Left, Right & Center

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spent this week on Capitol Hill in hopes of securing the necessary Senate votes to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. As Kennedy’s “Make America Healthy Again” platforms gain popularity, senators and health experts raise concerns over Kennedy’s stances against vaccines and certain public health policies. As President-elect Donald Trump continues to flesh out his second term vision, immigration reform remains one of the biggest policies on his agenda. Trump won historically Democratic districts along the border and made large strides with Latino voters in the last election. Recently on Meet the Press, Trump expressed an openness to working across the aisle on deportations and family separations. It’s a more common sense approach compared to his rhetoric on the campaign trail. It’s also much more in line with how voters feel about immigration. In an article for The Atlantic, journalist Rogé Karma attributed the Democrats’ loss to their miscalculations about the Latino vote. Will Trump turn the electorate’s support for immigration reform into actionable policy? While Democrats continue to analyze their election missteps with immigration, the Left, Right, and Center panel looks at how progressive activism might have contributed to their loss. In his essay “How Gay Marriage Ruined Democratic Activism,” writer Jeremiah Johnson posits that Democrats learned all the wrong lessons from progressives. How true is that? Did moral absolutism cost Democrats the White House?

Bashar al-Assad’s reign over Syria ended this week after 13 years of contentious civil war. Rebel forces captured the capital city of Damascus, freed prisoners from detention facilities, and ousted Assad from his palace. As Syrian citizens celebrate the end of Assad’s regime, President Biden has reaffirmed the need for a “Syrian-led” political transition. What’s next for Syria? Should the United States get involved to uphold international democracy? Political violence struck in New York City last week when a gunman killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Police identified the suspect as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. Americans across the political spectrum, many of whom are upset about the state of health care in the U.S., have shared support for the shooter’s actions. Their anger isn’t new, but have these frustrations crossed a line? As the NFL ramps up for its two Christmas Day marquee games, the Left, Right, and Center panel examines how modern sports culture mirrors politics. Both fields evoke a strong personal connection. Are sports as much of an identity as politics? Plus, how has gambling, ever more popular, affect the way we watch?

President-elect Donald Trump has long spoken about his plan to put America first instead of acting as the world’s policeman. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law this week, but the nation’s parliament quickly overturned it. Syrian rebel forces entered the city of Aleppo for the first time in nearly a decade. President Biden is funneling additional resources into Ukraine. All the while, the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah hangs delicately in the balance. What kind of shift is the global community preparing for when it comes to U.S. foreign policy? Meanwhile on U.S. soil, current President Joe Biden is in hot water after issuing a blanket pardon on his son Hunter Biden. The younger Biden son was facing sentencing for two criminal cases involving gun ownership and tax charges. President Biden repeatedly claimed that he would not pardon his son if found guilty in order to restore faith in the justice system. Democrats and Republicans alike are fuming at the walking back of the decision. What are the implications of this pardon as America transitions presidents? As Biden bends the meaning of “justice,” KCRW continues to analyze what justice will mean in the next White House administration. President-elect Donald Trump wants to make big changes to American justice, national security, and intelligence proceedings — including with his pick for FBI director, Kash Patel. Patel has been outspoken with his desires to “go after” critical members of the media. Will fealty to the president take second place to national security?

“Morning Joe” co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski are facing significant pushback for a recent visit to Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate. The MSNBC commentators told their audience they wanted to hear from Trump directly as he prepares for his second presidential term. Was the meeting good reporting, or simply self-serving? United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy believes America is experiencing a “loneliness epidemic,” which hits young people especially hard. He talks about ways to feel more connected and fulfilled, and how parents can care for their mental health.

Georgetown University released their annual “Battleground Civility Poll” this week, which found that voters believe national polarization decreased following Trump’s win. Voters gave polarization a 66.5 out of 100, the lowest score since 2019. While Kamala Harris scored higher on likability and hope for the future, Donald Trump scored higher on who could inspire results. Republicans won full control of Congress, but voters anticipate across-the-aisle compromise. Are people settling into Trump 2.0? One of Trump’s loftiest promises this campaign cycle was to “end all wars.” What does that mean for the United States’ relationships with Israel, Ukraine, and China? Plus, controversy is surrounding Trump’s Cabinet picks, which so far include Marco Rubio for secretary of state and Elon Musk for the self-designated “first buddy.” As the Republican Party preps for their future, the Democratic Party is reimagining theirs. Some congressional Democrats have spoken out against the party’s continued support of LGBTQ+ issues and the far left, claiming Democrats left everyday Americans by the wayside. In response, notable Democrats like Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear have pushed back against the idea of scapegoating progressives and the LGBTQ+ community. Is it possible for the Democrats to strike a balance?

