Politicon: How The Heck Are We Gonna Get Along with Clay Aiken

Clay is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning columnist and author of “Profit and Punishment” Tony Messenger to look at the ways our criminal justice system has prioritized money, punishment and power over lives during a time when we are finally reevaluating the way our country pursues justice.  How does the system impact the poor?  Is it something that we should all be concerned about?  And what can we do to fight inequity and restore a belief in true fairness and common sense? Get more from Tony Messenger Twitter | STL Today Articles | Pulitzer.org |  Author of “Profit and Punishment” Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

In this special Thanksgiving episode, Clay is joined by his good friend and frequent political sparring partner Meghan McCain for a deep conversation about the factors dividing the country.  They discuss the importance of speaking your mind and staying true to your values, avoiding the extremes of both parties, and talking to the other side and making sure they have a seat at the table.  Would that be enough to reunite us as a country once again? Get more from Meghan McCain Twitter | Instagram |Daily Mail |  Author of “Bad Republican” | Meghan's Other Books Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay is joined by author of “The Broken Constitution”, Harvard Law Professor Noah Feldman, for a discussion about the legacy of President Lincoln and the salience of race in contemporary debates about schooling and CRT.  Did his leadership represent an overcoming of the original sin of slavery during the Revolutionary era, or are we doomed to politicians leveraging our differences for gain until the nation and our constitution are pushed to the brink once again?     Get more from Professor Noah Feldman Twitter | Bloomberg | Host of Deep Background | Author of “The Broken Constitution” & Other Books Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

With the Virginia Governor's race decided next Tuesday, Clay is joined by WaPo's data expert David Byler for a deep dive into the mechanics of the race, what is driving the electorate, and how it relates to national politics.  Does either candidate have a lock on things?  What messaging are they using in pursuit of victory?  And looking at the election, have we become a country of ideological down ballot voters or do local issues and personal politics still win the day? Get more from David Byler Twitter | WaPo  Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay is joined by author of the book “Her Honor”, Judge LaDorris Cordell for an insider's look at the state of our country's legal system, the hurdles it places in the way of so many of us, and the reforms it needs to truly serve the nation as a whole.  How can we stop the politicization and special interest influence of the judiciary so judges can remain impartial?  And what other reforms and activism are needed to restore a sense of justice to our laws?     Get more from Judge Cordell Twitter | Website | Author of “Her Honor” Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay is joined by Harvard philosopher, Professor Michael Sandel, for an in depth discussion about the forces in our country that create its winners and its losers, and how that  tyranny of meritocracy divides us.  Have modern democracies fallen prey to credentialism and a financial system that enriches individuals instead of the common good?  And can we fix our discourse and create systems of inclusion to make us all feel like valued stakeholders in our society? Get more from Michael Sandel Harvard | Justice w/ Michael Sandel | TED Talks | Author of “Tyranny of Merit” and Other Books Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay is joined by atmospheric scientist and author of "Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World", Katharine Hayhoe, for a intensive look at the climate risk facing the planet and the difficulty scientists, policy makers, and even our fellow citizens face in building coalitions for effective action.  What does it take to change minds?  And will we be able to build bi-partisan majorities to do enough in time? Get more from Katharine Hayhoe Website |Twitter | Author of “Saving Us” and Other Books Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay is joined by the Congressional challenger in NJ-9, Republican Billy Prempeh for a wide ranging discussion about what it takes to win a House seat, the challenges candidates face running in a district historically controlled by the opposing party, and how to appeal to disenchanted independents.  What policies will it take to win over those skeptical of both parties?  And does Billy have the solutions that will bring voters from both sides together to support him? Get more from Billy Prempehr Campaign Website |Twitter | Instagram  Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay welcomes author and journalist Joshua Prager to look at the impact of Roe vs. Wade and the woman who drove the case, Norma McCorvey (aka Jane Roe).  They discuss how her life and the Supreme Court decision still affect the people involved and our country to this day.  What led her to go all the way to the highest court in the land and then identify with the other side?  And how can we reconcile the toughest challenges of human life with our laws? Get more from Joshua Prager Website |Author of “The Family Roe” & “The Echoing Green” Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay welcomes founder of the Millennial Action Project and 2022 Wisconsin Senate candidate Steven Olikara for a discussion about the process of running for national office and how he would tackle the critical issues facing his state and our country.  With a focus on bi-partisanship and solutions that move us towards a better country for all, is it still possible to break through the media gauntlet with a positive message?  Steven is betting that he can. Get more from Steven Olikara Campaign Website |Twitter | Millennial Action Project Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on:  Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay welcomes author of “Recall Elections: From Alexander Hamilton to Gavin Newsom” and founder of the Recall Elections Blog, Joshua Spivak, for a deep dive into the recall election process and find out how things are playing out in California.  Will Gavin Newsom triumph over the recall vote and over his challengers?  Or will Larry Elder or another one of the dozens of challengers be the one to unseat him?  And perhaps most importantly, does the process improve our democracy or just divide us further? Get more from Joshua Spivak Twitter |Recall Elections Blog | Author of “Recall Elections: From Alexander Hamilton to Gavin Newsom”  Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay welcomes the Executive Director of the Arab Institute for Women at the Lebanese American University, human rights activist Dr. Lina AbiRafeh for a discussion about the situation on the ground in Afghanistan and what it means for women.  Did they make gains while we were there?  Was there more, and is there more we can do to help strengthen their rights in the region?  And what will life be like for them under the Taliban now that we've left? Get more from Dr. Lina AbiRafeh Twitter | Arab Institute for Women | Ted Talk | Author of “Gender and International Aid In Afghanistan”  Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay welcomes  Director of the Center for Governance and Markets at the University of Pittsburgh, Professor Jen Murtazashvili for an in depth look at the history of Afghanistan and why Western culture has had so much difficulty relating to its people.  Did we do enough while we were there and did we leave the right way?  And is the transition of power from the U.S. backed government the first step towards enduring calm in the region or is it the beginning of a renewed era of chaos and strife?  Get more from Professor Murtazashvili Twitter | University of Pittsburgh  Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com. Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Clay welcomes  Dr. Mary Trump, niece of the former President, to look at the trauma our nation still has to reckon with from its history-- starting with the pandemic, a contested election and race relations-- and that's only from the last few years.  What were the forces and personality traits that drove Donald Trump to the White House?  And why was his presidency so effective at bringing out our divisions?  Now that they're out in the open-- how do we move on? Get more from Mary Trump Twitter | Author of “The Reckoning” | Author of “Too Much & Never Enough” Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014.  Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter Email your questions to podcast@politicon.com Follow @politicon and go to Politicon.com

