Politics with Amy Walter

Guess what? We are officially phasing out The Takeaway's Politics with Amy Walter.  We are still making our weekly politics show, but it will officially be housed on The Takeaway Podcast feed starting this week.  So, what should you do? Subscribe to The Takeaway's podcasts and news feeds using iTunes or your favorite podcast client so you'll always have the latest episode. Listen to podcasts on your computer or transfer the files to your mp3.file player to take them with you anywhere. Be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @thetakeaway. The Takeaway airs on WNYC AM 820 at 9am weekdays, on WNYC 93.9FM at 3pm weekdays, and on over 300 stations nationally. More information may be found at www.thetakeaway.org.

The Inscrutable Senator Kyrsten Sinema During Sinema's brief time in office, she has gained a reputation for being particularly inscrutable. She is known for rarely holding town halls with constituents or taking questions from the press. Last week, five members of Senator Kyrsten Sinema's Veterans Advisory Council publicly stepped down, calling her “one of the principal obstacles to progress.” The Takeaway talks to one of those members, Sylvia González Andersh, a U.S. Air Force Veteran, to get some more insight on Kyrsten Sinema. Delays in Reconciliation Deal Hamper Biden's Trip to Europe President Biden is traveling through Europe this weekend, for a trip that includes meeting with world leaders at the Group of 20 summit in Rome and the UN's climate summit, COP26. Anthony Adragna, Congressional reporter for POLITICO and author of the Congress Minutes, POLITICO's guide to what's happening on Capitol Hill, joined The Takeaway to discuss. The State of Black Women's Representation in American Politics In 2021, there are a record number of  Black women serving in state legislatures. More Black women than ever before contested for and won Congressional seats in 2020.  But after the Governor of California appointed a man to fill the former Senate seat of Vice President Kamala Harris, there is now not a single Black woman in the U.S. Senate. For more on all this, The Takeaway spoke to Kimberly Peeler-Allen, a visiting practitioner at the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University and co-founder of Higher Heights,  a group focused on Black women's political power as voters and representatives. The Implications of Private Military Training Complexes in North Carolina After the riots at the Capitol on January 6th, we learned that a number of the insurrectionists had received training at private, tactical training sites. Laura Flanders, host of The Laura Flanders Show, spoke to residents and council members in North Carolina who have seen these military complexes set up shop in their communities. Our host speaks with Laura and Christina Davis McCoy, secretary of the Hoke County NAACP about the rise in private military training sites, the greater implications, and what residents can do to keep them out of their backyards. For transcripts, see individual segment pages.   

State Politics Heating Up Across Country Jessica Taylor, the Senate and Governors Editor for The Cook Political Report, and Zach Montellaro, state politics reporter at POLITICO take a look at state politics and gubernatorial races around the country where candidates are debating issues around education, police reform, and abortion rights. New Analyses Show Potential Undercount of Black Population During 2020 Census The findings have brought up concerns that some jurisdictions and civil rights leaders have had about lower-than-expected totals in the 2020 Census. “This might be our greatest undercount since 1960, or 1950,” said Marc Morial, former mayor of New Orleans and president and chief executive of the National Urban League, which sued the bureau last year to stop the count from ending early. Morial joined us to discuss the undercount and the far-reaching implications it could have.  The Experience of Resettling as an Afghan Refugee Fifty-five thousand. That's how many Afghans have relocated to the U.S. since mid-August.According to the Department of Homeland Security, about 40 percent are eligible for special immigrant visas because of the work they did aiding U.S. efforts in Afghanistan. But for other Afghan evacuees, it's unclear what their legal status will be. Many entered the country not as traditional refugees, but instead under a temporary legal process known as parole. That means many of these refugees currently don't have a direct pathway to permanent residency. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Naheed Samadi-Bahram, Women for Afghan Women's U.S. Country Director. For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

Debt Ceiling Deal Extended but For How Long? Join us for this week's political round up with Michael Steele, former Lt. Gov. of Maryland and previous chair of the RNC and Christina Greer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Fordham University, co-host of podcast FAQ NYC, and author of the book “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration and the Pursuit of the American Dream." Michael and Christina share their thoughts about the debt ceiling extension and reproductive rights as well as the state of voting rights and the Democrat and Republican strategies ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Why New York State Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas is Fighting for Immigration Reform New York State Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas traveled to D.C. this week and was arrested while participating in that peaceful protest. She joined The Takeaway today to talk about why she's fighting for immigration reform. Jason Rezaian Discuss his new podcast 544 Days Jason Rezaian joins us to discuss his new Spotify Original Podcast 544 Days which chronicles his time in an Iranian prison and what it took to get him out. For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Biden Outlines Agenda To Boost the Middle Class President Joe Biden delivered a speech geared toward a tax plan for the middle class. California had its recall election in which Governor Gavin Newsom beat out Republican frontrunner and recall candidate Larry Elder. The Takeaway hosts a politics roundtable with Dave Weigel, a national reporter covering politics for the Washington Post. Brendan Buck is a Republican strategist at Seven Letter and a former aide to Republican speakers of the House John Boehner and Paul Ryan. and Maya King, a politics reporter at Politico.  Political Power Struggle Continues in Haiti  Haiti is still struggling to recover a month after a major earthquake and storm hit the country and killed more than 2,000 people, with hundreds still missing. Meanwhile, Haiti is also dealing with a profound political crisis after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July. This week, that political struggle came to a new head when a prosecutor accused the current leader of the country, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, of being involved with the killing. The Takeaway was joined by Jacqueline Charles, Caribbean Correspondent for the Miami Herald to discuss the ongoing power struggle.  Why Larry Elder's Run Has People Talking About Black Republicans Leah Wright Rigueur, author of The Loneliness of the Black Republican; Joe Watkins host of “State of Independence” and former aide to President George H.W. Bush; and Ron Christie, former special assistant to President George W. Bush, join us to discuss what Elder's campaign means for Black Republicanism in the U.S., and the long and complicated history between Black Americans and the Republican party. For transcripts, see full segment pages.

