Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly civilized yet provocative confrontation over politics, policy and pop culture.
Biden’s uphill battle, and a year post-Roe
President Biden is hitting the campaign trail to tout his first-term accomplishments, gain support, and refill his war chest. But in the face of sagging poll numbers, can he convince voters to grant him a second term? It’s now been one year since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. What’s changed in the absence of federal abortion protections, and what else has the court ruled on in its most recent term? Can it maintain public credibility amidst political polarization? A storm is brewing inside the environmental movement, pitting clean energy advocates against conservationists concerned about the impacts of development. How will a movement that’s been primarily focused on opposing new projects retool to build the infrastructure necessary to combat climate change?
Trump’s been indicted — again
Donald Trump has broken another record. Already the first former president ever indicted on criminal charges, he’s now the first ever indicted twice. He faces 37 felony counts stemming from his improper withholding of top secret documents at Mar a Lago. He stored them, among other places, in the bathroom. Trump cries witch hunt, but what defense will he employ in federal court? And then there’s the court of public opinion, where Trump holds defiant rallies and the usual cast of Republican surrogates jumps to his defense. Will Trump’s political opponents capitalize on another chapter in a long series of scandals, or can the former president spin this to his advantage as part of his deep state narrative? All the drum beating from Republican leadership stirs up right-wing extremists online, but Trump’s arraignment in Miami went off with little more than a whimper. In the wake of January 6, how big a threat does conspiracy-driven political violence continue to pose?
‘He’s boring as hell’: Mike Pence jumps into presidential race
Mike Pence is officially running for president — against the former president who made him vice president. He’s trying to evoke Reagan conservatism, but does the Trump-dominated GOP actually want to go retro? And does Pence have the charisma to bring voters with him? The Ukrainian military may or may not have launched its much-anticipated counteroffensive in the wake of a horrific dam break that flooded the front lines. If Russia was responsible, could it be a dangerous sign of things to come in this war, and should the world condemn the act with a louder voice? And this week’s announcement of a big merger in the world of golf raises questions about Saudi Arabia and whether it’s using sports to turn attention away from its record of human rights abuses.
House debt ceiling vote: Winner, loser, bipartisan outlier?
The months-long battle to raise the limit on how much money the federal government can borrow cleared its biggest hurdle: the Republican-controlled House, led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy. “We didn’t do it by taking the easy way,” McCarthy said. “We decided that we had to spend less, and we achieved that goal. Is it everything I wanted? No. But sitting with one House, with a Democratic Senate, and a Democratic Senate who didn’t want to meet with us, I think we did pretty dang good for the American public.” Negotiating this bill also marked the first big test of McCarthy’s speakership. After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his presidential campaign on Twitter last week, he had a more conventional kickoff in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina this week. He spent most of his stump speech going after President Biden, but when talking with reporters, he criticized his top GOP rival, former President Trump, more explicitly. “He’s attacking me for opposing an immigration amnesty for illegal aliens that he did support when he was president. … He campaigned against that in 2016,” DeSantis said. “I do think, unfortunately, he’s decided to move left on some of these issues.” And HBO’s flagship drama (or tragic comedy?) “Succession”ended on Sunday night. Author Kurt Andersen says the show “nailed the unreal way we live now.”
An embarrassing start as DeSantis announces 2024 presidential bid
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis finally announced his bid for president. He did it on Twitter with Elon Musk, the platform’s controversial owner, and it did not go well. After 25 minutes of silence and delays, DeSantis finally gave his speech. Will the rocky start marr his campaign, or does it not matter? Then, it’s the third anniversary of George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police officers. His death sparked an important movement in the U.S. and around the world. But what was not well-known about Floyd’s life is that he was a music lover and a mentor to men in his community. Lastly, the filmmaker Spike Lee wanted to make a difference in the entertainment business, so he put his money where his mouth was and started a fellowship program for Black students. Is this type of effort enough to make a difference to diversity, equity and inclusion in the entertainment industry?
Are Democrats doomed to lose their gains in Senate?
Democrats are worrying about the Senate map as 23 seats are up for reelection, as compared to 10 on the Republican side. Many of these seats are in swing states or red states. What should Democrats do to ensure some wins? Then, Biden is set on partnering with Vice President Kamala Harris again in 2024, despite her low approval ratings. Will this impact his electability? Researchers have stated that past vice presidents have not moved the needle on votes for a president. But is it different this time when the concern around Harris isn’t her competency as vice president, but whether she’s capable of being president should Biden not make it? Lastly, Americans are facing a loneliness epidemic that’s affecting their mental and physical health. It’s been an issue since before the COVID pandemic, but we didn’t publicly start talking about it until after. Why did it take so long for people to open up about it, and what can they do to address it?
Same old Trump in CNN town hall: Sign of what to expect in 2024 race?
Trump took the stage again for a New Hampshire town hall hosted by CNN, and it was like going back in time to 2016. He rehashed the stolen election claim and hurled insults, and more. Is the U.S. bound to repeat political history? Then, with another round of mass shootings and the public growing weary, can politicians agree on legislation, or must Americans accept gun violence as unavoidable? And Bud Light entered the cultural wars by featuring a transgender model in a recent ad campaign, which received immediate backlash from the right. Do companies have a responsibility to be inclusive in their marketing, or should they stick to their main demographic?
Should Biden have ordered 1500 troops to US-Mexico border?