Message from Clay

Clay speaks with Audrey Cavenecia, the business maven, storyteller, and co-host of the podcast Amplify voices with NFL Coach Pete Carroll to look at the ways we can unite as a country in 2021 and beyond.  After breaking down why things have gotten so divisive, Audrey and Clay explore how we can create the future we all deserve.  Are we able to put people above politics and work through our differences?  And more importantly, can we align our politics with a philosophy of love and mutual respect when we try to find where our true center lies? Get more from Audrey Cavenecia Amplify Voices https://www.amplifyvoices.io/ Twitter https://twitter.com/AudreyCavenecia Website https://www.audreystory.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/audreylovesyoutoo/ Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter https://twitter.com/clayaiken Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com Follow @POLITICON and go to POLITICON.COM Show notes on the website:  https://politicon.com/podcasts/audrey-cavenecia/

Clay sits down with Charles Moran, board member of the Log Cabin Republicans to discuss the state of pride and politics in 2021.  Are the positive changes we've seen recently here to stay-- or are they confined to one month a year?  And with Republicans now favoring Gay Marriage by a majority and President Trump making significant headway in transforming the LGBT outreach of the Republican Party--, is the focus on equality and inclusiveness the key to getting along?   Get more from Charles Moran Log Cabin Republicans https://logcabin.org/ Twitter https://twitter.com/charlestmoran Cornerstone Group https://cornerstoneconservative.com/charles-moran.php Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter https://twitter.com/clayaiken Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com Follow @POLITICON and go to POLITICON.COM

Clay sits down with Rockefeller heir, philanthropist, and podcast host of Practically Political, Dave Spencer,  to look at the role that civic minded Republicans could play in rebranding the GOP after President Trump.  Does the secret to regaining political power during the Biden Administration mean tacking to the left on social issues while re-establishing the party's conservative economic credentials?  Are there any standard bearers who could take the party in that direction?  Or does President Trump still hold the keys to Republicans' future? Get more from Dave Spencer Practically Political https://practicallypolitical.com/ https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/practically-political/id1394924979 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChc_tQuPRyA_IARzIMekOTw/featured https://www.facebook.com/PracticallyPolitical Twitter: https://twitter.com/PracPoli 7 Ideas To Move America Forward https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/391232-7-ideas-that-could-move-america-forward-if-we-had-a-functioning-political

Jacqueline Novogratz 

Clay is joined by the host of Cheddar’s new primetime show, “None of the Above”, J.D. Durkin, for a deep dive into how the media can appeal to younger audiences and still give us the information we need to know.  Is a new paradigm enough to get those who feel left out of the process to engage?  And can the media speak to all of us while still delivering the facts with the professionalism the country has come to expect from them?  Get more from J.D. Durkin Twitter | Website | None of the Above | Pivot Counties | Cheddar.com |@Cheddar | Instagram  Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay is joined by conservative and RT host Scottie Nell Hughes to look at what’s been happening in our country since the 2020 election and if Trump or Biden was fully up to the task of handling the Covid crisis.  Were both parties incapable of living up to the challenge?  An atmosphere of fear, alienation, and hopelessness seem to have taken over the country no matter which party you support (or which party wing).  So how do we break out of our malaise and focus on what matters?  Maybe all it takes is knowing that we want the best for each other even if we disagree... Get more from Scottie Nell Hughes:  Twitter|News. Views. Hughes | RT | Instagram Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.comFOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay welcomes the host of The Young Turks newest show Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey, Dr. Richey,  to find out if we can count on our politics to give us the change our country desperately needs.  Fresh off debates with the other side, Dr. Richey shares his take on whether our politicians are up to the challenge of the moment.  Do we need more ideological purity or less?  And can we count on those who lead the country to steer the benefits of government action to those who need it most?  Perhaps we just need to live and let live-- if we still can!Get more from Dr. Rashad Richey: TYT’s  Indisputable | Twitter| Website | Beulah Heights University | Rolling Out | CBS 46 | WAOK  Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.comFOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay is joined by Patriotic Millionaires and authors of “Tax the Rich”, Morris Pearl and Erica Payne to discuss whether the wealthy are paying their fair share in 2021.  Is our convoluted and unbalanced tax structure driving inequality and undermining the fabric of the country?  Or are politicians to blame as much as our corporations?  If they are, is there a way to build equity for the disadvantaged and still keep the rich on board with the plan?  Get more from Morris: Twitter |Patriotic Millionaires| ASB Council | Co-Author of “Tax The Rich” Get more from Erica: Patriotic Millionaires| ASB Council | Netroots Nation | Co-Author of “Tax The Rich” Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.comFOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay sits down with legal mastermind, adventurer, and cultural icon Jill Wine-Banks to discuss the parallels between Trump and Nixon, and whether the rule of law is being upheld in our country.  Are we seeing improvement under the Biden administration or is it just a dose of partisanship from the other side?  Both of them are cautiously optimistic, but as Clay finds out in the conversation, there are a lot of steps for us to take legally, politically, and socially if we are going to create the country we deserve.  What do you think?Guest:Jill Wine-Banks  Jill Wine-Banks is currently an MSNBC Legal Analyst, appearing regularly on primetime and daytime shows. She also appears on PBS, Canadian and Australian networks, Sirius XM, NPR and other radio shows, including Stephanie Miller’s, and podcasts. A sought-after speaker, Jill appears before professional, political, women’s and business groups, universities and law schools. In addition, Jill has written OpEds for the NBC.com, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, Politico, and Huffington Post. She has also been featured in several documentaries and films, including Academy Award winner Charles Ferguson’s Watergate, or How We Learned to Stop an Out of Control President, Robert Redford’s All The President’s Men Revisited, ABC 20/20, and Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 11/9. She has over 425,000 Twitter followers and others on Facebook and Instagram, and her memoir, The Watergate Girl, has been well reviewed.Get more from Jill: Twitter |Website | #SistersInLaw Podcast | iGen Politics Podcast |The Chicago Network | Author of “The Watergate Girl” Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.comFOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay sits down with Academy Award winning filmmaker Alex Gibney, the mastermind behind HBO’s upcoming Crime of the Century, a two part special taking on the opioid epidemic and the forces behind it, along with many other movies.  Does the profit motive drive people and corporations to slowly deceive themselves about what they are truly doing?  Is Congress on our side, or on that of those who would profit off our human needs?  And is the race to the top what’s pushing aside our humanity and ability to get along?Guest:Alex GibneyDirector Alex Gibney has been called “the most important documentarian of our time” by Esquire Magazine (Esquire) and “one of America’s most successful and prolific documentary filmmakers” by The New York Times (The NY Times T Magazine).Known for his cinematic, gripping, and deeply insightful documentaries, the filmmaker has won the Academy Award®, multiple Emmy Awards, the Grammy Award, several Peabody Awards, the DuPont-Columbia, The Independent Spirit, The Writers Guild of America Awards, and more. Gibney was honored with the International Documentary Association’s Career Achievement Award in 2013 and the first ever Christopher Hitchens Prize in 2015.Gibney’s upcoming project The Crime of the Century debuts on HBO in May 2021, and his other films include: Taxi to the Dark Side (2008 Oscar); Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (Oscar nominated 2006); Triple Emmy Award winning and Peabody Award Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (HBO); Emmy winning The History of the Eagles (Showtime); 2015 Peabody Award and Grammy nominated Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown; The Armstrong Lie (2013), which was short-listed for the 2014 Academy Award and nominated for the 2014 BAFTA Award, along with his film We Steal Secrets: The Story of Wikileaks (2013); and Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer (2010), which was nominated for three Emmys.Get more from Alex: Twitter |Jig Saw Films |HBO’S Crime of The Century | And Many Other Films… Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