Millions of Americans Lost Unemployment Insurance This Week This past Monday — Labor Day — 7.5 million workers lost their COVID-era expanded unemployment benefits, even as the pandemic continues on.  President Joe Biden decided not to extend the benefits before they were set to expire. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke to Heather Long, economics correspondent for the Washington Post, and Annelies Goger, Fellow at the Brookings Institution.  How Islamophobia Has Impacted Sikh Communities Although there's no correct target for the hate and violence that occurred, misdirected Islamophobic violence against Sikh Americans has continued for two decades. The Takeaway spoke with activist and author Valarie Kaur about what the post 9/11 era has meant for Sikh Americans and her new documentary Divided We Fall: Americans In The Aftermath. California Voters Will Decide Whether Gov. Gavin Newsom Stays or Goes On Tuesday, California voters will decide whether Gov. Gavin Newsom will stay in office or be removed in a Republican-driven recall election. There are 46 candidates that are running to replace the Governor; however, recent polling shows support for the governor to stay in office. The Takeaway spoke with Libby Denkmann, senior politics reporter at KPCC in Southern California about how the recall election works and what the latest polling says. For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

Texas Abortion Providers Grapple with New Reality Under Restrictive Law On Wednesday, one of the most restrictive ever abortion rights laws in the U.S. went into effect in the Lone Star state. Called SB8, it bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before most people even know they're pregnant. While it doesn't' reverse Roe v Wade, it does circumvent it.  The Legal Questions Surrounding Texas's Restrictive Abortion Law  At midnight on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of the United States effectively overturned Roe v. Wade in a 5-4, page-and-a-half, unsigned, decision delivered without the court receiving briefings or hearing arguments.  Before Roe v Wade there was the Jane Collective We take a look at how activists worked to provide abortions prior to Roe v. Wade with a look at the Jane Collective, a group that operated out of Chicago and performed thousands of abortions between 1969 and 1973. Melissa speaks with her mother about her work in Washington between 1969-1971 and Laura Kaplan, author of a book about the collective, The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service. A New Jersey Bill Could Expand Reproductive Healthcare Continuing the discussion of abortion access, The Takeaway looks at New Jersey's Reproductive Freedom Act that would expand reproductive health and abortion access in the state. In October of 2020, a coalition of organizations called Thrive New Jersey worked with state legislators to introduce the bill. It has been stalled in the legislature for almost a year now, but after Texas' restrictive abortion law went into effect this week, there has been a new push for New Jersey's Legislature to take action. For segment, see individual segment pages.    

The Supreme Court Reinstated Trump's 'Remain in Mexico' Policy  This week, the Supreme Court ruled that the Biden administration must reinstate the Trump-era immigration policy known as 'Remain in Mexico,' which forces many asylum seekers to live in Mexico while they wait for the date of their asylum hearings.Many migrants seeking asylum have had to endure unsafe and inhumane conditions in Mexico during that interim period. How the Biden Administration is Responding to Deadly Terrorist Attacks in Kabul On Thursday, two terrorist attacks by the Kabul airport killed dozens of Afghans and at least thirteen U.S. service members. U.S. officials say that an Afghanistan based affiliate of ISIS was behind the attack. With less than a week until the August 31 deadline that the U.S. says all U.S. military members will be withdrawn from Afghanistan, these deadly attacks and the potential of more in the coming days greatly complicate the situation for the Biden administration. A Win for Felony Offender Enfranchisement in North Carolina A North Carolina judicial panel declared that roughly 56,000 formerly incarcerated individuals “can register to vote and cast ballots.” This specifically applies to individuals who are felons, served their time and are out on parole. It would also include people “convicted of a federal felony” but have probation as their punishment. State lawmakers who are defendants in the case promise to file an appeal. For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

A Look at What Happened to Capitol Hill Bomb Threat Suspect  On Thursday, 49-year-old Floyd Ray Roseberry of Grover, North Carolina surrendered to Capitol Police after an hours-long standoff at the Library of Congress. Earlier in the day, Roseberry posted a video to social media claiming he had explosives. In a press conference following his surrender, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger, indicated Roseberry had suffered personal losses in his family.  Should Politician's Apologize? On Monday President Joe Biden said, “I am President of the United States of America, and the buck stops with me,” when discussing Afghanistan. He also noted he was “saddened by the facts” of the current crisis but did not apologize for any failure on the part of the US. Our round table discussion will address past instances when presidents publicly apologized or noted lessons learned, when they didn't, and how that ultimately affects how they're seen by voters.  From Baking to Painting Murals: Protesting Can Take Many Forms Following the murder of George Floyd, millions of people across the globe took to the streets to protest police brutality and systemic racism. But people also protested in more unique ways like baking.     

Does Bipartisanship Still Work? A conversation on the history of bipartisan legislation, changes in ideology, and whether true bipartisanship is actually dead. Fights Over Voting Rights and Mask Mandates Heat Up in Texas This week, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan signed arrest warrants for 52 Democrats who have refused to return to the state Capitol during the two special sessions called this summer. What the July Jobs Report Tells Us About Economic Recovery Last week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its July jobs report, which showed a .5 percent drop in the unemployment rate to 5.4 percent. For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

What the Cuomo Sexual Harassment Report Means for Democrats Nationwide This week, the New York attorney general released a report detailing allegations that Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 11 women and created a culture of “fear and retaliation.”  Politics, Power, and Abuse In 2019, Professor Vanessa Tyson publicly accused Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax of sexual assault. The Ohio Special Election and the Future of the Democratic Party On Tuesday, Shontel Brown, the chairwoman of the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party, won the special election primary in Ohio's 11th Congressional District. For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Pandemic-Era Expanded Government Benefits Drive U.S. Poverty Rate Down Roughly 20 million people in the U.S. are expected to be brought out of poverty this year, according to a recent Urban Institute research report. Advocates Win Unemployment Case in Arkansas as Republicans Try to Strip Benefits Many Republican-led states have halted the extra $300 per month unemployment insurance payments, but lawsuits around the country might change that. House of Representatives Holds First Hearing on Insurrection Attack On Tuesday, the House of Representatives held its first hearing on the January 6th insurrection. Should We Kill or Reform the Filibuster? This week, the Senate voted to move forward with a bipartisan infrastructure deal. However, it faced the threat of a filibuster just a week ago.

Democratic Strategy Ahead of 2022 Midterm Elections Six months into Biden's presidency, The Takeaway looks at the administration's strategy ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Conservatives Are Changing Their Tune on Vaccines A significant number of high-profile members of conservative media are now urging their audiences to get vaccinated. What the U.S. Withdrawal from Afghanistan Will Mean for Veterans Many veterans of the war in Afghanistan will face physical, emotional, and financial battles for decades.

