Political Breakdown

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Join hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos as they unpack the week in politics with a California perspective. Featuring interviews with reporters and other insiders involved in the craft of politics—including elected officials, candidates, pollsters, campaign managers, fundraisers, and other political…

KQED


    • Jun 3, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 610 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The Political Breakdown podcast is a must-listen for anyone interested in California politics. Hosted by Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer, this show delivers smart, sharp, and timely discussions on the political landscape of the state. With their expert analysis and engaging interviews, Lagos, Shafer, and their guests provide listeners with the information they need and want.

    One of the best aspects of The Political Breakdown podcast is its focus on California politics. For those searching for a podcast centered around the political happenings in this state, this show is a perfect fit. Lagos and Shafer dive deep into the issues that matter most to Californians, offering in-depth discussions that shed light on important topics. Whether it's exploring statewide policies or examining local elections, they provide crucial insights to keep listeners informed.

    The dynamic between Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer is another highlight of the show. Their chemistry as hosts creates an enjoyable listening experience. They bring different perspectives to the table but manage to find common ground in their discussions. This balance allows them to tackle complex events with ease while maintaining clarity and understanding for their audience.

    Furthermore, Lagos and Shafer's interviewing skills are commendable. They approach their guests with respect and conduct thoughtful conversations that delve into their backgrounds and expertise. They have a knack for asking tough questions without being confrontational or overly partisan. This approach gives interviewees the space to fully explain their positions while challenging them when necessary.

    While there are many positives about The Political Breakdown podcast, there are few negatives worth mentioning. Occasionally, some episodes may feel limited by time constraints, leaving listeners wanting more in-depth analysis or additional questions explored further. However, this is a minor drawback compared to the overall quality of the show.

    In conclusion, The Political Breakdown podcast is an outstanding source of information on California politics thanks to its knowledgeable hosts Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer. Their ability to make complex events understandable, combined with their respectful interviewing style, sets this show apart. With each episode, listeners are treated to intelligent and insightful discussions that keep them engaged and informed. Whether you're a California resident or just curious about its political landscape, The Political Breakdown is well worth a listen.



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    Latest episodes from Political Breakdown

    How Biden's Inner Circle Used Magical Thinking to Justify Running Again

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 3, 2025 33:40


    Few books have captivated the nation's capitol like “Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again.” It describes in excruciating detail how a small circle of family and political insiders isolated and insulated President Joe Biden as his mental and physical condition declined throughout his term in the White House. Scott and Marisa are joined by the authors, CNN anchor Jake Tapper and Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson, who interviewed more than 200 people who described how Biden's true condition was hidden from his own cabinet, congressional leaders and donors.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    California Democrats Descend on Anaheim as the Governor's Race Heats Up

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2025 31:13


    The 2026 governor's race is still more than 500 days away, but there is already a crowded field of candidates. On the Democratic side, they're all waiting to see if Vice President Kamala Harris decides to jump in.  KQED's Marisa Lagos and Guy Marzorati are joined remotely by San Francisco Chronicle Senior Political Writer Joe Garofoli who is in Orange County where Democrats are gathering for their biannual state party convention. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    San Francisco's Joaquin Torres Talks Taxes, Theater and his 12 Years of Leading the Housing Authority

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 32:31


    As San Francisco's elected assessor-recorder, Joaquin Torres' office decides the value of property in San Francisco, and tells you how much you owe in taxes.  But he's also spent the last dozen years as president of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission, which oversees the city's public housing developments as well as its Section 8 program.  Torres joins Scott and Marisa on his last day as president to reflect on his time there and talk about what's next for both himself and the agency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Asm. Buffy Wicks Takes on a Sacred Cow to Build More Housing

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 29:41


    Buffy Wicks is a leading champion in Sacramento for building more housing in California. Her early political activities include working on both of Barack Obama's presidential campaigns. Now she represents parts of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties in Sacramento where she chairs the powerful Assembly Appropriations Committee. To get more housing built, Wicks is taking on a sacred cow in state politics, the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA. Wicks joins Scott and Marisa to talk about why reforming CEQA is such a hot button issue, and why she thinks it's so necessary to increase housing production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    San Francisco's Search for a Police Chief and the Possible Ousting of a Supervisor

