people were killed in the violence. Eventually, Red Shirt leaders called off the protests. Some of them surrendered to police.
The protesters support Thailand's former prime minister, Thaksin Shinawatra. They want him back in office. He was removed from power in 2006 and faces charges of corruption. The Thai government has accused Thaksin of helping to organize the violent protests that have been going on in the country. Thaksin denies that accusation and says he never approves the use of violence.
This Day in History
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May 20, 1902 - Cuba gains independence after being controlled by Spain and the U.S.
May 20, 1927 - Charles Lindbergh begins first solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean
May 20, 1932 - Amelia Earhart begins first solo transatlantic flight by a woman
AZUZ: This next story has got some interesting questions tied in with it. It's almost like a moral dilemma; it might get you talking. We hope after you watch today's show, you'll head to our blog at CNNStudentNews.com and talk to us about it. We're going to have a new post up; we want to hear your thoughts. Here's what it's about: an experiment that's taking place in Missouri. It's not like the ones you'd do in science class. It's a social experiment, something that involves people and, in this case, a restaurant. Ann Rubin of affiliate KSDK serves up the details.
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ANN RUBIN, KSDK REPORTER: For the most part, the cafe still looks the same. The menu, well, that's the same too. But really, the St. Louis Bread Company in Clayton is something new entirely.
DON HUTCHESON, AREA DIRECTOR, PANERA BREAD: And we're seeing it transform right in front of our eyes.
RUBIN: They're calling it "Cafe St. Louis Bread Company Cares." The idea: everybody gets to eat, paying only what they can afford.
RON SHAICH, CHAIRMAN OF PANERA BREAD: You take what you need. You give what you can. And the bet we're making is on humanity. The bet we're making is that enough people will come in who will give enough that this cafe can sustain.
RUBIN: And so the prices here are really just suggestions. And when you pay, the money doesn't go in a cash register, it goes in a donation box. Some people contribute more than the cost of their meal, which helps to offset those who pay less. And those who have nothing can offer to wipe tables. Already, the community is responding.
HUTCHESON: We get hugs. We get thank you's. We get handshakes. We're just overwhelmed with the response.
SHAICH: The important thing about this is that it isn't charity in the pure sense of the word. It's really about mutual responsibility. It's about all of our responsibilities to each other.
RUBIN: The cafe itself is a non-profit, and money raised will go to keep it running. Ultimately, there may also be training programs here for at-risk youth. Clayton residents say they're curious to see if this social experiment is a success.
NEIL SACHANANDANI, RESIDENT: I think it's pretty interesting. I think in terms of seeing how it plays out financially, you kind of have to see how it goes.
NANCY RAYHAWK, RESIDENT: I think it would be a great thing for the community, for people who are down on their luck and people who want to give back.
(END VIDEO)
Before We Go
AZUZ: Interesting idea. Do you think it'll work? Would it work where you live, and how much would you pay? The blog is up at CNNStudentNews.com. Now before we go, there are some joke formats that are pretty classic. For example: How many maintenance workers does it take to change a light bulb? In this case, it's one, but he better have nerves of steel. Look at it! This burned out bulb is on top of the St. Louis Gateway Arch! That's 630 feet in the air! The man's been doing this for nearly 20 years and it's important work, because the arch is so tall, it needs the light to warn off airplanes.
Goodbye
AZUZ: Which is actually a really bright idea. So, do you think the guy cracks any jokes when he's 630 feet up? You know, just to kind of lighten the mood? He's probably concentrating too much to have any overarching puns. We're back tomorrow to wrap up the week. For CNN Student News, I'm Carl Azuz.