Rep. James Clyburn on Voting Rights, the Filibuster and More Top Democratic lawmakers, including House Majority Whip James Clyburn, are urging their colleagues in the Senate to reform the filibuster in order to pass voting rights legislation. Inflation Is On the Rise in the U.S. As cities and states across the country reopen, inflation is on the rise. The Future of the Child Tax Credit On Thursday, families across the United States began receiving a monthly child tax credit payment. Confirmation Hearing for Sheriff Ed Gonzalez Shows Signs of Biden's ICE Strategy On Thursday, a confirmation hearing was held for Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, President Biden's nominee to lead Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

President Biden Looks to Address Crime On Wednesday, President Biden laid out his plans for addressing the nationwide rise in violent crime and homicides. Amid Decline in Vaccination Rates, Biden Visits North Carolina Plus, how community organizers are leading the charge with culturally relevant outreach.    Who Will Be New York City's Next Mayor? While the general election is still months away, the winner of the Democratic primary is expected to come out on top in November.   Guest hosted by Melissa Harris-Perry.

This week, President Joe Biden signed a bill into law officially establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday. Juneteenth marks the day that enslaved people in Texas found out they were free, two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. For some people, including guest host Melissa Harris-Perry, Juneteenth is a celebration of Black culture and freedom. With that in mind, The Takeaway revisits a conversation from earlier this month about Black Music Month, with Nabil Ayers, writer and general manager of the record label 4AD, and Mark Anthony Neal, James B. Duke Distinguished professor of African and African American Studies at Duke University and host of the podcast, Left of Black. Black Music Month is an annual celebration every June of the Black musicians, producers, songwriters and more. Started more than 40 years ago, the observance celebrates the history and scope of Black artistry spanning musical genres from classical and folk to hip hop and rock. Then, The Takeaway turns to KalaLea, host of Blindspot: Tulsa Burning and audio journalist for NPR's Latino USA, Slate Studios, NPR's Interfaith Voices, and The New Yorker podcasts. Blindspot: Tulsa Burning highlights the events leading up to the Tulsa Race Massacre.  Finally, to close out the show, The Takeaway speaks to women lawmakers, including Rep. Alma Adams, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, and Rep. Lauren Underwood, about their dads for a very special Father's Day segment. (Rep. Lauren Underwood with her father)  

Guest host: Melissa Harris-Perry.

This week marked the start of June, which is the last month of the Supreme Court’s current term. That means we’ll be seeing a number of important rulings in the coming days and weeks on everything from voting restrictions to LGBTQ+ rights to the Affordable Care Act.  In total, SCOTUS has at least 20 cases left to decide before the end of the term. Already this week, there have been decisions in a handful of cases. In a unanimous ruling on Tuesday, for example, SCOTUS affirmed the authority of tribal police and government in United States v. Cooley.  So what other cases should we be watching — and what’s really at stake? The Takeaway spoke about all that and more with Kate Shaw, professor at Cardozo School of Law and co-host of the Supreme Court podcast, Strict Scrutiny. Plus, Robert Barnes, Supreme Court correspondent at The Washington Post, describes the calls for Justice Stephen Breyer to retire ahead of the 2022 midterms while Democrats still control Congress.

Breaking Down President Biden's $6 Trillion 2022 Budget The president's budget attempts to incorporate plans on infrastructure, housing, and healthcare, and is likely to receive conservative backlash for raising the federal deficit. Biden's Child Care Tax Credit: What It Does and Who It Leaves Out The American Rescue Plan that President Joe Biden signed into law in March sought to remedy the lack of a strong child care infrastructure by expanding the child tax credit. The Tulsa Race Massacre, 100 Years Later On May 31, 1921, a violent white mob killed hundreds of residents in the thriving Black community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

President Biden Signs COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act Into Law The legislation aims to address the uptick in hate crimes targeting the Asian Americans and Pacific Islander population during the pandemic.    House Votes to Establish Bipartisan Commission Looking Into Capitol Attack The idea to form a commission—in the style of the one that investigated the 9/11 attacks—has been fraught since day one.  New York Attorney General Announces Criminal Investigation Into the Trump Organization The criminal probe means the AG’s office will work alongside the Manhattan District Attorney to investigate possible fraud in the Trump Organization's business dealings.

A Look at Covid-19 Vaccine Incentives: Will They Work? There's a long history of using incentives to promote public health.   Some Republican-led States Plan to End Enhanced Unemployment Benefits Early A look at the growing number of red states opting out of the pandemic era unemployment program.     New Deal-Inspired Program Would Pay Writers to Document the Pandemic Earlier this month, Congressman Ted Lieu of California introduced a bill that would create a 21st Century Federal Writers’ Project. Who is Rep. Elise Stefanik? Stefanik was elected in 2014 as a young moderate Republican, but in recent years she’s embraced President Trump.

Democratic Bill Seeks to Combat Voting Restriction Legislation. But Will Congress Pass It? We speak with Senator Jeff Merkley about the For The People Act. New Data Indicates Homelessness Declined in Washington, D.C., But Long-term Issues Persist According to recent data, Washington, D.C.'s unhoused population fell by around 20 percent last year. But there were also increases in individuals experiencing chronic homelessness.  What's the Future of the GOP Under the Biden Administration? Months into a new presidency, there’s still a rift within the Republican Party over former President Donald Trump’s false claims about election fraud. 

President Joe Biden's First 100 Days President Biden has used his first hundred days in office to drive the largest expansion of government seen in decades. Newsome Opponents Have Gathered Enough Signatures to Trigger a Recall—Now What? California is facing its first gubernatorial recall in nearly two decades. Should We Be Optimistic About the U.S. Economy? The unemployment rate is steadily dropping, and stocks have been on the rise, as the country has ramped up its aggressive vaccination campaign. Why Viewers Love Political TV Dramas No matter how much high-stakes tension there is going on in the actual Washington, D.C., there’s something endlessly entertaining about the best political television shows. 

Following Derek Chauvin's Conviction, Renewed Calls for Police Reform in Congress While many breathed a sigh of relief following the verdict, the days since have been a reminder of just how rampant police violence is in the country.  How Advocates Are Pushing President Biden to Confront Environmental Racism Although he’s already taking more steps than his predecessor, some advocates are pushing President Biden to go much further to address environmental racism. Statehood for Washington, DC to Advance to the Senate The nationwide reckoning over systemic racism and a groundswell of support for voting rights has elevated the fight for statehood. 