In an emotional week for the nation, Clay welcomes journalist, author and political maven Jonathan Allen to discuss the political forces that brought us to our current moment and where they might take us.  With justice done after the Chauvin trial, and President Biden’s approval rating sitting near 60%, there are some reasons to hope that we might be getting closer to getting along than we’ve been in years.  But are the trends we’re seeing the result of luck, or is a new majority coalescing around the moderate policies of the Biden administration?Guest:Jonathan Allen Jonathan Allen is an award-winning journalist and New York Times bestselling author who covers national politics for NBC News.Formerly the Washington bureau chief for Bloomberg News and the White House bureau chief for Politico, Jonathan is a winner of the Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for reporting on Congress and the Sandy Hume Memorial Award for excellence in political journalism. He has been a frequent guest political analyst on national television programs for the past 15 years and teaches a course on presidential politics at Northwestern University."Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won The Presidency" is his third book with Amie Parnes. Their first two books, "Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton's Doomed Campaign" and "HRC: State Secrets and the Rebirth of Hillary Clinton," were both New York Times bestsellers. "Shattered" reached No. 1 on the list.Jonathan, who grew up in Silver Spring and Bethesda, Md., is a graduate of the University of Maryland and lives on Capitol Hill with his wife and two children. Before graduating from Maryland, he played baseball at St. Mary's College in Southern Maryland.Get more from Jon: Twitter |NBC |Author of “Lucky” | And Other Books… Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay welcomes business maven, author, and former Seal Team 2 Commander Mike Hayes to find out what our leadership needs to face the challenges of the 21st century.  Do our politicians have what it takes?  And more importantly, do we?  With optimism, focus, and the belief that we all have a contribution to make, we can unite around a bright future if we work for it.  But can we put aside our differences, embrace an ethic of service,  and step up to lead our families, friends, and neighbors to our shared dreams?  Mike thinks we can...Guest:Mike Hayes Mike Hayes is the Chief Digital Transformation Officer at VMware and responsible for the company's global business operations and acceleration of the SaaS transition. He leads the team responsible for technology, enterprise data and analytics, business transformation and automation, M&A integration, and security.Hayes is the author of "Never Enough", to be published by Celadon/Macmillan in February, 2021.Prior to joining VMware, Hayes was a senior executive at Cognizant, a 270,000 person IT services firm, Fortune #195, with $16B in revenue. He was a member of the 14-person executive leadership group, and had $2B P&L responsibility for the firm’s largest clients in Banking and Financial services, and led a massive change management program to drive scale and growth for the firm’s largest accounts.Prior to Cognizant, Hayes was a Chief of Staff to the CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest and most successful hedge fund with over $160B under management. He joined Bridgewater after serving as a White House Fellow and Director of Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council under the Bush and Obama administrations, and a 20-year Navy SEAL career during which he was Commanding Officer of SEAL Team TWO.Get more from Mike: Linked In |VMWare|Author of “Never Enough” | Twitter Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay is joined by journalist, businessman, and author Richard Lui to discuss the state of the nation in 2021 and how we can begin to come together as one people.  Is apolitical selfishness or making the effort to reach out and sit down to talk with those who disagree with us the answer?  It’s a difficult question, but with small steps, intention and good will, we might be able to take the advice of Richard and find the way forward for us, our communities, and our country-- no matter which side of the aisle we're on.  What do you think?Guest:Richard Lui Richard Lui is a thought leader at the intersection of media, social impact, and storytelling.  He is a content and digital-social specialist with 30 years of experience in network television, technology, and business.Currently, he is a journalist and news anchor for MSNBC and NBC News.  Before that, he was news anchor at CNN Worldwide, where he became the first Asian American male to anchor a daily national news broadcast in the U.S.  Most recently, Lui reported on the ground on the Paris and San Bernardino Terror Attacks and in Ferguson and Baltimore during heightened racial unrest.For 15 years Lui’s reporting has focused on politics, covering every U.S. national election since 2004. He has interviewed hundreds of politicians, from Detroit Mayor to U.S. President.  He has been a contributing columnist for USA Today, Politico, Seattle Times, Detroit Free Press, Huffington Post, and others. Lui is a Policy Fellow at UC Riverside.Lui’s passion for politics started in the 70s, when he debated California’s controversial Proposition 13 on bus rides to school. His interest turned into a job at the age of 19:  campaign manager for San Francisco College Board incumbent Alan Wong. After the election, Lui returned to college. His plan was to write on policy and the affairs of state, subscribing to the Washington Post when it had to be mailed to the west coast.In the 1990s, Lui reported for news radio KALX during a unique time in California politics. Two of his first stories as a journalist were Dianne Feinstein’s first successful U.S. Senate campaign and the Rodney King verdict and riots.Later in the 2000s, Lui reported from Asia during an increasingly heated political climate. Two Muslim countries in Southeast Asia transformed:  Indonesia’s Sukarno family was defeated after rule spanning over half a century; and Malaysia’s prime minister, after almost a quarter of a century handed over power.  Lui also reported on Taiwan’s controversial election between pro- and anti- China political parties. He was at Channel NewsAsia, an English-only news network in 20 countries and territories.Lui is also a technologist with a wide-reaching business career that started in the 1990s.  He launched six technology brands over three technology cycles, most recently an artificial intelligence company in Silicon Valley in 2016. While at Citibank Singapore, he co-founded and patented a Visa-like payments backbone (a first of its kind) and was a management consultant at Mercer for an IBM joint venture.  He sits on six boards of directors / advisers in spaces ranging from international relations to artificial intelligence.  He is a 2016 Governance Fellow for the National Association of Corporate Directors.Lui’s accolades and achievements include the top tiers of business, political and journalism distinctions.  In addition to being a team Emmy and team Peabody recipient, he has been recognized for his reporting from national organizations including the National Education Association, Advancing Justice, AAJA, NAAAP 100 and WWAAC. He is ranked globally in the top 1% of social media users by Twitter Counter.  Business Insider named Lui one of 21 careers to watch alongside Warren Buffett and Sheryl Sandberg. And more lightheartedly, he’s been ranked three years in a row by Mediaite as one of the “50 Sexiest in TV News.”Lui is a Policy Fellow at the University of California Riverside where he explores the cross of public policy and media, UN Spokesperson for the HeForShe Campaign, one of 100 US State Department Traveling Speakers, and ambassador for NGOs focusing on gender equality and human trafficking.Lui graduated from City College of San Francisco with A.S. Honors in Math and Science, UC Berkeley with a B.A. Honors Rhetoric, and the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan with an MBA. A first generation Chinese and Polynesian American, Lui has a twist in his background.  Because his grandfather, an unauthorized immigrant, filed false “Paper Son” documents, Lui’s real last name is Wong.Get more from Richard: Twitter|Website |Instagram |Author of “Enough About Me” | Asian American Business Roundtable Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

