"Time To Address The 'State Of The Family'"

MELISSA BLOCK, Host:

Unidentified Woman: Hey, what are you doing?

ERIN CLUNE: Before I address the issues that confront us, I'd like to salute some heroes here tonight. Brother Joe, stand up.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

CLUNE: Apart from the loss of jobs, health care has been an issue in this great family of ours. People, why are there never any Band-Aids in the upstairs closet? I know we can and will do better in the future.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

CLUNE: Unidentified Child #1: You lie.

CLUNE: Unidentified Child #1: Mom.

CLUNE: Unidentified Child #2: Yeah, mom.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

BLOCK: Erin Clune is a producer for the Public Radio program "To the Best of Our Knowledge" in Madison, Wisconsin.