Biden Administration Announces New Sanctions Against Russia The actions against Russia represent one of the first major tests for the new administration on the international level.  Biden Administration Emphasizes Commitment to Israel at a Chaotic Moment in Israeli Politics A visit to Israel from U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is once again fighting for his political future.  What Withdrawing from Afghanistan Means for Veterans and Active Troops This week, President Biden announced that U.S. troops would withdraw from Afghanistan by September 2021.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Aging Infrastructure, Vaccine Appointments, And More Governor Murphy joins the Takeaway for a conversation about the state’s pandemic response, school reopenings, and election reform in the state. Divisions Emerge Over Biden's Proposal to Raise the Corporate Tax Rate One of the biggest debates emerging around President Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal is how to pay for it. Kentucky Passes Law to Expand Voting Access This Wednesday, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed into law a bipartisan bill to expand voting access in the state.  Biden Announces Executive Actions to Address Gun Policy The new actions attempt to address recent violent mass shootings in the U.S. A Procedural Ruling Allows Senate Democrats to Pass Some Bills with Simple Majority This week, the Senate parliamentarian determined that Democrats could pass additional legislation through the budget reconciliation process. 

Georgia's Newest Voting Law Aims to Reduce Access to the Polls Lawmakers in Georgia are part of a national trend in which legislators across the country have introduced more than 250 bills that aim to restrict voting.   In Texas, Lawmakers Advance Legislation for New Restrictions on Voting SB7 would do everything from limit early voting hours to prohibit drive-thru voting in the state.

A Look Back at Colorado's History of Mass Shootings This week, a gunman in Boulder, Colorado killed ten people while they were shopping in a local grocery store. Vice President Harris to Lead the White House Response at the Southern Border This week, President Biden tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to lead the United States’ response to the growing number of migrants arriving at the southern border. Biden Proposes Gun Reform in Light of Atlanta, Boulder Shootings In the wake of the recent mass shootings, President Joe Biden has proposed a ban on assault weapons, high-capacity magazines, and an expansion of background checks for gun sales. 

A Message from The Takeaway.

From Statehood to Self-Determination: The Political Future of Puerto Rico This month, two different bills aiming to redefine Puerto Rico's relationship to the mainland U.S. have been introduced in Congress.  What You Need to Know About Foreign Interference in the 2020 Election A recently declassified national intelligence report outlines efforts authorized by foreign leaders to influence public opinion about the 2020 presidential race.

After four tumultuous years of the Trump presidency, President Joe Biden promised to put the chaos behind him and return the country to normalcy. While dysfunction and partisan gridlock in Washington were amplified during Trump’s tenure, it existed long before he arrived. Even so, it’s clear that the political divide has become deeper and democracy is more vulnerable than ever. On the final episode of Politics with Amy Walter, Astead Herndon, national political reporter for The New York Times, Adam Serwer, staff writer at The Atlantic, and Susan Glasser, staff writer for The New Yorker, join Amy Walter for a conversation about the future of American politics.  One of the takeaways from the 2016 election was to constantly question our assumptions about voting behavior. Democratic dominance in the so-called Blue Wall states of the midwest is no longer assured and neither is the GOP hold on states like Arizona, Georgia, and Texas. Even so, the assumptions about demographics, specifically the role that race has on voting preferences, continue. For years, conventional wisdom suggested that higher overall turnout would result in more wins for Democrats. And while Biden won seven million more votes than Trump, he only carried the electoral college by around 40,000 votes. Record turnout helped Democrats win in Georgia, but it also helped Republicans hold onto vulnerable Senate seats in Iowa and North Carolina.   Chryl Laird, assistant professor of government and legal studies at Bowdoin College, Julia Azari, associate professor of political science at Marquette University, and Mark Hugo Lopez, director of global migration and democracy research at Pew Research Center, describe the nuances of the electorate and debunk the assumptions we make based on demographics.    Politics with Amy Walter Theme: "Enter the Dragon" by J. Cowit is currently available for free here.                                                                                             Amy's Final Take I have had the great privilege and honor to host this show every week for the last 2 and a half years. And I am so very grateful to those who made this possible - WNYC, PRX, and the amazing team of professionals who work so hard on making sure that we get the best possible product on the air.  Over the last few years, political reporting has become more about generating outrage than seeking to explain. Covering the loudest and most controversial voices, while ignoring those who are doing the work at keeping our democracy alive. The goal of this show was to be the opposite of all of this. We wanted to help people understand that politics wasn’t meant to be distilled in 140 characters. That curiosity is one of our most valuable - and underappreciated - assets.  That doesn’t mean that I want politics to be neat and clean. It’s messy. And, that’s ok. The more voices in the mix mean that we are hearing from people whose stories were once left out of our political narratives.  But, messy doesn’t have to mean dysfunctional. What we need more than anything in this moment is leadership. Instead of throwing up their hands and saying “well, it’s what people want” or “it’s what the market demands” leaders set boundaries and are willing to be unpopular for doing so.   I also wanted every show to convey a sense of humility and empathy. To  Accept that you don’t always have the answers or that sometimes the people you may not always agree with have some pretty good ideas.  Covering this moment in American politics has been an amazing experience. Thank you for taking this crazy journey with me.  And, while I won’t be at this microphone every week, I will be popping on every now and then to talk with Tanzina about politics and Washington. You can also catch me every Monday on PBS NewsHour or read my weekly column at CookPolitical.com. I leave you with this: our politics is only as broken as we allow it to be. Show up. Speak up. Listen more, shout less.   

Over the past 25 years, the makeup of newsrooms—and the people covering politics—has changed significantly. As more women and people of color joined the media, newsrooms began to reflect the diversity of America. While newsrooms today are still overwhelmingly white, the lens through which we view politics has evolved largely due to the diversity of opinions. But there's still a long way to go. Amy Walter spoke with Errin Haines, co-founder and editor-at-large for the 19th*, Toluse Olorunnipa, national political Reporter for the Washington Post, and Maya King, political reporter at Politico, about their experiences reporting in an era where race, racism, and our national reckoning have become mainstream conversations. Both the pandemic and former President Trump’s baseless attacks on voting by mail underscored the importance of election administrators and volunteers. As election officials attempted to run smooth and fair elections, they also had to combat the spread of misinformation, much of which was instigated by former President Trump. Even after a year like 2020, these individuals remain dedicated to administering future elections and safeguarding our democracy. Damon Circosta, chair of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, Katie Hobbs, Arizona Secretary of State, and Evan Malbrough, founder of the Georgia Youth Poll Worker Project and Puffin Democracy fellow with the Andrew Goodman Foundation, reflect on the 2020 election cycle. Plus, Gabriel Sterling, chief operating officer and chief financial officer for the Secretary of State of Georgia, shares what it was like to face the real-time consequences of former President Trump’s lies about the results of the general election.  Former President Trump’s norm-defying presidency caused many to question the roles institutions play in checking the power of the executive branch. The lies Donald Trump created and amplified about the integrity of our elections meant that millions of Americans doubted the final result. Suzanne Spaulding, senior adviser for homeland security and director of the Defending Democratic Institutions project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, describes how prepared social media networks and other institutions were to combat misinformation related to the election in 2020 and how that compared to 2016.  