Clay welcomes White House Correspondent under 5 administrations April Ryan to hear what she’s learned pushing our leaders to answer tough questions, and how things have changed under President Biden.  Will he be able to help bridge the urban/rural divide, get infrastructure done, and unite us as a country?  April lets us know she thinks there's a decent chance-- if we can get everyone to understand the issues that are truly at stake.  Can we?Guest:April RyanWhite House Correspondent April Ryan has a unique vantage point as the only black female reporter covering urban issues from the White House – a position she has held since the Clinton era. Her position as a White House Correspondent has afforded her unusual insight into the racial sensitivities, issues, and attendant political struggles of our nation’s past presidents.  April can be seen almost daily on CNN as a political analyst. She is also the Washington D.C Bureau Chief on TheGrio. She has been featured in Essence, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and Elle magazines – to name a few. April Ryan has served on the board of the prestigious White House Correspondents Association. She is one of only three African Americans in the Association’s over 100-year history to serve on its board. She is also an esteemed member of the National Press Club.  In 2015, Ms. Ryan was nominated for an NAACP Image Award (Outstanding Literary Work - Debut Author) for her first book.  2016 National Council of Negro Women, Mary McCloud Bethune Trailblazer. In 2019 April Ryan became an honorary member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and was recognized as the 2019 Freedom of the Press Award Winner by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. April was nominated in 2021 with the NAACP Image Award for Social Justice Impact. April is a Baltimore native and Morgan State University graduate, and she gives back to this community by serving as a mentor to aspiring journalists and assisting with developing “up and coming” broadcasters.  April considers her greatest life’s work raising her two daughters, Ryan and Grace – who are phenomenal young women.  April Ryan is the author of the award-winning book, The Presidency in Black and White, and At Mama's Knee: Mothers and Race in Black and White (December 2016), where she looks at race relations through the lessons and wisdom that mothers have given their children. Her latest book is Under Fire: Reporting from the Front Lines of the Trump White House.Get more from April with: Twitter | Her Website |The Grio | Author of “Under Fire” | And other books! Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

While we wait for vaccines to stem the tide of the Covid onslaught, Clay brings on author and health care expert Jonathan Cohn to take a look at the state of healthcare in our country.  Why aren’t all of us covered in the pandemic era? And isn’t there an incentive for business to turn over employee coverage to the government?  The devil is in the details, but many recent plans have the potential to take us past the goal line of universal coverage-- something that could have saved thousands of lives during COVID.  Will the current Congress and President Biden make any bold moves  to get us to it?  Or must we wait for legislators to overcome their historic inertia (not to mention interest groups) and deliver change that could benefit all Americans for decades to come?Guest:Jonathan Cohn Jonathan Cohn is a Senior National Correspondent at HuffPost who writes about politics and policy with a focus on social welfare. Jonathan worked previously at the New Republic and American Prospect, and has written for the Atlantic, New York Times Magazine, and Self. His journalism has won awards from the Sidney Hillman Foundation, the Association of Health Care Journalists, World Hunger Year, and the National Women's Political Caucus. He is the author of the 2007 book Sick: The Untold Story of America's Health Care Crisis and, coming from St. Martin's Press in February 2021, The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage.Get more from Jonathan Cohn with: Twitter | @HuffPost |Author of “The Ten Year War” | And other books! Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM

With a year passed since HTH last met in the studio, Clay welcomes University of Puget Sound History Department Chair Nancy Bristow, author of American Pandemic, to look at how the COVID  era compares to the country during the influenza of 1918.  You’d be surprised by how many similarities there are, but there are still a lot of important lessons we can learn to help us reach a new and better normal when things fully open.  Their lives went on eventually-- can we hope for another roaring 20s?Guest:Professor Nancy Bristow Nancy K Bristow is a professor of history at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington, USA, and is the author of American Pandemic: The Lost Worlds of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic and the Steeped in the Blood of Racism, published in July 2020.Get more from Professor Nancy Bristow with: University of Puget Sound| 1918 Pandemic & COVID Lecture |  Author of “American Pandemic” | And Other Titles... Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR:HYDRANTDRINK HYDRANT, WHERE WATER MEETS WELLNESS AND SAVE 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER! GO TO WWW.DRINKHYDRANT.COM/HECK OR ENTER OUR PROMO CODE HECK AT CHECKOUT.

2021 has ushered in a new era in politics, but has it done the same for our race relations?  Effective solutions have been hard to come by, even when our country is more desperate for them than ever.  So Clay speaks with Board Chair of Color of Change, Heather McGhee about her book, “The Sum of Us” to find out if her plans will give us the benefits of a solidarity dividend from being united as one people.  If done right-- it could be how we finally get along!Guest:Heather McGhee Heather designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. Her new book, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together is now available from One World, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Her 2020 TED talk, “Racism Has a Cost for Everyone” reached 1 million views in just two months online. In the coming year, she will launch an original podcast on how to create cross-racial solidarity in challenging times.Heather has testified in Congress, drafted legislation, and developed strategies for organizations and campaigns that won changes to improve the lives of millions. For nearly two decades, she helped build the non-partisan "think and do" tank Demos, serving four years as president. Through her regular media appearances, she elevates the concerns of working families on programs including NBC’s “Meet the Press”.She is the chair of the board of Color of Change, the country’s largest online racial justice organization, and volunteers for numerous other boards in the fields of philanthropy and social justice. Heather graduated from Yale University and the University of California Berkeley School of Law, and has honorary degrees from Muhlenberg College and Niagara University. She lives in Brooklyn with her urbanist husband, a twenty year-old cat and a chatty toddler.Get more from Heather McGhee with: Twitter | Website| Facebook | Instagram |@ColorofChange| Author of “The Sum of Us” Host: Clay Aiken has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent.Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com FOLLOW @POLITICON AND GO TO POLITICON.COM THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR:EXPRESSVPNPROTECT YOURSELF WITH THE VPN I TRUST TO KEEP MY PRIVACY ONLINE. VISIT WWW.EXPRESSVPN.COM/HECK TO GET THREE EXTRA MONTHS FREE. 