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 29:30


    San Francisco is looking for a new police chief after Bill Scott announced earlier this month that he is stepping down after eight years on the job through three mayoral administrations.  Although the city's civilian-led police commission will draw up a short list of candidates, Mayor Daniel Lurie will make the final decision.  Scott and Marisa are joined by KQED Politics Reporter Sydney Johnson to talk about that choice and what the next chief's success or failure may mean for the mayor.  They'll also talk about the recall effort against San Francisco Supervisor Joel Engardio after organizers announced this week that they've gathered enough signatures to put the recall question up to a vote.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Two Rising Democrats on the Battle for Their Party's Future

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 36:26


    Two young leaders are making waves in the Democratic Party. Oakland Congresswoman Lateefah Simon joins Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos, just hours after the House narrowly passed a sweeping policy bill that would cut trillions in taxes and slash safety net programs, including Medicaid and SNAP. Plus, Democratic National Committee Vice Chair David Hogg, who became a gun control activist after surviving the Parkland school shooting in 2018, explains his plan to bring fresh perspectives — and elect younger candidates — to the Democratic party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Separating the Hype from the Substance of Trump's Middle East Trip

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2025 30:25


    President Trump's four-day visit to the Middle East featured splashy business deals, very little talk about human rights abuses and plenty of ethical questions – like ones raised by the gift of a lavish $400 million plane from Qatar for Trump to use as a temporary Air Force One. In many ways trip was a reset of relations – especially with Saudi Arabia, whose president was shunned by the Biden Administration, and Syria, whose new leader will benefit from Trump ending U.S. economic sanctions despite concerns over the country's new leader. NPR White House Correspondent Franco Ordoñez covered the trip and he joins co-hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Newsom's Plan to Balance Budget Could Face Tough Going in Sacramento

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2025 25:45


    Earlier this week, Governor Newsom unveiled his new plan to balance the California's $12 billion budget deficit--with cuts that are raising controversy. The governor wants to put the scalpel to Medi-Cal -- California's version of Medicaid. Newsom said that he wants to save the state money by capping enrollment of adult immigrants that are here illegally. He also proposed charging these individuals a $100 monthly co-pay for Medi-Cal access. Hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined by KQED Politics Correspondent, Guy Marzorati, to take a deep dive into how this all could play out in Sacramento. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Republican State Sen. Brian Jones on the Change He Wants for California

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2025 32:26


    Republican State Sen. Brian Jones heads the Senate GOP caucus, and represents parts of San Diego County-- a decidedly purple Southern California district. After stints in both houses of the legislature, He's serving his final term in Sacramento. Although Republicans make up a minority of lawmakers at the state capital, they've made headway in recent months pushing against Democrats on issues like public safety. On this episode of Political Breakdown, Sen. Jones joins hosts Marisa Lagos and Scott Schafer in studio at KQED's San Francisco office. His appearance comes just a day after Governor Newsom unveiled his updated budget proposal for the coming fiscal year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Freshman Congressman Derek Tran on His Balancing Act in a Purple District

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 26:57


    In November, Orange County Congressman Derek Tran became the first Vietnamese American to represent Little Saigon in Washington, D.C. Tran barely defeated Republican incumbent Michelle Steel, helping Democrats flip three California House seats from red to blue. Scott and Marisa talk with Tran about representing a very purple district and his father's harrowing story as a refugee after the Vietnam War.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    AP White House Reporter on California's Image in D.C.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 9, 2025 27:00


    On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. The administration has barred journalists from The Associated Press from the White House press pool for refusing to adopt the renaming in its coverage. Scott and Marisa are joined by The AP's White House reporter Chris Megerian to discuss the president's renaming orders, including his plans to announce whether the U.S. will start referring to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf.  Plus, they dig into California's influence and reputation in D.C. and Governor Gavin Newsom's balancing act with the Trump administration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Two Opposing Takes on Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2025 33:08


    Marisa and Scott talk to two Golden State politicians representing California in Washington, D.C. First, they're joined by Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley, who represents the state's third congressional district, which spans most of the California-Nevada border. Kiley is an ally of the president and shares his perspective on Trump's agenda including deportation flights and federal budget cuts.  Later, they're joined by Senator Adam Schiff for a very different take on how the Trump administration's policies are impacting California   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Democrats Desperately Seek a Winning Message