March will mark one year since students began learning from home. Today, about half the students in the United States are still learning remotely. While Zoom classrooms filled the gap at the beginning of the pandemic, it’s not a sustainable measure. Many parents have grown exasperated trying to help their kids through online classes as their children deal with the lack of socialization and in-person interaction. Others fear that sending their child back to school could compromise the health and safety of other members of the household.  Returning K-8 students for in-person instruction was one of President Biden’s most prominent campaign promises. While the administration is weighing additional guidance from the CDC and input from teacher’s unions, parents, and governors, there is no policy prescription that will erase the fear many teachers have regarding returning to the classroom amid the rise of more transmissible variants of coronavirus.  Marguerite Roza, research professor at Georgetown University and director of the Edunomics Lab, and Dana Goldstein, national reporter at the New York Times covering education, address President Biden’s plan to reopen schools. Plus, Howard Stevenson, director of the Racial Empowerment Collaborative at the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education, describes why Black and Hispanic parents are less likely to send their children back for in-person learning after being on the receiving end of discriminatory practices at the hands of institutions, including schools. And, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, describes the challenges for getting teachers back in the classroom after a year of remote teaching and muddled federal guidance from the Trump administration. Some music for this podcast by I Think Like Midnight.

According to a recent Marist/NPR/PBS NewsHour poll, the proportion of Americans who think the nation is on track is at its lowest point in twenty years. A mob descended on the U.S. Capitol in a literal attempt to overthrow an election. And, thousands of Americans took to the streets this summer to protest longstanding police violence against Black and brown Americans. But, skepticism of the government didn’t start with President Trump’s attacks on the Deep State or his claims of voter fraud. Distrust of the police didn’t begin with the murder of George Floyd. And, mistrust of corporate and business leaders wasn’t created by Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. So, how long have we been here, how did we get here, and is there any hope that we can find resolution? Amy talks with Jamelle Bouie, opinion columnist at The New York Times and Yuval Levin, the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute and the editor in chief of National Affairs about how to restore the faith.  Another big issue just around the corner is redistricting. For the past four years, the National Democratic Redistricting Committee has been preparing for the 2021 redistricting process. They’ve sued against gerrymandered maps of the last decade, educated people about the redistricting process and built grassroots infrastructure. But democrats had a tough year in 2020 at the state legislative level. We speak with Kelly Ward Burton, executive director at National Democratic Redistricting Committee about how things have changed since the last redistricting in 2011. The Republican counterpart to the NDRC is the National Republican Redistricting Trust. Like the Democrat's group the NRRT is also hard at work planning for what's to come. Adam Kincaid, the group's president and executive director, weighs in on their strategy and priorities throughout the mapmaking process.  Not all states redistricting efforts are lead by lawmakers. In recent years a number of states have made attempts to strip politics out of the redistricting process by removing the mapmaking power from the legislature and handing it over to an independent commission. California formed it's first independent commission back in 2010. Paul Mitchell, owner of Redistricting Partners explains how commissioners in the Golden State are chosen. And Amy sits down with Jane Andersen and Sara Sadhwani, two of the newly minted members to hear about their expectations for the process.   Amy's final take:  Here’s one more thing from me: We started this hour talking about the eroding faith in American institutions and ended the hour hearing from two California women - one Republican and one Democrat - who believe that they can make a difference in shaping our democracy. Two regular people - with busy lives and other responsibilities tugging at them - decided that their voice mattered.  Yuval Levin said that hope, more than optimism, is what keeps him engaged in the work of trying to heal our nation’s divides. Optimism implies that all will turn out ok. Hope is the acknowledgement that it might not. But, without it, we are just stuck in a cul-de-sac of cynicism - always looking for someone else to blame instead of figuring out ways to be part of the solution.  It’s not that our institutions have failed, as much as our leaders have failed them. The church leaders who didn’t protect vulnerable children; the politicians who have abused the public trust; the corporate CEO who put profit over his own workers safety.  If you want to fix our institutions, then be prepared to take ownership of the ones in which you are a part. Be prepared to put the greater good of that institution ahead of your personal needs and desires. Be willing to believe that those who have different ideas can be allies and not just enemies.   

President Biden’s campaign message of unity is being tested in Washington during his first full week in office, particularly because Republicans and Democrats don’t seem to agree on what unity means. The scars from the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol are still fresh, a second impeachment trial is looming in the Senate, and Republicans and Democrats are seemingly miles apart from agreeing on a new COVID-19 aid package. Meanwhile, disharmony is evident among members of the GOP as Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz flew to Wyoming to campaign against GOP Conference Chair Rep. Liz Cheney after she voted to impeach former President Trump. Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for The New York Times, and Senator Mark Warner spoke with Amy Walter about whether or not Biden’s calls for unity will be ignored. In 2020, almost 30 states expanded access to absentee ballots and early voting to make voting easier during the pandemic. Ahead of the general election, states saw a record-breaking number of requests for mail-in-ballots. And while Republicans have historically relied on absentee ballots, former President Trump’s attacks on voting by mail meant that more Democrats took advantage of the early vote option, while many Republicans opted to vote in person on Election Day. Today, Republican state legislators in swing states like Georgia, Michigan, Texas, and Pennsylvania are pushing for new voting restrictions in the aftermath of a Biden win. Grace Panetta, senior politics reporter at Business Insider, describes the unintended consequences of restricting voting rights.   Every ten years, the U.S. government conducts a census that determines how many seats each state will receive in the House of Representatives. This data is used to redraw congressional and state legislative district lines. The most recent census results have been delayed by the pandemic and a legal battle regarding whether or not undocumented immigrants would be included in the final count. Republicans and Democrats have long sought to draw districts in their favor, but tolerance for hyper-partisan gerrymandering has waned considerably over the last decade. Dave Wasserman, House editor for The Cook Political Report, describes where the latest redistricting efforts stand and which states stand to gain additional seats.  