President-elect Donald Trump announced a handful of buzzworthy cabinet appointments over the past few days. Trump has already announced his picks for the secretaries of State, Homeland Security and Defense. Those picks - Marco Rubio, Kristi Noem and Pete Hegseth, respectively - were controversial enough before Trump announced his choice of Florida senator Matt Gaetz for Attorney General. Gaetz’s selection has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the aisle. Was the media meltdown over Gaetz what Trump wanted all along? How will Trump’s picks affect his executive governing? Another contentious appointment this week was Trump’s announcement of former ICE director Tom Homan as “border czar." Homan has outlined in interviews a plan for mass deportations of migrant families, including people born in the United States. Trump’s stance on immigration and border security were major drivers in his election victory. Many in the GOP see voters election of Trump as a mandate on immigration and support for his mass deportation proposal. But after voters in many states supported Trump for President and voted down Democrats on the ballot, is that true? Did voters really want Trump’s policies, or just his leadership? Kamala Harris’s presidential defeat inspired plenty of introspection from the Democratic Party. Critics say the Democrats relied too heavily on identity politics and not enough on policy for the win. What role did sexism play in Harris’s loss? Is it as simple as the United States not being ready for a woman president?

President-elect Donald Trump is on track to be the first Republican to win the popular vote in 20 years. He won all the battleground states, knocking down the previous blue wall. Was this a referendum on the style of leadership the country desires? Trump outperformed his 2020 candidacy, while Kamala Harris underperformed in states President Joe Biden previously won. Donald Trump did better than anticipated with Latinos, Black men, and blue-collar workers. That success with key demographics led to his decisive victory. In the wake of the election, there is a close examination of Democratic strategy. What went wrong for Democrats? How did the party end up ceding its multicultural, working-class strongholds to Trump and the modern GOP? Will the loss shift the approach of Democratic strategists moving forward? The presidency wasn’t the only conservative victory on election night. It’s still too close to call the House, but Republicans are expecting to pair their White House win with control of Congress and a conservative Supreme Court. The Left, Right, and Center team discusses what a largely red executive, legislative, and judicial branch could mean for the country.

Polling shows the election is gridlocked in a tie. With both candidates preaching existential threats if they lose, and promising to save the country if they win, is fear or vibes a greater force in this election? Even after an assassination attempt, a sitting president stepping down, and felony convictions, neither side shows a strong lead. Whose charisma will prevail? Comedian-podcaster Tony Hinchcliffe stirred up controversy when he referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” during Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden last Sunday. Despite the hateful comments and boos, Trump called the rally “a beautiful event.” To make matters more complicated, President Joe Biden made a gaffe of his own when he said the only garbage he sees floating out there are “his supporters.” The White House says he meant supporters of the “floating island of garbage” statement, but is the damage already done? With less than a week before election day, the Washington Post agitated its subscribers and employees with the decision not to endorse Kamala Harris for president. Thousands of readers unsubscribed. Some consider it a calculated business choice from owner Jeff Bezos, while others think it’s a step in the right direction for news media. The Left, Right, and Center panel analyzes how newspaper endorsements (or a lack thereof) influence the election and political press at large.

With days left in the race, some say the onus is on Vice President Kamala Harris to distinguish herself from Joe Biden’s previous not-Donald Trump strategy. At a CNN town hall on Wednesday, she walked back former progressive policies and hammered in working across the aisle. Is her strategy of playing the middle enough to win? Polls suggest that nearly half of voters in the U.S. intend to cast their ballots early. Tens of millions have already done so, but in this tight a race, the fate of the election may rest on the undecided. How must Trump and Harris change their strategies to sway voters who haven’t picked yet? The overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022 largely delegated abortion rights to the states. In a place as purple as Nevada, is codifying abortion at the federal level enough to influence voters to go blue? Or will abortion rights voters be content with state-level rights? As part of our 50 states series, the Left, Right, and Center panel examines what a post-Dobbs election means for single-issue voters in Nevada.

A new front has opened in the culture wars: meteorology. Rampant disinformation spread across the Southeast after Hurricanes Helene and Milton left thousands in need of disaster relief. While some conservative lawmakers have been trying to manage the devastation, others including Donald Trump have platformed dangerous conspiracy theories. What does the GOP’s relationship with disinformation mean for the party’s future, and where does it go after Trump? Nebraska is one of two states that does not use a winner-take-all system for its electoral votes. That means the blue dot of Omaha, Nebraska could conceivably swing a close presidential election. Does this reveal the weirdness of the Electoral College overall? In a system designed to protect the minority from the majority, is the reverse now true? Can journalism save a marriage? Journalist Brian Reed is the host of KCRW’s new podcast Question Everything, which turns the critical lens on his own profession. Reed tells the Left, Right, and Center team a story of an Orange County couple that almost lost a decades-long marriage over where they get their news before finding an outlet they could both agree on. So how do journalism and politics tie into our personal relationships?