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 32:52


    The Political Breakdown team is reporting from Washington D.C. all this week. Today, Scott and Marisa sit down with Senator Alex Padilla at his office building on Capitol Hill to discuss the Trump administration's actions on deportations and immigration, including the recent appearance of ICE agents at two elementary schools in Los Angeles.  Then, they sit down with Suzan DelBene, who represents Washington State's first congressional district and also chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). They talk about Democrats' plan to win back the House next year.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Kamala Harris Breaks Her Silence

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 27:26


    After months of laying low, former Vice President Kamala Harris steps out with a speech in San Francisco, taking aim at President Trump and warning of a constitutional crisis.  Plus, the Trump administration is taking aim at sanctuary city laws limiting local law enforcement's cooperation with federal immigration agents. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss all that on this Friday roundtable.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Her Parents Couldn't Vote in the South. Now She's California's Top Election Official

    Play Episode Listen Later May 2, 2025 32:26


    California's Secretary of State Shirley Weber is speaking out against federal Republican policies and proposed laws she says will disenfranchise voters. Weber is the daughter of southern sharecroppers and knows what voter suppression looks like. Her grandfather was never given the opportunity to vote and her father didn't cast a ballot until his 30s, after fleeing a lynch mob in Arkansas and moving to California when Weber was a toddler. She joins Marisa and Scott to discuss threats to voting rights in the U.S.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Check out KQED's New Show Hyphenación

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 2:40


    Join host Xorje Andrés Olivares and guests to explore what it means to live within a hyphenation. Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to have easy conversations about hard things: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. Hyphenación—where conversation and cultura meet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Rep. Eric Swalwell on Trump's First 100 Days

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 28:58


    One hundred days into President Donald Trump's second term, East Bay Representative Eric Swalwell joins Marisa to discuss how his party should be responding. In 2012, Swalwell was elected to represent Hayward, Livermore and Pleasanton in Congress and helped lead both impeachments of Trump. He's become a frequent critic and target of the president and his allies.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Do Democrats Have an Age Problem?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 24:27


    In San Francisco, the county Democratic Party this week adopted resolutions aimed at repositioning themselves on issues like public safety, education and, most controversially, possible age limits for elected officials. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is trying to overcome the damage from being out of the country when the devastating fires struck her city while also dealing with a huge budget deficit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Controversial New Oceanfront Park Could Cost This SF Supervisor His Job

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2025 32:07


    Joel Engardio built his political profile by backing the successful recalls of members of San Francisco's Board of Education and its progressive district attorney. Now he may be facing a recall of his own. Engardio, who represents the city's Sunset District on the Board of Supervisors, is being targeted for backing a voter-approved ballot measure that permanently closed most of the Great Highway to car traffic. In its place: Sunset Dunes, a newly opened park that's drawn both praise and protest. Scott talks with Engardio about the new park, the recall effort against him and his career in San Francisco politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Is This What a Constitutional Crisis Looks Like?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2025 31:00


    President Donald Trump faces lawsuits over his actions on immigration, mass firings, funding threats and tariffs. But are his administration's showdowns with the courts are heading to a constitutional crisis? Scott and Marisa are joined by Ilya Somin, who teaches law at George Mason University and is the chair of constitutional studies at the Libertarian Cato think tank in Washington. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    California Takes Trump to Court Over Tariffs

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2025 23:06


    After weeks of trying to make nice with the president, Governor Gavin Newsom and Attorney General Rob Bonta head to court, saying Trump's unilateral tariffs are messing up California's trade-dependent economy. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss California's latest federal lawsuit against the Trump administration. Plus, KQED's Alex Hall joins to discuss the results so far in the Oakland mayoral election, which is still too close to call. The first batch of votes favor former City Councilmember Loren Taylor over former Congresswoman Barbara Lee, but there are still tens of thousands more ballots to be counted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    California Responds to Trump's Attacks on Higher Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2025 31:53


    President Donald Trump is targeting higher education. Colleges and universities in California are feeling the heat as the administration threatens funding, cancels student visas, pressures schools to end diversity programs and cracks down on pro-Palestinian campus protests. Scott and Marisa are joined by the Los Angeles Times reporter Jaweed Kaleem to discuss how California schools are responding to the latest federal policies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    With Trans Athletes Under Attack, What Does Fairness Look Like?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2025 33:30


    Cal Calamia is a nonbinary transmasculine runner and an activist who has successfully pushed to create nonbinary running categories in some of the world's largest marathons. Calamia joins Marisa in studio to dig into the debate over transgender participation in sports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Port, the Panthers and Oakland Politics