Joe Biden takes the helm as the 46th president of the United States during an unprecedented crisis. The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 400,000 Americans, nearly 16 million remain unemployed, and the peaceful transfer of power was disrupted by a violent mob unleashed by the former president. Unity was the centerpiece of President Biden’s inaugural address, but he also acknowledged that unity cannot be achieved without addressing the division and anger that defined the last four years. Nick Fandos, congressional correspondent for The New York Times, Toluse Olorunnipa, national political reporter at The Washington Post, and Clare Malone, a freelance writer, reflect on the last four years and discuss President Biden’s path forward. The precarious nature of the economy is among the challenges President Biden has inherited. Record unemployment continues as major sectors of the economy remain shut down as a result of the pandemic. Having introduced a $1.9 trillion stimulus package ahead of inauguration, President Biden is hoping to bring Republicans on board to demonstrate his commitment to bipartisanship. But it’s unlikely that Republicans will support his plan as it currently reads even though distributing aid to suffering businesses and families is a time-sensitive matter. Heather Long from The Washington Post and Derek Thompson from The Atlantic describe the economy as it stands today and what approach President Biden should take in implementing another stimulus package. Plus, Kamala Harris made history this week as she became the first woman and woman of color to be sworn in as vice president. Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY’s List and author of "Run to Win: Lessons in Leadership for Women Changing the World," has spent her professional life working to elect pro-choice Democratic women to public office. She spoke with Amy Walter about how drastically things have changed for women in politics throughout her career and the magnitude of Vice President Harris’ ascent to the White House.     

President Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives just one week after encouraging his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol and disrupt Congress as they tallied Joe Biden’s Electoral College win. He is the first president to be impeached twice. Privately, many Republican members said that while they supported impeachment, they were worried about their physical safety and the political fallout from denouncing a president who remains popular among the base. Only ten Republicans joined House Democrats in voting to impeach.  President Trump’s ban from Twitter means that for the first time in four years, Washington is unaware of how he’s processing the current news cycle and the end of his term.  With President-elect Joe Biden days away from assuming the presidency, he’s preparing to tackle the dual crises of COVID-19 and an economic downturn. How quickly the Senate moves to take up impeachment will have a direct impact on how efficiently the Biden administration is able to move through their agenda. Annie Linskey, a national political reporter at The Washington Post, Anita Kumar, White House correspondent for POLITICO, and Sarah Wire, congressional reporter at The Los Angeles Times, share what the mood is like in the West Wing and what happens to President Trump’s grip on the Republican Party after he leaves office.    Throughout his time in office, Donald Trump's actions have raised many questions about the presidency. Particularly, since he broke with America’s proud tradition of a peaceful transfer of power when his supporters attacked the Capitol. Today, a militarized Washington, D.C. stands prepared to address growing security concerns ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration. Barbara Perry, director of presidential studies at the University of Virginia Miller Center, puts Donald Trump’s presidency into context and expands on how he changed the presidency, for better or worse.  Also, the insurrection has highlighted the role social media platforms have in the dissemination of conspiracy theories and lies. Many of those who participated in the violent attack were involved in conversations on Twitter and Facebook that falsely claimed that the election had been stolen from President Trump. While Trump has been banned from several platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, the lies and rhetoric he shared with his followers has not disappeared. Darrell West, senior fellow at the Center for Technology Innovation at The Brookings Institution, and Kevin Roose, technology columnist at The New York Times, describe how individuals become radicalized online and where they go when they’ve been deplatformed.  

This week, a violent mob of President Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. The insurrectionists were seeking to overturn the results of the general election during a joint session of Congress as members tallied the Electoral College votes. President Trump has routinely and falsely claimed that the presidential election was rigged and encouraged his supporters to reject the result. As Donald Trump prepares to leave the White House, politicians that will remain in Washington will have to contend with the loyalty he’s fomented among his base and the anger that has been released. Jelani Cobb, staff writer at The New Yorker, and Adam Serwer, staff writer at The Atlantic, describe the consequences of failing to hold President Trump accountable for the violent attempt to subvert democracy. And, Grace Segers, political reporter for CBS News, provides a firsthand account of the attack on Capitol Hill.   Also, in the midst of the crisis in Washington this week, Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock won both Senate runoffs in Georgia. As a result, Democrats will have a slim majority in the House and Senate. Sahil Kapur, national political reporter for NBC News, describes how Democrats were able to run progressive candidates in a swing state and win.  Finally, President Trump’s norm-defying first term has drawn sharp criticism over the last four years, but the events of the week have drawn almost universal condemnation. Members of his own party have called on President Trump to resign and in less than two weeks, Joe Biden will be sworn in against a backdrop of unprecedented division. To understand how Joe Biden might attempt to navigate this moment in politics Amy Walter spoke with Brendan Buck, Republican strategist at Seven Letter and a former aide to John Boehner and Paul Ryan, and Joel Payne, Democratic strategist, former aide to Hillary Clinton's 2016 campaign, and host of “Here comes the Payne.” 

Individual reactions to the coronavirus pandemic and the public health restrictions that have accompanied it have underscored how powerful negative partisanship can be in the formation of political opinions. In past crises, national shocks have urged partisans to put aside their personal grievances in pursuit of the greater good, but today, that doesn't seem to be the case. Jonathan Haidt, psychologist and professor of ethical leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business, shares how the perception of risk influences our political behavior and the impact it has on public opinion. President Donald Trump spent his first term undermining the credibility of the media. His tweets, campaign events, and press conferences were tools he used to cast doubt on the legitimacy of reputable news organizations while promoting unfounded lies and conspiracy theories that served his personal agenda. As President Trump prepares to leave office, members of the White House press pool have turned their gaze to President-elect Joe Biden. Due to the virtual nature of campaigning in 2020, Biden was able to avoid much of the traditional back and forth with members of the media. There are some who argue that members of the press didn’t push hard enough to get Biden in front of reporters. But because Biden has spent a considerable amount of time in Washington, he has a track record that he can be measured against. A core part of Biden’s campaign promise was a return to normalcy that would include a more traditional communications team and relationship with the press. Rick Klein, political director at ABC News, Caitlin Conant, political director at CBS News, and Ben Smith, media columnist at The New York Times, discuss what the Biden administration’s relationship with the press could look like.  President Trump distinguished himself in a crowded 2016 primary field by running as a populist. He spoke to the problems that many Americans felt the government had failed to adequately address, like their inability to earn a decent wage or pay for healthcare and higher education. A man who was born rich tapped into the anxieties of working-class Americans whose pleas for help were ignored by leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties. William G. Howell, professor in American Politics at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and Terry M. Moe, professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution are the co-authors of Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy. They spoke with Amy Walter about the last impact of populism and President Trump’s lasting impact on our politics. 