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien recently announced that the influential union wouldn’t be endorsing a presidential candidate. Meanwhile, other major unions are supporting Kamala Harris, but she’s struggling to secure the working-class male vote. Have Democrats lost the ability to connect with this bloc, or is something else at play? And what do we mean when we say “working class” these days? There was a lot of attention on Kamala Harris’ previous stances on fracking when she joined the presidential race. In 2019, Harris was firmly against fracking, but has since reversed course. It’s seen as a key issue in the swing state of Pennsylvania, but the industry actually accounts for less than half of 1% of jobs there. With such little impact on the state’s economy, was supporting the controversial form of energy production necessary? A Drag Queen Story Hour in Lancaster, Pennsylvania made the town’s library another front in the culture war. As part of our 50 states series, KCRW discusses how to overcome the urge to tune out the people and ideas we disagree with and find opportunities to unite.

Tim Walz and J.D. Vance took to the debate stage Tuesday night on CBS News. Vance addressed his previous comments on Trump, Walz settled in after a shaky start, and both candidates walked away with higher favorability ratings. In a political era defined by catty, entertainment-driven television, was Tuesday’s policy-oriented debate a welcome relief? The Left, Right, and Center panel examines how the expectations around debates have changed in the Trump era. On Tuesday, Iran launched around 200 missiles on Israel in response to attacks in Lebanon. Whether or not the U.S. should support preemptive strikes for Israel has been a hot topic in the national political discussion. It was the first question in this week’s vice presidential debate, and Joe Biden has previously opposed Israel striking Iran’s nuclear sites. Most recently, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said the White House would ensure Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran. How does America’s response to the conflict in the Middle East reflect on the Biden administration? The United States broke a record for the highest number of death penalty executions in one week since 2003. Last week, five people sentenced to the death penalty were executed in states across the South. On this week’s 50 states series, the panel discusses how Marcellus “Khaliifah” Williams’ execution in Missouri reignited national discourse on the death penalty.

The “never Trump” sentiment has long existed in the media. But there is a growing divide between what it means to be conservative, Republican, and pro-Trumper — they are not all one and the same. Established Republicans, including Liz Cheney, endorsed Kamala Harris in this election due to concerns that Trump has taken over the GOP. This week’s Left, Right, and Center panel consists of three conservatives breaking down what it means to be a “never Trump” Republican. Both Trump and Harris have campaigned on similar policies when it comes to the economy, immigration, and gun ownership. Both have focused on winning over the same swing and Centerist voters. But is this middle ground a good thing? Is it the start of bridging party divides? While the Israel-Hamas conflict continues in Gaza, there have been a number of strikes in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah. This has gained international attention, as worries rise of a full-fledged war. Can the U.S. come together on foreign policy?

U.S. politicians have focused on China for the last few years, specifically data concerns with TikTok and A.I. Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Republicans are working on several bills to counter Xi Jinping’s Communist Party. The legislation package received overwhelming bipartisan support. Did the House come together on this issue, or are Democrats trying to keep pace with the GOP’s “tough on China” image? Meanwhile, as Congress takes on TikTok, Brazil’s government banned X (formerly known as Twitter). Minister Alexandre De Moraes ordered CEO Elon Musk to bar accounts being investigated by the Brazilian justice system for misinformation. Musk refused and emphasized the importance of free speech. But when does free speech go too far? The Left, Right, and Center panel discuss the consequences of censorship. Governor Gavin Newsom proposed a gas inventory to maintain low prices for California residents. But neighboring state legislators are not happy about it. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo wrote that the decision will spike their state prices, and possibly affect markets across the West. This week’s 50 states series looks at gas prices and the politics of appeasing constituents.

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump met for the first time in Pennsylvania at the presidential debate on Tuesday. ABC moderators, David Muir and Linsey Davis, notably live fact-checked both candidates on topics of immigration, the economy, and foreign policy. Harris was pushed to address her shift on fracking and gun buybacks. Meanwhile, Trump was put on the spot about his plan to end the war in Ukraine. The Left, Right, and Center panel examines where the candidates stand in voter’s minds post-debate. Were either able to sway undecided voters? Justice is a foundational tenet of America — does anyone believe in it anymore? A judge pushed the date of Trump’s sentencing — for falsifying business records — from mid-September to November 26. Trump’s lawyers had argued that the earlier sentencing could interfere with the presidential election. Was this special treatment because of who Trump is? Does the justice system have different rules for a president versus everyone else? On Tuesday night, Trump reiterated unsubstantiated claims of migrant Haitian communities abducting pets in Springfield, Ohio. He similarly mentioned Venezuelan gangs taking over apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado. Both stories have been debunked. The underlying concerns of gang violence in Colorado have always existed, but are now being used to spread racist rhetoric in the city. As part of our 50 states series, the panel asks: How can legislators respond to valid concerns without giving into dangerous disinformation?