With the Senate held by only a razor thin margin and important legislation being debated, Clay brings on Senator Harry Reid’s former deputy Chief of Staff Adam Jentleson (https://twitter.com/AJentleson) to find out what we can expect from them.  Is the institution irreparable broken?  The people seem to think so, but is the filibuster to blame?  Or are their other solutions that can get us back to compromise, action and good governance? Guest: Adam Jentleson Adam Jentleson (https://twitter.com/AJentleson) is the Executive Director of Battle Born Collective and a former deputy chief of staff to Senator Harry Reid. A columnist for GQ and frequent political commentator on MSNBC, he lives in Takoma Park, Maryland. Get more from Adam Jentleson with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/AJentleson) | Director @Battle_Born (https://twitter.com/_Battle_Born_) | @fightmonopolies (https://twitter.com/fightmonopolies) | Author of Kill Switch (https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Switch-Crippling-American-Democracy/dp/1631497774) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en)   | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) FOLLOW @POLITICON (https://twitter.com/Politicon) AND GO TO POLITICON.COM (https://politicon.com/)

Clay has run for congress in North Carolina and almost unseated the Republican incumbent-- and he remains engaged in the state’s politics to this day.  So for this special 52nd episode, Clay marks 1 year of podcasting by welcoming his hometown representative, Congressman  David Price (https://twitter.com/RepDavidEPrice) to discuss the future of bi-partisanship, the Democratic majority, what it takes to get and stay elected, and how to best represent your constituents. Guest: Rep. David Price Representative David Price (https://twitter.com/RepDavidEPrice) represents North Carolina's Fourth District  -- a rapidly growing, research-and-education-focused district that includes Durham, Franklin, Granville and Orange counties as well as parts of Chatham, Wake, and Vance counties. He received his undergraduate degree at UNC-Chapel Hill and went on to Yale University to earn a Bachelor of Divinity and Ph.D. in Political Science. Before he began serving in Congress in 1987, Price was a professor of Political Science and Public Policy at Duke University. He is the author of four books on Congress and the American political system. Price currently serves on the House Appropriations Committee and is the Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. He also serves on the House Budget Committee and is a member of the Appropriations subcommittees on homeland security, State Department, and foreign operations. He is a recognized leader in foreign policy, serving as the Chairman of the House Democracy Partnership, which he initiated to help strengthen parliaments in emerging democracies. In North Carolina, David's constituents know him as a strong supporter of education, accessible health care, affordable housing, clean air and water, and improved transportation alternatives. David is a native of Erwin, Tennessee. He and his wife Lisa live in Chapel Hill and are parents of two children and three grandchildren. Get more from Rep. David Price with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/RepDavidEPrice) | House.Gov (https://price.house.gov/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RepDavidEPrice/) | Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en)   | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) FOLLOW @POLITICON (https://twitter.com/Politicon) AND GO TO POLITICON.COM (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSORS: HELLO FRESH  GO TO WWW.HELLOFRESH.COM/10HECK (http://www.hellofresh.com/10heck) AND USE CODE 10HECK FOR 10 FREE MEALS, INCLUDING FREE SHIPPING! APOSTROPHE  GET FIFTEEN DOLLARS OFF YOUR FIRST VISIT WITH A BOARD-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST AT www.APOSTROPHE.COM/HECK (http://www.apostrophe.com/HECK) AND USE OUR CODE: HECK.

Clay welcomes former Rep. David Jolly (https://davidjolly.com/) of Florida to discuss the unraveling of our political culture, the changes our Congress needs and whether The SAM Party (http://joinsam.org/) can move us forward.  Has the need for cold hard cash irreparably corrupted the two dominant parties in our country?  Can centrism be the solution, or must we first make the changes that take power away from those that divide us? Guest: Rep. David Jolly Former Congressman David Jolly served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2014 – 2017.  A student of the institution, Jolly has held virtually every position in Congress, from intern to Member, and has worked outside the Congress as an attorney and political consultant, as well as in specialty finance. Known for his fierce independent streak and bipartisan approach, Jolly was first elected in a special election in Florida, a Republican winning a Democratic leaning district.  It was his first run for elective office and became one of the most expensive Congressional races in U.S. history at the time.  It made Jolly a fierce campaign finance reform advocate and his resulting legislative effort to prohibit Members of Congress from directly soliciting campaign contributions was ultimately featured on CBS’ 60 Minutes. Today, Jolly can often be seen as a policy and politics analyst on MSNBC and CNN, including regular appearances on The 11th Hour with Brian Williams, Hardball with Chris Matthews, CNN Tonight with Don Lemon, The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, Deadline White House with Nicolle Wallace, All In with Chris Hayes, and many others.   Jolly has also appeared on HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, and regularly on PoliticKing with Larry King.  Jolly’s work has been published in Time, Roll Call, the Washington Post, CNN.com, NewsMax, the Washington Times, and the Tampa Bay Times.  Jolly also served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of South Florida and is currently authoring his first book. A Washington Post columnist wrote, “Jolly speaks the truth.”  The Tampa Bay Times, “It’s refreshing to hear someone take on the system.”  And upon leaving Congress, one columnist penned, “Farewell to the one Congressman willing to compromise.” Jolly received his Bachelor of Arts from Emory University in 1994, and his Juris Doctor Cum Laude from George Mason University in 2001.  The son of a minister, Jolly is a fifth-generation Floridian and resides today with his wife Laura in Belleair Bluffs, Florida. Get more from Rep. David Jolly with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/DavidJollyFL) | Website (https://davidjolly.com/) | The SAM Party (http://joinsam.org/) | Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en)   | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR: APOSTROPHE GO TO WWW.APOSTROPHE.COM/HECK (http://www.apostrophe.com/HECK) AND CLICK BEGIN VISIT, THEN USE THE CODE HECK AT SIGN UP AND YOU’LL GET FIFTEEN DOLLARS OFF YOUR DERMATOLOGY VISIT! 