Biden seemed to take a page out of Trump’s playbook this week by ordering 1,500 active duty troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. He stated it was meant to help the National Guard and Border Patrol deal with the surge of migrants as the pandemic-era Title 42 expires. But were soldiers the right response to a humanitarian crisis? Then, fighting in Sudan has created a humanitarian disaster after only two weeks. Did the U.S. overestimate the situation by pushing for democracy? And did we embolden the two military leaders behind the fighting — by treating them as legitimate players? And finally, television and film writers went on strike this week after failed negotiations with producers and studios. Will they succeed in getting higher pay in a streaming age where the old rules don’t apply?
Biden and Trump likely to face off again in 2024 presidential bid
President Biden has made it official: He’s running again. And there is yet to be a serious challenger to Donald Trump. Is the upcoming race full of undesirable candidates? Then, politicians seem to agree that that TikTok should be regulated or banned in the U.S. as concern increases over China using the app to spy on Americans. How serious is this threat, and how will people react if it’s prohibited? And music has an ability to bring us together, and country musician Ketch Secor from Old Crow Medicine Show takes it as his duty. Secor talks about the importance of trying to unite people from both sides of the gun debate — to talk about real solutions. Plus, he shares his new song “Louder Than Guns.” This is all discussed in front of an audience in Washington D.C. for a special live Left Right and Center.
Dianne Feinstein is pressured to resign. Is it sexism?
Two senators are back at work this week after taking time off for health reasons. One other, Senator Dianne Feinstein, is still recovering. Many democrats are calling for her to step down so the Senate Judiciary Committee can replace her and do its job of voting in new judges. But some prominent women are saying this is sexism. Also, Republicans and Democrats are at a stalemate on the debt ceiling. What’s it going to take to resolve and stop the country from defaulting on its loans? Plus, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is in hot water again for undisclosed payments, which were being sent to a defunct business. Is he hiding something or was it just an oversight? Then, more Americans are identifying as Independent. Is this a sign that we are becoming less polarized?
Why did the GOP kick 2 Tennessee lawmakers out of their jobs for protesting?
Two Tennessee lawmakers are expelled after Republicans in the House reacted to a breach of decorum. Their districts reinstated them, but was this the right reaction to protests from the left? Then, President Biden passed proposed changes intended to protect transgender athletes in schools, but no one is happy. Why wasn’t it a good compromise for those in the middle? And, the 15-minute city is a seemingly innocuous urban planning idea, but it’s sparked fear and backlash. But what could be bad about reducing traffic?
Should the media give Trump so much airtime?
Donald Trump was arraigned this week on 34 counts of falsifying business records, making him the first U.S. president to be criminally indicted. Is the media caving to temptation once again and giving Trump too much airtime? Also, Wall Street Journal Reporter Evan Gershkovich was taken into custody in Russia and accused of espionage. After decades of Russian authorities never targeting American journalists, Vladimir Putin has escalated matters and all bets appear to be off. Are we heading for another prisoner swap? And if so, what are the implications of that? And Finland once again was ranked the happiest country on the planet. But how Finns themselves define happiness may surprise you. Are there lessons Americans can learn from them?
Biden publicly calls out Netanyahu. What to expect next?
President Biden made an unusual move this week: publicly called out Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu for attempting to alter Israel’s judiciary. Netanyahu tweeted back: Israel doesn’t respond to pressure from abroad. What consequences might this tension have? Also, the most expensive race for a state Supreme Court seat in U.S. history is taking place in Wisconsin. Electing judges is not unique – many states do it. But is it dangerous when politics get infused into the process? And Baratunde Thurston — author, comedian and host of the podcast “How to Citizen” — talks about power, democracy, and silly bathroom signs.
Are the charges against Trump enough to indict him?
Donald Trump is facing a possible indictment over the alleged hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. What will happen if Trump is arrested? Plus, climate deniers aside, are liberals and conservatives really that far apart in terms of climate solutions? We talk to a conservative environmentalist who has spent decades in the field. And, a physician talks about whether voters should take age into account when deciding on a president.
Can private companies no longer avoid political fights?
The debate over abortion rights has entered a new phase. Last year’s Supreme Court decision to strike down the federal right to the health procedure and leave it up to states is now playing out with private companies. The country’s second-largest pharmacy chain, Walgreens, is facing criticism from both sides of the aisle after announcing it would not ship or sell mifepristone in 21 states. The medication is used to terminate a pregnancy or treat a miscarriage. This came after Republican attorneys general threatened legal action if the pharmacy didn’t stop selling the medication. However, abortion is still legal in a few of the states on that list such as Alaska, Kansas and Montana. Then, California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state was cutting ties with Walgreens and its $54 million contract. He claimed the pharmacy caved to pressure from the right. Can big companies no longer stay out of these polarizing debates? Host David Greene discusses with Mo Elleithee, executive director of Georgetown University’s Institute of Politics and Public Service, and Sarah Isgur, senior editor at The Dispatch. Plus, while the Supreme Court was once considered a major polarizing force, its perception with Americans is improving. A Marquette Law School poll from January found that 47% of respondents approve of the Supreme Court, up from 38% last July when the court struck down Roe v Wade. And surprisingly, the rise is mostly among Democrats. Can the court continue boosting its standing? Special guest Charles Franklin, pollster and director of the Marquette Law School, weighs in on restoring faith in the High Court. And Stanford Law School’s invitation to a controversial federal judge ended up a complete mess. Before he could start his speech, hecklers interrupted the event and even a school administrator questioned if allowing his talk was worth it. How can universities ensure a public speaker and dissenters can have their voices heard? And where do we draw the line between free speech and hate speech?