NPR does more harm than good to their cause of beating McCain in Ohio with this profile - every reader who sees that picture is going to be rolling their eyes in disgust.
Years ago, the NYT (I believe) did a spread on rural poverty in America that was supposed to evoke the audience's sympathy, I guess.
The couple who was the subject of the article had named their son "Chevyvan" because that was where he'd been conceived. Their photo, taken on a Sunday morning, showed them sitting at their kitchen table that was literally covered with empty beer cans.