Since Georgia flipped blue for President-elect Joe Biden, the gulf between the Old South and the New South has come into focus.  Come January, the state’s closely watched runoff elections will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. In one race, Republican Senator David Perdue will face Democrat Jon Ossoff. In the other race, Republican Senator Kelly Loeffler, who was appointed to her seat last year by Governor Brian Kemp, faces Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta.  We are in the final weeks of a campaign that has, not surprisingly, turned ugly and expensive.  To better understand the dynamics, host Amy Walter called up Rev. Dr. Robert M. Franklin Jr., Professor of Moral Leadership at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology, and Jim Galloway, a political columnist at the Atlanta Journal constitution.  Read the 1963 "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" here.  

Cliff Bentz was elected to represent Oregon's 2nd Congressional District this fall. He will fill the seat left open by retiring Congressman Greg Walden who served the district for more than 20 years. Oregon's 2nd encompasses a wide swath of eastern Oregon covering about 70,000 square miles it ranks among the largest congressional districts in the nation. Here Representative-Elect Bentz talks with host Amy Walter about climate change, how COVID-19 has affected the people of his district, and what he's learned about governing as a member of the minority party.  Check out our 2020 election coverage here. Check out the full freshman conversation series here. Check out our series, "A Votar: A Look at Latino Voters in the 2020 U.S. Election," here. Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. Don't have time to listen right now? Subscribe for free to our podcast via iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts to take this segment with you on the go. Want to comment on this story? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.

During the 2016 election, President Trump spent a considerable amount of time talking about immigration. On the campaign trail, he made racist comments about Mexicans and one of his first acts in office was to institute a Muslim ban. During the 2018 midterms, he directed his attention to migrant caravans headed towards the U.S. border in the hopes that the issue would animate his base ahead of Election Day. The child separation policy instituted by the Trump administration is among the crueler pieces of his immigration portfolio. Today, hundreds of children remain apart from their families. The subject of immigration was rarely mentioned during the general campaign for the presidency. This was disheartening for many families and individuals who are living with uncertainty regarding their immigration status. That sense of uncertainty applies to the individuals who participated in the Obama administrations' Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. While the program granted temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, its participants must go through a renewal process every few years.  Dara Lind, an immigration policy for ProPublica, and Dianne Solis, a reporter covering immigration and social justice issues at The Dallas Morning News, describe what immigration policy could look like under the Biden administration and how he will address the DACA program. Plus, Ciriac Alvarez Valle, a DACA recipient, shares how the program has impacted her life.  Come January, Cliff Bentz will represent one of the largest congressional districts in the country, Oregon’s second. Like his predecessor Rep. Greg Walden, Bentz will be the only Republican member of the Oregon delegation. Bentz served as part of the Republican minority in Oregon’s state house and senate since 2008. He describes what it was like to govern in the minority party and what lessons he’ll apply to his first term in Washington.

Nicole Malliotakis is one of a record number of Republican women who were elected to Congress this fall. She defeated first-term Democratic Congressman Max Rose in New York’s 11th Congressional District, which includes Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn. In recent weeks, Staten Island has seen an increase in the number of COVID-19 infections and the COVID-19 death rate is now higher there than any other borough in New York City. Here Representative-elect Malliotakis speaks with Politics host Amy Walter about what's happening with the virus in Staten Island, what she thinks is needed in a relief package, and whether or not it's time for President Donald Trump to concede.  Check out our 2020 election coverage here. Check out the full freshman conversation series here. Check out our series, "A Votar: A Look at Latino Voters in the 2020 U.S. Election," here. Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. Don't have time to listen right now? Subscribe for free to our podcast via iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts to take this segment with you on the go. Want to comment on this story? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.

This week marked the so-called safe harbor deadline when states have certified their results for the U.S. presidential election. Typically, by the safe harbor deadline, election-related challenges at the state level are wrapped up.  But, President Trump is continuing to claim - without proof - that the results in many of the states that voted for Joe Biden are fraudulent and should be tossed out. So, how can the election be both certified - and contested? Helping us to make sense of it all is our friend Barbara Perry, the Presidential Studies Director at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center. She begins by explaining who the electors are and what the Electoral College actually does.

In the nine months that the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the U.S., the most vulnerable Americans have struggled to keep up with monthly expenses. Eight million Americans have fallen into poverty since May and today there are 10 million fewer employed people than there were before the pandemic. By quickly passing the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, Congress was able to stave off some of the initial impacts of the virus. Americans received one-time cash payments, businesses were offered a lifeline, and unemployment benefits were expanded. But nine months later, many of those benefits have expired. Members of Congress haven’t been able to agree on how much relief should be included in a second round of stimulus funding and can’t seem to come to an agreement over liability protections and state/local funding. William Spriggs, a professor in the Department of Economics at Howard University, and Heather Long, an economics correspondent The Washington Post, describe how the pandemic and Congress’ inaction is hurting millions of Americans who are in dire need of federal assistance. Plus, we hear from a number of individuals who are hurting financially and awaiting assistance.  Because the economy is in such bad shape, there’s increased scrutiny regarding who President-elect Joe Biden is choosing to help him shore up the economy. Democratic voters will also be watching to ensure that Biden stays true to his campaign promise of including diverse candidates among his staff. Alex Thompson is a national political reporter at Politico who has been following the nomination process closely. He shares what we can glean from the team Biden has assembled so far and what these selections mean for his economic recovery plan. Nicole Malliotakis is joining a record number of Republican women who’ve been elected to Congress. She defeated Democratic Congressman Max Rose and will represent New York’s 11th District. In recent weeks, the number of residents in Staten Island infected with the coronavirus has surged and their death rate is now higher than any other borough in New York City. In addition to dealing with the growing number of cases in her district, it’s likely she will be spending her first days in Washington navigating a showdown regarding a COVID-19 relief package.  Special thanks to the Action for Boston Community Development, the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies, and the Amalgamated Transit Union for putting us in touch with some of the voices you heard in this show. Intro Music by: http://www.ithinklikemidnight.com/. Additional Music by: https://jcowit.bandcamp.com/.

New York's 15th congressional district in the South Bronx has been called the poorest and bluest congressional district in America. Ritchie Torres, who served for seven years on the New York City Council announced his candidacy for the seat, left open by retiring Congressman José Serrano, in July 2019. He was one of a dozen in the primary field but came out on top with just over 32% of the vote all but assuring his success in November. Torres will make history as the first openly gay Afro-Latino elected to Congress. Here he talks with Politics host Amy Walter about his experiences growing up in public housing, coming out, running for office, and his hopes for the next Congress.  Check out our 2020 election coverage here. Check out the full freshman conversation series here. Check out our series, "A Votar: A Look at Latino Voters in the 2020 U.S. Election," here. Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. Don't have time to listen right now? Subscribe for free to our podcast via iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts to take this segment with you on the go. Want to comment on this story? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.

