From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Republicans, Democrats, and the middle class.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

In both Tampa and Charlotte, speaker after speaker, tried to identify with the middle class

and offer fulfillment of the American dream. That's been a staple of presidential campaign since

the end of World War II, but in recent decades, the middle class has been shrinking.

Do Democrats and Republicans even agree anymore on what middle class

really means? Do potential voters still share the American dream? Today we'll hear about traditional

slogans, contemporary realities, and this year's promises from both political parties. On

reporter's notebook later on, President Obama's public opinion bounced since the Democratic convention.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio International Program Fund.

Hello again, Warren. I'm on me. Back with To the Point. Both Democrats and Republicans are campaigning with traditional appeals to the middle class, but is that a phrase that's losing

its meaning? Do the party platforms offer credible promises about helping Americans fulfill

the American dream? On reporter's notebook, Frank Newport, the Gallup poll, tells us whether the

president got a better bounce from his convention

that Mitt Romney got from his. First is news update, marathon negotiations began last November, but they

broke down yesterday, and today some 26,000 teachers are on strike in Chicago. Classes have been

canceled for more than 350,000 students. Ram Emanuel, President Obama's former chief of staff, is the mayor who

handpicked the school board.

I am disappointed that we have come to this point, given that even all the other parties

...