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2025 24:41


    With Tuesday's Oakland mayoral special election just days away, Marisa and Guy are joined by Oakland resident and KQED Forum co-host Alexis Madrigal. Madrigal is the author of a new book, “The Pacific Circuit: A Globalized Account of the Battle for the Soul of an American City," about how the port of Oakland and global commerce shaped the city and its residents. They discuss the city's history and upcoming election.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Barbara Lee Says She'll Set Oakland On a Path to Success

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 10, 2025 32:15


    Barbara Lee is running for mayor of Oakland in next week's special election. If she wins, it would be the capstone of a long and storied political career that took her from the East Bay to Sacramento and Washington D.C., where she spent nearly three decades in Congress. Lee joins Marisa and Guy in studio to discuss why she wants to lead Oakland now, as the city faces a significant budget deficit and ongoing challenges related to public safety, homelessness and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Why This SF Law Firm is Taking on the President

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 27:45


    President Donald Trump is going after big law, slapping sanctions and punishments on firms whose past work or lawyers he doesn't like. Although several big firms have capitulated to Trump, others are fighting back — including San Francisco firm Keker, Van Nest & Peters.  Marisa joins the firm's co-founder and partner John Keker at his San Francisco office to discuss why the law firm is willing to put its own business at risk to take on the president.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Democrats Stand Firm Against Bills Targeting Trans Athletes

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2025 26:44


    The debate over transgender athletes was the focus of a heated hearing in Sacramento this week. California lawmakers rejected two bills sponsored by Republicans that would have limited trans high school athletes from participating in girls' sports. The San Francisco Chronicle's politics reporter Sophia Bollag joins Scott and Guy to discuss the "Capitol showdown."  Plus, former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra announced his bid to become California's first Latino governor. Becerra sued  the Trump administration 120 times as attorney general of California and enters an already crowded field of Democratic candidates.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Mayoral Candidate Loren Taylor on Why He's the Best Choice to Lead Oakland

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2025 32:44


    On April 15th, Oakland voters will elect a new mayor to finish out recalled mayor Sheng Thao's term. One of the leading candidates is former city councilmember Loren Taylor. Taylor narrowly lost to Thao three years ago and faces former Congresswoman Barbara Lee in the special election. Scott and Guy are joined in studio by Taylor to hear why he thinks he has what it takes to lead Oakland at a time when the city is facing some tough challenges, including serious budget problems and concerns over public safety.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Trump's April 2nd "Liberation Day"

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 28:58


    President Trump is promising that tomorrow will be “Liberation Day” when he rolls out another round of tariffs. California, a major trading partner with Mexico and Canada, is right in the cross hairs of the tariff tumult. Scott is joined by Christopher Thornberg, an economist and founding partner of Beacon Economics, to unpack the impact on California industries.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Tesla Owners Get Special Protected Status From Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2025 22:02


    As Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency guts the federal workforce, Tesla's electric cars have a major brand problem, triggering protests at Tesla dealerships and reports of vandalism of Tesla cars. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss the fallout and the Trump administration's response.  Plus, Democrats are buzzing over journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson's book "Abundance," which spells out how liberals have become their own worst enemy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    He's Challenging Nancy Pelosi — and the Democratic Party

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2025 32:21


    Democrats are trying to figure out a way forward after their bruising ballot box defeat last fall. Some in the party are pushing for a new generation of leadership, saying the current gerontocracy hasn't kept up with the political reality. One such person challenging the party establishment is Saikat Chakrabarti, who announced he's running for Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi's seat in 2026. Chakrabarti made his fortune as an engineer at the payment platform Stripe, before leaving the tech industry to enter politics. He worked for Bernie Sanders' 2016  presidential campaign and helped get Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez elected to Congress, briefly serving as her chief of staff. Chakrabarti joins Marisa and Scott to offer his take on how Democrats can find their way out of the political wilderness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Democrats Focus Their Message on GOP Cuts to Medicaid

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 29:11


     As Republicans avoid town hall meetings with their constituents, Democrats are happily filling the void. Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna visited three Republican congressional districts this past weekend, warning that Republican cuts to Medicaid will hit them especially hard. Scott and Marisa are joined by Guy, who is in Bakersfield where he attended one of Khanna's town hall gatherings on Sunday.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Rep. Ro Khanna on How Democrats Should Fight Back