President Donald Trump spent his first term undermining the credibility of the media. His tweets, campaign events, and press conferences were tools he used to cast doubt on the legitimacy of reputable news organizations while promoting unfounded lies and conspiracy theories that served his personal agenda. As President Trump prepares to leave office, members of the White House press pool have turned their gaze to President-elect Joe Biden. Due to the virtual nature of campaigning in 2020, Biden was able to avoid much of the traditional back and forth with members of the media. There are some who argue that members of the press didn’t push hard enough to get Biden in front of reporters. But because Biden has spent a considerable amount of time in Washington, he has a track record that he can be measured against. A core part of Biden’s campaign promise was a return to normalcy that would include a more traditional communications team and relationship with the press. Rick Klein, political director at ABC News, Caitlin Conant, political director at CBS News, and Ben Smith, media columnist at The New York Times discuss what the Biden administration’s relationship with the press could look like.  Check out our full media coverage series here.

President Donald Trump spent his first term undermining the credibility of the media. His tweets, campaign events, and press conferences were tools he used to cast doubt on the legitimacy of reputable news organizations while promoting unfounded lies and conspiracy theories that served his personal agenda. As President Trump prepares to leave office, members of the White House press pool have turned their gaze to President-elect Joe Biden. Due to the virtual nature of campaigning in 2020, Biden was able to avoid much of the traditional back and forth with members of the media. There are some who argue that members of the press didn’t push hard enough to get Biden in front of reporters. But because Biden has spent a considerable amount of time in Washington, he has a track record that he can be measured against. A core part of Biden’s campaign promise was a return to normalcy that would include a more traditional communications team and relationship with the press. Rick Klein, political director at ABC News, Caitlin Conant, political director at CBS News, and Ben Smith, media columnist at The New York Times discuss what the Biden administration’s relationship with the press could look like.  Congressman-elect Ritchie Torres (D-NY) is a freshman member of the 117th Congress representing New York's 15th Congressional District. With the balance of the senate up for grabs come January, Congressman-elect Torres describes his expectations for his first months on the job. You can hear extended conversations with the newest members of Congress here. In January, Georgia will hold two runoff elections that will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate. To secure the majority, Democrats will need to win both seats. Gradual demographic change, particularly in metro areas like Savannah and Atlanta, have pushed this former Republican stronghold into the swing-state territory. At the same time, grassroots organizations, many of them led by Black women, have spent years organizing and registering voters - especially black voters. Among those organizers is Deborah Scott, executive director of Georgia Stand-Up. Her organization is working overtime to register voters ahead of the December 7th registration deadline in addition to making sure voters that participated in the presidential race vote in the runoff. In assessing how this once Republican stronghold has become a swing state, most of the attention has been on the influence of the state’s Black voters and white suburban voters. This makes sense given their share of the population. However, the fastest-growing group of voters in the state are Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. While they make up a significantly smaller share of the vote, their political influence can be seen at the congressional and statewide levels. An early analysis of the November elections by a Democratic firm found that voter participation by Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Georgia was up by 91 percent from 2016.  Amy B Wang, a national politics reporter for The Washington Post, described the role Asian American and Pacific Islander voters played in 2020 and the role they might play during January’s special election.

As around 70 percent of Americans consider themselves to be middle class, it’s no surprise that Democrat and Republican candidates spend a considerable amount of time on the campaign trail attempting to make themselves more appealing to this bloc of voters. One of the most enduring tales Americans tell about themselves is that America is the land of great economic opportunity and that anyone who wants it can make it into the middle class. But the path to the middle class has become tougher to navigate over the last three decades. In 2016, candidate Donald Trump was able to build an effective narrative about how the great (mostly white) middle class had been hollowed out by elites and immigrants. In the aftermath of that election, reporters scurried across America, telling the stories of disgruntled white men in the heartland who were unable to access life in the middle class. Jim Tankersley, tax and economic reporter at The New York Times and author of "The Riches of This Land: The Untold, True Story of America’s Middle Class," knows that these stories weren’t telling the whole story of how the middle class came to exist and how it’s been torn apart.

Republican Congresswoman-elect Ashley Hinson is one of a record-breaking number of Republican women who’ve been elected to Congress this year. Prior to becoming a congresswoman, she was a state representative and a news and television reporter. Hinson will replace Representative Abby Finkenauer, who flipped the seat from red to blue in 2018. Hinson, who ran on a message of bipartisanship, spoke with host Amy Walter on Monday while she was participating in virtual freshmen orientation and isolating after receiving a positive coronavirus diagnosis.   Check out our 2020 election coverage here. Check out the full freshman conversation series here. Check out our series, "A Votar: A Look at Latino Voters in the 2020 U.S. Election," here. Click on the 'Listen' button above to hear this segment. Don't have time to listen right now? Subscribe for free to our podcast via iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts to take this segment with you on the go. Want to comment on this story? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page, Twitter, or Instagram.

The priority for many Democratic voters in the most recent election cycle was removing President Donald Trump from the White House. This was clear after a crowded primary field coalesced around Joe Biden. But the world is a different place than it was in March and because the election cycle was dominated by the ongoing pandemic and economic crisis, it was difficult for other issues to gain traction. But for younger voters, environmental justice and climate policy are a top priority. Climate change has animated a generation of voters, many of whom spent months making calls and texts to swing states, even though Joe Biden was not their first choice nominee. These voters are paying close attention to who Biden appoints to his cabinet and to lead agencies as a means to gauge how seriously he’ll be taking their top issue. Throughout his time in office, President Trump aggressively went after more than 100 environmental rules aimed at protecting the integrity of water, land, and air.  While President-elect Biden will have the ability to issue executive orders at his disposal, there’s division within his own party about how aggressive he should be on the issue. Coral Davenport, energy and environmental policy reporter at The New York Times, Jody Freeman, law professor at Harvard University and former counselor for energy and climate change in the Obama White House, and Waleed Shahid, spokesperson for the Justice Democrats describe how the Biden administration might proceed with pursuing climate change policy in a hyperpolarized political landscape. As part of our continuing series with the freshman members of the 117th Congress, host Amy Walter spoke with Democratic Congresswoman-elect Marilyn Strickland from Washington and Republican Congresswoman-elect Ashley Hinson from Iowa. They both share what they’re hoping to accomplish in their first term and how they plan on working through partisan gridlock. You can hear extended conversations with the newest members of congress here.