Politics Episodes

Sept. 17, 2021

Newsom Recall Post Mortem: Talking with Dan Walters of CalMatters.org

The second Gubernatorial recall in California's 171 years history as a state failed. Governor Gavin Newsom handily saw off the challenge to oust him, 64% to 36%. Does his victory mean a renewed mandate to solve the state's b…
Sept. 14, 2021

The Eve of the California Recall Election: In conversation with Professor David McCuan

The second recall election of a California Governor in 171 years of statehood takes place tomorrow, Tuesday September 14. The polls are predicting a landslide victory for Gavin Newsom. But the seasoned political scientist Pr…
Sept. 9, 2021

Gavin Newsom's handling of Covid is both an advantage and a liability in the Recall. Talking with Kaiser Health News journalist Angela Hart.

While the Governor's management of California's response to the Covid pandemic has been an issue in the Recall, he has earned praise and criticism. Angela Hart frames the issues around his handling of Covid and further previ…
Guest: Angela Hart
Aug. 26, 2021

Newsom Recall Election: In conversation with Laurel Rosenhall, political reporter with CalMatters

The special recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom is scheduled for September 14, less than three weeks away. The polls are close and the campaigns are moving into high gear. Lauren Rosenhall gives us her perspective on th…
Aug. 21, 2021

Newsom's Recall: Opinion Polls and Issues.

Newsom has a razor thin lead of 1.2% in the Recall race based on an average of polls according to 538.org. At the same time, the Covid Delta surge is reminding voters - Hispanics in particular - how devastating the 2020 lock…
July 21, 2021

The California Recall State of Play: In conversation with Laurel Rosenhall political reporter with CalMatters.

California's recall election of Governor Gavin Newsom is set for September 14, 2021. Over 40 candidates are on the ballot. But the unfolding Delta variant Covid resurgence could prove to be a wild card in what was once regar…
May 20, 2021

5 Oregon counties vote to join Idaho. An interview with Mike McCarter, President of Move Oregon's Borders.

5 rural Oregon counties voted by wide margins on Tuesday to begin the process to join Idaho. That brings the tally to 7 for the leavers, with more than 10 more counties slated to vote on the issue. Is the driver to leave Ore…
Guest: Mike McCarter
April 22, 2021

California school kids' raw deal: Dan Walters, veteran journalist, shares his analysis.

Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) the second largest school system in the United States and the largest in California, published a report last week outlining the dire impact of the Covid lockdowns on our state's 6 …
March 22, 2021

California Recall garners more than 2 million signatures. An interview with Professor David McCuan

It looks like the Recall organizers who want to oust California Governor Gavin Newsom have successfully gathered more than enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Political Scientist Professor at Sonoma State Univ…
March 6, 2021

Recall the San Francisco School Board: A conversation with Community Leader Joel Engardio

The SF School Board is threatened with being recalled because after one year of Covid related lockdowns, the 127 public schools in the City are still closed to its' 59,000 students. The City is actually suing the School Boar…
Guest: Joel Engardio
Feb. 21, 2021

Recall Fever: I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore.

California voters are especially testy these days as we enter our 12 th month of Covid lockdown. Not only is the Governor threatened with Recall over his handling of the crisis, but the San Francisco District Attorney is too…
Guest: Jim Herlihy
Feb. 8, 2021

Ambassador Ric Grenell and the California Recall

Ambassador Ric Grenell served as US Ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020. Subsequently he served as Acting Director of National Intelligence in 2020, a cabinet level post. A favorite of Donald Trump for his blunt and fort…
Guest: Jim Herlihy
Feb. 6, 2021

Governor Newsom's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week.

The first week of February 2021 was not very good to the Governor of California. First, the Recall signature campaign was closing in on 1.4 million signatures with six weeks left before the deadline. Then two Republican cand…
Guest: Jim Herlihy
Jan. 22, 2021

A peaceful transfer of power.

Joseph R. Biden Jr. was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021. His predecessor Donald Trump did not attend the ceremony, but he left a letter of support for the incoming President in the Ov…
Guest: Jim Herlihy
Jan. 13, 2021

Militarization of Politics must Stop

The Siege of the US Capitol one week ago illustrated how US politics have become militarized under Donald Trump. Militias and their members were a visible presence at the infamous rally beforehand and at the storming of the …
Guest: Jim Herlihy