The phrase “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) has grown more popular over the last decade thanks to Donald Trump’s campaign. But Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both used that messaging. How has the slogan’s meaning changed from its origin to now? This election, both parties are focusing on the fight against poverty. While Donald Trump championed his 2017 tax cuts as an economy-boosting tool, Kamala Harris wants the government to help Americans pay for food and housing. Which campaign is winning over the middle class? For the first time, Minnesota students are getting free lunches and breakfasts, thanks to a bill that Governor Tim Walz supported and the state passed in 2023. But those free on-campus meals could cost the state $400 million in 2024-25. This week’s 50 states series looks at anti-poverty measures in public schools.

In Kamala Harris’ economic plan, which rolled out this month, she promises to fight price gouging, the idea that companies are charging whatever they want to maximize profits, especially when many families are struggling. Last weekend, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) defended legislation to ban the practice. States like Florida and Texas have laws to address the issue too. However, can lawmakers effectively stop price gouging? Some economists argue that intervening could cause harm. Since the Democratic National Convention, the rhetoric of “freedom” has been coming up frequently. The term has been central in the Republican Party’s messaging over the last few decades. But DNC speakers, including Kamala Harris, pushed the party’s commitment to restoring freedom, and in the process, tried to redefine patriotism. So does freedom have different meanings for Democrats and the GOP? Finally, the show this week is replaying a 2023 episode, when panelists looked at political freakouts on both sides of the aisle, following an article by political comedy writer Jeff Maurer. In it, he talked about the M&M sexualization scandal and the panic it caused Democrats and Republicans, while more important issues were happening. The panel also discussed the influence of comedy TV and the news media on politics. Are political freakouts more or less frequent now compared to last year, and is there room for self-reflection?

Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic presidential nomination during the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The week-long event included speeches from former President Barack Obama, celebrities endorsing the Harris/Walz ticket, and even rumors of Beyonce and Taylor Swift appearances. The open convention ended with Harris’ speech focused on freedom, which is a shift from the gloomy narrative of the Biden and Trump race. Did the DNC boost the Harris/Walz ticket in the minds of voters? The Left, Right and Center panel discuss what’s next in the election. The Democratic Party has undergone a number of divisions, like disagreements on ceasefire deals in Gaza. And with Democratic politicians like Cori Bush and Jamal Bowman losing their primaries, is this a sign of a pushback on progressive policies? Conventions, to some level, are meant to unify the party, and Harris' policy shift to the center has opened the door for independent voters and even Republicans. But did this convention successfully mend some of the party divisions or create more? A ruling in Mississippi over the death of a 16-year-old poultry plant worker shines new light on child labor laws in the United States. There isn’t a consistent attitude across the county — labor laws for minors have become more lax in 13 states, while 16 states have added more rules for enforcement. How can legislators find the balance between providing more opportunities for young people to work and ensuring their safety? Can we have these conversations without the pearl-clutching that often accompanies “child labor?” KCRW discusses these questions in the week’s 50 states series.

Kamala Harris is expected to reveal her campaign’s policy over the next week in the run-up to the Democratic National Convention. Questions from the media and GOP about a lack of detailed policy have been growing. Donald Trump is taking the opportunity to accuse Harris of flip-flopping on policy positions from her 2020 primary campaign, especially related to fracking and immigration. Is it important to hold candidates accountable for earlier positions, or should voters accept that people running for office have evolving views and mold their messages for the moment? Also, the contrasting personalities of Harris and Trump have started defining the “vibes” of this election. Do voters care more about character than policy, and does this apply to vice presidential nominees too? How do Americans feel about the importance of financial success when it comes to J.D Vance vs. Tim Walz? The names of schools and other buildings have come up more frequently over the years. As part of our 50 states series, KCRW discusses how one community in Massachusetts is grappling with a history of racism and is attempting to create more inclusion for students.

With less than 90 days until November 5, leading Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris named Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. Donald Trump got the VP opponent he wanted, and Republicans already began digging up dirt. The panel discusses what’s next as both tickets are complete: Harris/Walz and Trump/Vance. When Joe Biden was still campaigning, he painted Trump as a threat to democracy. At the same time, Trump and his supporters pushed an image of society collapsing under the Biden administration. What are the risks to America’s political discourse when elections escalate to a fight between good and evil? On social media, the term “tradwife” is drawing controversy. It describes a wife who is committed to homemaking, child-rearing, and traditional gender roles. The Times in the United Kingdom recently blasted content creator Hannah Neeleman, a beauty pageant competitor, former ballerina, wife, and mom of eight who broadcasts her Utah farm life. Our 50 states series this week looks at agency and motherhood.