Clay welcomes Alex Wagner (https://twitter.com/alexwagner) and Mark McKinnon (https://twitter.com/mmckinnon) of Showtime’s The Circus (https://www.sho.com/the-circus-inside-the-greatest-political-show-on-earth) to get the inside scoop on the current state of the two parties.  In the quest to get along, talking to anyone and speaking with the people who make a difference are key to understanding what’s next for us-- and Alex and Mark share the many insights they’ve gained from dedicating their careers to understanding the electorate.  After impeachment, will the Republican party coalesce around a less controversial leader?  Can Joe Biden continue to unify the party?  Or is this year going to have more surprises than 2020? Guests: Mark McKinnon Mark Mckinnon (https://twitter.com/mmckinnon) is a political advisor, reform advocate, media columnist, and television producer. He was the chief media advisor to five successful presidential primary and general election campaigns and is cofounder of No Labels, an organization dedicated to bipartisanship, civil dialogue, and political problem solving.   McKinnon has worked for many causes, companies, and candidates, including former President George W. Bush, Senator John McCain, late former Governor Ann Richards, and Bono. He serves on the boards of numerous organizations dedicated to reforming the influence of money in politics. In 2014, McKinnon launched Mayday PAC to force ethics reform in the United States Congress, along with Harvard Law Professor Larry Lessig and tech moguls Steve Wozniak, Peter Thiel, and Reid Hoffman. McKinnon and Julian Castro, HUD Secretary, served as co-chairs of Southerners for the Freedom to Marry before the historic Supreme Court ruling affirmed the right of all Americans to wed.   For 20 years, McKinnon worked at Public Strategies, Inc., where he was an owner and served as vice chair. In 2010, Public Strategies merged with Hill+Knowlton Strategies, where McKinnon served as global vice chair. He remains an advisor to the firm. An award-winning media producer and communications strategist, McKinnon has been awarded more than 30 Pollie and Telly Awards, honoring the nation's best political and public affairs advertising.     President Bush appointed McKinnon to serve as a governor of the Broadcasting Board of Governors. He serves on the board of the Austin Film Society and he lectures frequently at universities, including the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.    McKinnon has been a regular columnist for THE DAILY BEAST and THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (U.K.) and a consultant to the television series THE NEWSROOM and HOUSE OF CARDS. Get more from Mark McKinnon with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/mmckinnon) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/mmckinnon/) | The Circus (https://www.sho.com/the-circus-inside-the-greatest-political-show-on-earth) | Trumped (https://www.sho.com/titles/3445564/trumped-inside-the-greatest-political-upset-of-all-time)   Alex Wagner Alex Wagner (https://twitter.com/alexwagner) is currently an anchor and correspondent at CBS News, co-anchoring CBS THIS MORNING: SATURDAY and reporting stories throughout the week. She is also a contributing editor at THE ATLANTIC and co-host of their weekly news and affairs podcast, RADIO ATLANTIC. In April, she will release her first book, FUTUREFACE, which examines questions about American identity in the 21st century.  Previously, Alex served as an MSNBC analyst and hosted the Emmy® nominated program NOW with Alex Wagner. She has been a frequent guest host for several political shows, including ALL IN and THE LAST WORD. Before joining MSNBC, Wagner was a reporter with Huffington Post, where she covered innovation in the American economy, investigating the intersection of business, politics, and new technology. Prior to this, she served as the White House correspondent for Politics Daily and the Executive Director of Not on Our Watch, an advocacy and grant-making non-profit focused on combatting genocide and founded by actors George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle. Get more from Alex Wagner with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/alexwagner) | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/itsalexwags/?hl=en) | The Circus (https://www.sho.com/the-circus-inside-the-greatest-political-show-on-earth) | Future Face (https://www.amazon.com/Futureface-Family-Mystery-Secret-Belonging/dp/0812997948) | The Atlantic (https://www.theatlantic.com/author/alex-wagner/) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en)   | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSORS: EXPRESS VPN  STOP HANDING OVER YOUR PERSONAL DATA TO THE BIG TECH MONOPOLY THAT MINES YOUR ACTIVITY AND SELLS YOUR INFORMATION. VISIT WWW.EXPRESSVPN.COM/HECK (http://www.expressvpn.com/HECK) TO GET THREE EXTRA MONTHS FREE.  APOSTROPHE  GO TO WWW.APOSTROPHE.COM/HECK (http://www.apostrophe.com/HECK) AND CLICK BEGIN VISIT, THEN USE THE CODE HECK AT SIGN UP AND YOU’LL GET FIFTEEN DOLLARS OFF YOUR DERMATOLOGY VISIT! 

Despite the inauguration of President Biden, the legacy of the Trump administration and the bitter feelings about the election still hang in the air-- especially after the events of January 6th-- and it’s anybody’s guess about how we can move the country forward. With that in mind,  Clay is joined by legal expert and member of Politicon’s #SistersInLaw (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sistersinlaw/id1551206847) podcast, Kimberly Atkins (https://twitter.com/KimberlyEAtkins) , to discuss the latest developments in the impeachment trial, the possible censure of Rep. Marjorie Greene, and whether it might not be better to leave the legacy of the last administration on the golf course instead of in the courts.  What do you think?   Guest: Kimberly Atkins (https://twitter.com/KimberlyEAtkins) is a senior opinion writer at The Boston Globe. She is also an MSNBC contributor. Previously, Kimberly was the first Washington, DC-based news correspondent for WBUR. She has also served as the Boston Herald's Washington bureau chief, guest host of C-SPAN's morning call-in show's Washington Journal, and a Supreme Court reporter for Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and its sister publications.    She began her journalism career as an intern at The Boston Globe. She has appeared as a political commentator on a host of national and international television and radio networks, including CNN, Fox News, NBC News, PBS, NPR, Sky News (UK), and CBC News (Canada). Before launching her journalism career, she was a trial and appellate litigation attorney in Boston. Kimberly is a native of Michigan, and a graduate of Wayne State University, Boston University School of Law and Boston University College of Communication, and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Get more from Kimberly Atkins with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/KimberlyEAtkins) | Boston Globe (https://www.bostonglobe.com/about/staff-list/staff/kimberly-atkins/) | WBUR (https://www.wbur.org/inside/staff/kimberly-atkins)   | #SistersInLaw (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sistersinlaw/id1551206847) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en)   | Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/)

With California opening up but almost nothing feeling like it’s back to normal, Clay has on Dr. Jonathan Metzl (https://twitter.com/jonathanmetzl) of Vanderbilt University on the podcast to examine what ails our country.  And from race relations, to our isolation, the pandemic, and the tendency of voters to cut off our noses to spite our face, there is a lot that ails us.  But in spite of the many ills we face, they both find hope in the possibility of our politics to stop otherizing and return to coalition building and charm offensives--if it’s still possible in 2021.  Guest: Dr. Jonathan Metzl (https://twitter.com/jonathanmetzl) is the Frederick B. Rentschler II professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University and director of its Center for Medicine, Health, and Society. He is the author of several books and a prominent expert on gun violence and mental illness. He hails from Kansas City, Missouri, and lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Get more from Dr. Metzl with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/jonathanmetzl) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/jonathan.metzl) Website (https://www.dyingofwhiteness.com/) Vanderbilt (https://www.vanderbilt.edu/mhs/person/jonathan-m-metzl/) Author of “Dying of Whiteness (https://www.amazon.com/Dying-Whiteness-Politics-Resentment-Heartland/dp/1541644980) And Many Other Books (https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AJonathan+M.+Metzl&s=relevancerank&text=Jonathan+M.+Metzl&ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSORS: BLINKIST  GO TO www.BLINKIST.COM/HECK (http://www.blinkist.com/HECK) TO TRY IT FREE FOR 7 DAYS AND SAVE 25% OFF YOUR NEW SUBSCRIPTION.  APOSTROPHE  GO TO www.APOSTROPHE.COM/HECK (http://www.apostrophe.com/HECK) AND CLICK BEGIN VISIT, THEN USE THE CODE HECK AT SIGN UP AND YOU’LL GET FIFTEEN DOLLARS OFF YOUR DERMATOLOGY VISIT! 

