Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly civilized yet provocative confrontation over politics, policy and pop culture.
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Buckeye State bucks ballot initiative
Ohio voters turned out in droves to reject a ballot measure that would change the state’s amendment process. An upcoming vote on abortion rights lingered in the background of the special election. What role could abortion play in national voter turnout next November? Hunter Biden’s business partner testified before Congress last week. A collapsed plea deal on tax charges means a potential trial for the president’s son could be around the corner. Could further investigation into Hunter’s legal troubles spell disaster for his father’s re-election hopes? Negative reactions to the U.S. Women’s National Team’s early exit from the World Cup angered supporters. Is it unfair to expect the team to be shielded from critiques over their political activism?
Adding indictments to injury
Donald Trump was indicted this week for several charges related to the events of January 6. U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith presented a strong legal case against the former president. Will litigating the Capitol riots help mend the political divide, or set a strict precedent for the executive branch? President Biden’s administration says it’s doing everything it can to solve a broken immigration system. The policies put in place so far haven’t garnered much support from either side of the political aisle. Do genuine solutions lie in the middle, and what do they look like? In the latest installment of “Changed My Mind,” a veteran reckons with the realities of battle.
McCarthy’s on the Hunt(er)
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy thinks it may be time to open an impeachment inquiry to get more information on President Biden’s involvement in his son Hunter’s questionable business dealings. Congress can pursue impeachment at its own discretion, but is now too soon? Also, Mark Zuckerberg narrowly missed being held in contempt of Congress after initially withholding internal communications between the White House and Facebook. The House Judiciary Committee says he may not be so lucky next time. Is there any middle ground for allowing communication between the White House and tech platforms? Plus, in the next installment of our “Changed My Mind” series, learn why you should always examine polling data.
Who’s afraid of the big bad Trump?
Conservative groups and the Donald Trump campaign are collaborating to expand executive powers if Trump secures a second White House term. At the heart of the plan is a legitimate debate about the scope of government —- and legitimate fears about what Trump would do with all that control. The independent group No Labels held a town hall unveiling its plans to present a third party option to a Biden-Trump rematch. Can they present anything to independent voters that’s worth a spot on the ballot next November? Two blockbuster films hit theaters this weekend — about one of the world’s most popular toys, and about one of history’s most destructive events. Some moviegoers can’t wait to see both “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.” What does that reveal about us? Plus, the first in a new series of essays presents a shocking discovery about relationships.
Tuberville blocks nominees — will US military lose its might?
Both the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the National Institutes of Health need a chief. Some senators are blocking confirmation of those nominees — so what will it take to win them over? Meanwhile, Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama is feeling heat for his comments defending white nationalism. Why does the GOP still feel the need to reach a controversial wing of voters? The increased popularity of artificial intelligence means tech could play a bigger role this upcoming election season. Are politicians ready to handle that responsibility? Will the showdown between Threads and Twitter become an ideological battle?
Voters believe in Biden’s policy. Do they believe in the man?
President Biden is putting the spin on “Bidenomics.” The administration is hoping they can capture voters with improved messaging on popular policies, but will it work? We’re a week removed from the end of the Supreme Court’s most recent term. What are the big takeaways from the slate of decisions from the court, and lessons about the newest justice? America celebrated its independence once again this past week. But after a tumultuous last few years, confidence in institutions is down across the board. Is our democracy healthy enough to regain the trust of voters?
What’s next for diversity efforts as SCOTUS strikes down affirmative action?
The Supreme Court ruled against long-standing affirmative action practices for public and private universities. Is there any chance this could improve how colleges try to increase diversity on campuses, or will it set back the clock in the push for racial equity? After last week’s short-lived mutiny, plenty of questions remain about the strength of Vladimir Putin’s regime in Russia. What can we take away from how he’s handled the aftermath? How has it impacted support for Putin at home and abroad? California Governor Gavin Newsom and Florida Governor Ron Desantis have used state policies to bring national attention to their ideological battle. Are the dueling governors just trying to boost their national profiles, or do they accurately represent the direction that their respective parties are headed in?
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?