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 31:31


    Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna has emerged as a leading voice in the Democratic party. Khanna was elected to Congress in 2016 and his district covers parts of Silicon Valley including the headquarters for companies like Elon Musk's Tesla factory. Khanna has emerged as a different kind of Democrat: an economic populist who criticizes his party for losing touch with its core principles while offering a path forward after last year's election.  As he prepares to hold town hall meetings in three Republican congressional districts in California, Khanna talks with Scott and Marisa about his party's future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Katie Porter Promises to “Cut the B.S.” in Run for Governor

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2025 31:58


    Former Orange County Congresswoman Katie Porter is running for governor in 2026. The populist consumer advocate and law professor made a name for herself in Congress, grilling CEOs with her famous "Whiteboard of Justice." However, Porter lost last year's U.S. Senate race. Porter joins Marisa and Scott to share her pitch for governor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    UK's Ambassador to the US on Dealing With Trump

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 31:43


    President Donald Trump has threatened longtime allies north and south of the border and thrown into question trans-Atlantic relations with Europe. This is the fraught diplomatic environment that the United Kingdom's new ambassador to the U.S. Lord Peter Mandelson has just stepped into. Scott and Marisa are joined by Ambassador Mandelson to discuss the U.K.'s emerging role in Europe and dealing with President Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    What's Katie Porter's Lane in the 2026 Governor Race?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 29:56


    A much anticipated entry into the 2026 governor's race is making waves in California. Feisty Orange County Democrat and former congress member Katie Porter jumped into an already-crowded field this week, shaking up a race where President Trump looms large. And there's a big unknown out there … will Kamala Harris also decide to run? Scott and Marisa talk it through with Politico senior politics reporter Melanie Mason. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    San José Mayor Matt Mahan's Aggressive Plan to Tackle Homelessness

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2025 32:15


    San José Mayor Matt Mahan has made an aggressive push to tackle homelessness in his city, including a new proposal to let police arrest people who repeatedly refuse offers of housing. Scott and Marisa sit down with the Mayor to dig into his new plan.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Could GOP Spending Cuts Cost Republicans the House?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2025 32:52


    Some of the closest House races in recent elections have been in the Central Valley. Many of those congressional districts are truly purple – including the one near Bakersfield where incumbent Republican David Valadao held on to win reelection in November. Scott and Marisa are joined by Valadao's former chief of staff Tal Eslick, now a consultant in the Central Valley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Newsom Splits With Democrats on Trans Athletes in Sports

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2025 29:26


    A new podcast by Gov. Gavin Newsom made national headlines this week when Newsom, a longtime supporter of LGBTQ rights, told his guest, right wing talk show host and social media influencer Charlie Kirk, that he thinks it's unfair for transgender athletes to participate in girls' sports. Scott, Marisa and Guy analyze the comment, the fallout and what it says about the Democratic party's thoughts on rebranding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    How Trump 2.0 Has Embraced Project 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 32:03


    During his campaign for president last year, Donald Trump consistently disavowed Project 2025, the right wing blueprint to remake the U.S. government. But since taking office, he's been aggressively implementing many tenets of the controversial plan. Scott and Marisa discuss Trump's embracing of the plan and what it means for democracy with Ben Raderstorf, policy advocate at the nonpartisan organization Protect Democracy, which is dedicated to pushing back against authoritarianism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Check out Close All Tabs!

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 2:31


    KQED's newest podcast, Close All Tabs, is out now! Tech journalist Morgan Sung spends most of her day online—so you don't have to. Each week, Morgan tackles a new topic that might seem niche on the surface but is destined to impact our lives—both online and off. She pulls from experts, creators, and history to add context to the trends and depth to the memes. And she'll wrestle with as many browser tabs as it takes to explain the cultural moment we're all collectively living. Find Close All Tabs wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Homeless Shelters Rife With Chaos, Assaults, Scandals – and Little Accountability

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 28:18


    Emergency shelters are often the first stop for unhoused people living on the streets. But a new investigation by CalMatters found shelters are unsafe and unsuccessful at getting residents into permanent housing. Their comprehensive review of shelter performance found a system often mired in chaos and scandals. Lead reporter Lauren Hepler joins Scott and Marisa to talk about what they found. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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