With Joe Biden newly inaugurated, Clay has on Bill Clinton’s White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart (https://twitter.com/joelockhart) to discuss the promises and perils of our new president and if a new administration is what it takes for us to get along again.  Does President Biden have a good chance of getting us out of the mess we started with in 2021?  Or are the parties going to split apart, with a whole new political landscape nearly upon us?  No matter which way things go, at the moment we can appreciate that (for the moment) press conferences and the accountability they represent might just be back! Guest: Joe Lockhart (https://twitter.com/joelockhart) is widely recognized as one of the top communications and public affairs professionals in the world, and offers strategic communications counsel to CEOs, C-suite executives, and Washington's most powerful leaders.  He knows how to handle a crisis and regain control of a narrative, honed through decades of experience in public affairs, corporate communications, administration, and political campaigns. Lockhart is perhaps best known for his service as White House Press Secretary under President Bill Clinton from 1998 to 2000. He has also worked for the National Football League (NFL) as executive vice president, overseeing communications, government affairs, social responsibility and philanthropy, and for Facebook as vice president of global communications. Lockhart's current role is to advise corporations and organizations on their communications strategies and vulnerabilities. He was vice chairman for public affairs at Edelman; he was also previously the founding partner and managing director of the Glover Park Group, and was executive vice president at Bozell Sawyer Miller.  An award-winning journalist, he is also a frequent contributor to CNN and reflects on the week's news with Katie Barlow as they co-host the Words Matter (https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/welcome-joe-lockhart/id1420216970?i=1000434401577) podcast (https://shows.pippa.io/words-matter/) .    Get more from Joe with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/joelockhart) Rational 360 PR (https://rational360.com/personnel/joe-lockhart/) Words Matter (https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/welcome-joe-lockhart/id1420216970?i=1000434401577) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR: MAGIC SPOON  GO TO www.MAGICSPOON.COM/HECK (http://www.magicspoon.com/HECK) TO GRAB A VARIETY PACK AND TRY IT TODAY! AND BE SURE TO USE OUR PROMO CODE HECK AT CHECKOUT TO SAVE FIVE DOLLARS OFF YOUR ORDER. 

In the days after the Capitol raid (or protests depending on who you ask) Clay welcomes Sally Kohn (http://www.sallykohn.com/about) to the podcast to see if the arc of progress is still bending towards justice, or if some drastic change is needed.  With the Biden Administration kicking off next week, there might just be that chance, but in the meantime they try and break down the factors that got our country to this point, what we need next, and how we can live, let go, and maybe not hate each other. Guest: Sally Kohn is one of the leading progressive voices in America today. A frequent guest on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, Sally's first book THE OPPOSITE OF HATE (https://www.amazon.com/Opposite-Hate-Field-Repairing-Humanity/dp/1616207280) was published in April 2018. Sally is a popular keynote speaker (http://www.sallykohn.com/about) at business conferences and college campuses talking about political division, hate, otherizing, diversity and identity — and how we can solve the deep problems of our past and present.   A regular columnist and commentator, Sally's writing has appeared in the Washington Post, New York Times, New York Magazine, Time, and many other outlets. She is on the Board of Contributors for USA Today and a contributing editor to Afar magazine.  Sally is also a TED Curator and her three hit TED Talks (https://www.ted.com/speakers/sally_kohn) have been viewed more than 6 million times.  Sally’s work has been highlighted by outlets ranging from the Colbert Report to the National Review. Sally is a popular media trainer and public speaking coach, helping build the skills of everyone from grassroots leaders to C-suite executives. Get more from Sally with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/sallykohn) Website (http://www.sallykohn.com/about) TED TALKS (https://www.ted.com/speakers/sally_kohn) Author of The Opposite of Hate (https://www.amazon.com/Opposite-Hate-Field-Repairing-Humanity/dp/1616207280) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSORS: BLINKIST  FOR A LIMITED TIME BLINKIST HAS A SPECIAL OFFER JUST FOR OUR AUDIENCE: GO TO www.BLINKIST.com/HECK (http://www.blinkist.com/HECK) TO TRY IT FREE FOR 7 DAYS AND SAVE 25% OFF YOUR NEW SUBSCRIPTION. APOSTROPHE  GET FIFTEEN DOLLARS OFF YOUR FIRST VISIT WITH A BOARD-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST AT www.APOSTROPHE.COM/HECK (http://www.apostrophe.com/HECK) AND USE OUR CODE: HECK. THIS CODE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO OUR LISTENERS.  MAGIC SPOON  GO TO www.MAGICSPOON.COM/HECK (http://www.magicspoon.com/HECK) TO GRAB A VARIETY PACK AND TRY IT TODAY! AND BE SURE TO USE OUR PROMO CODE HECK AT CHECKOUT TO SAVE FIVE DOLLARS OFF YOUR ORDER. 

In the aftermath of protests that saw the Capitol building overrun with almost the entire government inside, Clay is joined by US Intellligence expert and anti-terrorism mastermind Malcolm Nance (https://thetacticsofterror.org/aboutus/executive-director/) to discuss how it got to this point, and what our government should be doing as we approach the transition of power.  Will the halls of government be secured?  Or will a combination of ineptness and ill will continue to leave us at risk of terror or worse?  And with democracy in retreat across the globe, what will it take to turn things around so we can get back to getting along? Guest: Malcolm W. Nance was a career counterterrorism and intelligence officer for the U.S. government’s Special Operations, Homeland Security, and Intelligence agencies, with over 33 years of experience in combating radical extremism. An honorably retired U.S. Navy Arabic-speaking intelligence collections operator, field interrogator, Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape specialist and founder of the Advanced Terrorism, Abduction and Hostage Survival School, he spent more than two decades on clandestine antiterrorism and counterterrorism intelligence operations in the Middle East North Africa, the Balkans, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa in direct support of the Special Operations and Intelligence Community. On the morning of 9/11, he eyewitnessed the attack on the Pentagon and became a first responder at the crash site. A fierce champion of ethics, human rights and cultural integration in intelligence practitioners and activities, he has trained and advised numerous defense, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies worldwide in understanding and exploiting terrorist strategies, tactics, and ideology to combat the spread of radical extremism. He has authored several books in multiple editions including The Terrorist Recognition Handbook: A Practitioner’s Manual for Predicting and Identifying Terrorist Activity (1st-3rd Editions), An End to al-Qaeda: Destroying bin Laden’s Jihad and Restoring America’s Honor, and The Terrorists of Iraq: Inside the Strategy and Tactics of the Iraq Insurgency (1st-2nd Editions). He is the best selling author of Defeating ISIS, The Plot To Hack America, The Plot To Destroy Democracy and The Plot To Betray America. Mr. Nance has been seen by millions of TV news viewers as a guest policy analyst for CNN, ABC News, FOX News, MSNBC, Al Jazeera, and Al Arabiya, and he has appeared on global interview shows including PBS’s NewsHour, the BBC’s Hardtalk and World Have Your Say, Australian Broadcasting’s Dateline, German TV’s ZDF Frontier 21, TV5 France, and other political talk shows. He has written opinion editorials and has been a source for the New York Times, New York Daily News, International Herald Tribune, Atlanta Journal Constitution, Washington Post, San Diego Union Tribune, Times of London, Guardian UK, Australian, Sydney Morning Herald (National) (Abu Dhabi), and Daily Telegraph. He has written articles for distinguished magazines and publications, including Foreign Policy, Small Wars Journal, Time magazine, Counterterrorism, Special Operations, and Counterterrorist. He was featured in the Academy Award nominated Documentary Dirty Wars, the award winning Torturing Democracy and on the Rolling Stone’s 2008 Hotlist as a blogger for Small Wars Journal. He regularly speaks and participates in programs at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. Mr. Nance is a graduate of New York Excelsior University. He lives and studies between Hudson, New York, and Abu Dhabi, UAE. Get more from Malcolm with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/MalcolmNance) The Tactics of Terror.org (http://thetacticsofterror.org/) Author of The Plot to Betray America (https://www.amazon.com/Plot-Betray-America-Embraced-Compromised/dp/0316535761/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1610129139&refinements=p_27%3AMalcolm+Nance&s=books&sr=1-1) And many other books... (https://www.amazon.com/Books-Malcolm-Nance/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AMalcolm+Nance) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR: APOSTROPHE  GET FIFTEEN DOLLARS OFF YOUR FIRST VISIT WITH A BOARD-CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST AT www.APOSTROPHE.COM/HECK (http://www.apostrophe.com/HECK) AND USE OUR CODE: HECK. THIS CODE IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO OUR LISTENERS.  EXPRESSVPN  PROTECT YOUR ONLINE ACTIVITY TODAY WITH THE VPN RATED #1 BY CNET AND WIRED.  VISIT OUR EXCLUSIVE LINK: www.EXPRESSVPN.com/HECK (http://www.expressvpn.com/HECK) AND YOU CAN GET AN EXTRA 3 MONTHS FREE ON A ONE-YEAR PACKAGE. 

