Ideological clashes over particular laws, policies and programs often go far deeper.

WASHINGTON -- What if the president gave a major speech and no one heard it?

Three Florida nuclear plants are on a federal list of 27 reactors that could need upgrades to withstand earthquakes, but regulators and utilities downplayed the risks.

Florida Power & Light's St. Lucie 1 and St. Lucie 2 reactors appeared on the list, along with Progress Energy's Crystal River plant on the west coast.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the national unemployment rate in August remained unchanged from July at 9.1 percent -- meaning 14 million Americans are still out of work. With President Barack Obama scheduled to give a major jobs address on Thursday, the field of Republican presidential candidates took aim at his administrations job policies.