In this end of the year special, Clay shares what it’s been like becoming a podcaster after a successful music career and a not so successful run for Congress.  Then he shares with us some of his favorite segments from the conversations he’s had trying to Find Out How The Heck We’re Gonna Get Along! in 2020, and plays us some of the more fiery and passionate moments we heard on the show.  Will 2021 be a better year for the country and the time we finally learn how to get along?  We hope so, but no matter what happens, Clay is there for the ride.  Happy New Year! Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/) THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR: HYDRANT  WE HAVE A SPECIAL DEAL FOR OUR LISTENERS TO SAVE 25% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER: GO TO WWW.DRINKHYDRANT.COM/HECK (http://www.drinkhydrant.com/heck) OR ENTER OUR PROMO CODE HECK AT CHECKOUT. 

Clay is joined by Lauren Chen (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUrVTVTA3PnUFpYvpfMcpg) of BlazeTV to discuss the latest in the wars over tech censorship and free speech.  How should media organizations and big tech companies cover allegations or evidence of election fraud?  Is there a gatekeeper for the gatekeepers, or do we have to rely on questionable Section 230 protections?  No matter where you fall on the specifics, speech is part of the answer to how we get along.  Can Clay and Lauren bring the country together in time for 2021? Guest: Lauren Chen (https://twitter.com/TheLaurenChen) is a political and social commentator, and host of the CRTV show Roaming Millennial: Uncensored (https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-roaming-millennial-uncenso-30257477/) . She began as a YouTuber (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUrVTVTA3PnUFpYvpfMcpg) , and has since gained over 20 million views on the platform and hundreds of thousands of followers. She has also appeared on Fox News, The Daily Wire, Rebel Media, PragerU, and The Rubin Report. Lauren was born in Canada, raised in Hong Kong, and came to the US for college. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor in Middle East Studies and Arabic. Get more from Lauren with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/TheLaurenChen) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/thelaurenchen/) YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLUrVTVTA3PnUFpYvpfMcpg) Evie Magazine (https://www.eviemagazine.com/) Blaze TV (https://www.blazetv.com/series/dC7AXsBCbetU-pseudo-intellectual) Parler (https://parler.com/profile/TheLaurenChen/posts) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/)

Clay is joined by Dr. Michael Eric Dyson to discuss the revolutionary character of 2020 and what it means for our politics, our race relations and how we're all going to get along.  The verdict is that we have a lot of work to do, but between the First Step Act, the Black Lives Matter protests, and the new allies that they both brought to the cause,  there are powerful reasons for hope on both sides of the aisle.  Can we stay focused on the big picture? Or will the momentum of the past beckon us back to old and flawed paradigms? Guest: Dr. Michael Eric Dyson is a Georgetown University sociology professor, author of many books, a New York Times contributing opinion writer, and a contributing editor of The New Republic, and of ESPN's The Undefeated website. Get more from Michael with: Twitter (https://twitter.com/MichaelEDyson) Recent Books By Michael: Tears We Cannot Stop (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KFX66SQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1) Long Time Coming (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08G49FY4J/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0) What Truth Sounds Like (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076ZRB4CG/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i4) And many others! (https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Eric-Dyson/e/B001IGNVH4%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/)

Clay Aiken is joined by Bill Kristol of The Bulwark, Defending Democracy Together, constitutionalgovt.org, and Conversations with Bill Kristol, to take on the aftermath of the Trump administration and examine how our country can come together after the elections.  How do we restore the imperatives of our constitutional government?  Is Biden the vehicle that will allow us all to come together?  And does the future of our country lie with MAGA or on turning over a new page? Guest: Bill Kristol has been a leading participant in American political debates and a widely respected analyst of American political developments for three decades. Having served in senior positions in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush Administrations, Kristol understands government from the inside; as a professor at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University, he has studied American politics and society from the outside. After serving in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, Kristol founded The Weekly Standard in 1995 and edited the influential magazine for over two decades. Now, as founding director of Defending Democracy Together, an organization dedicated to defending America’s liberal democratic norms, principles, and institutions, Kristol is in the midst of the national debate on issues ranging from American foreign policy to the future of the Republican Party and the meaning of American conservatism. Kristol frequently appears on all the major television talk shows, and also is the host of the highly regarded video series and podcast, Conversations with Bill Kristol. Kristol received his undergraduate degree and his Ph.D. from Harvard University. Get more from Bill with: Twitter: Bill Kristol (https://twitter.com/BillKristol) Conversations With Bill Kristol (https://conversationswithbillkristol.org/) Defending Democracy Together (https://www.defendingdemocracytogether.org/) The Bulwark  (https://t.co/2a4u3o8vGm?amp=1) constitutionalgovt.org (https://t.co/axNpiMlS38?amp=1) Host: Clay Aiken (https://twitter.com/clayaiken) has sold 6 million albums, authored a New York Times bestseller, and ran for Congress in North Carolina in 2014 almost unseating a popular Republican incumbent. Follow Clay Aiken further on: Twitter (https://twitter.com/clayaiken?lang=en) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/clayaiken/) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/clayaiken) Email your questions to podcasts@politicon.com (mailto:podcasts@politicon.com) Follow @politicon (https://twitter.com/Politicon) and go to Politicon.com (https://politicon.com/)