Podcast appearances and mentions of john mccaa

In the 2024 election, Democrats lost the presidency and control of the Senate. What now? Katie Glueck covers American politics with an emphasis on the Democratic Party for The New York Times. She joins guest host John McCaa to discuss why the Blue Wave never materialized, the current mood of a party marked by in-fighting, and strategies Democratic Party leadership might employ heading into the 2026 mid-terms. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

If knowledge is power, withholding an education is also a way of denying power. University of South Carolina School of Law professor Derek W. Black joins guest host John McCaa to talk about the history of Southern leaders withholding literacy from Black people from the end of the Civil War through Reconstruction and beyond – and about the lengths that Black Americans have gone to get an education. His book is, “Dangerous Learning: The South's Long War on Black Literacy“. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President-elect Trump has promised mass deportations starting day one of his second term; how far will he really be able to take it? Edward Alden is a columnist at Foreign Policy, the Ross distinguished visiting professor at Western Washington University and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He joins guest host John McCaa to discuss this unprecedented effort to expel undocumented immigrants, how Trump might utilize the military, how the economy might be impacted and how this might shape immigration policy going forward. His article is “The Great Deportation of 2025.”

Ronald Reagan is an icon for conservative thought in America — but he didn't always deliver on his lofty ideals. Max Boot is a historian and foreign-policy analyst, a senior fellow for national security studies at the Council on Foreign Relations and a columnist for the Washington Post. And he's a lifelong conservative. He joins guest host John McCaa to discuss why Reagan's policies weren't always right-of-center as his legacy claims, and the lessons we can learn from his presidency decades later. His book is “Reagan: His Life and Legend.”

Host Abby McCloskey talks with legendary Dallas news anchor and fellow Dallas Morning News contributing columnist John McCaa about disruptions in the media landscape and which news reports can be trusted in the lead-up to November's election. The site McCaa recommended is www.refdesk.com.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Regional tensions in the South China Sea are in danger of spilling over into a global conflict between the U.S. and China. Craig Singleton is a senior China fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and a former U.S. diplomat. He joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the ways China has made end runs around the policies of the Biden, Trump and Obama presidencies and the troubling clashes we're now seeing around Taiwan and the Philippines. His article “China and the U.S. Are Careening Toward a South China Sea Crisis” was published in Foreign Policy.

As our nation teetered on the brink of the Civil War, the certification of the election of Abraham Lincoln wasn't a certainty. Author Erik Larson joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the presidential election of 1860, how Southerners labeled it a “hostile act,” and the chaotic months that followed before the first bullets flew at Fort Sumpter. His book is “The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War.”

Nowhere else in the world does a presidential candidate win the popular vote but lose the election due to an electoral college. Harvard government professor Steven Levitsky joins guest host John McCaa to discuss how minority rule undermines democracy and why the U.S. is vulnerable to partisan takeovers from both the left and the right. His book, written with co-author Daniel Ziblatt, is “Tyranny of the Minority: Why American Democracy Reached the Breaking Point.”

The framers of the Constitution warned against forming political parties, buy they happened anyway. H.W. Brands is Jack S. Blanton Sr. Chair in History at the University of Texas at Austin, and he joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the early days of the Republic, when Federalists and Anti-Federalists battled it out and planted the seeds of our current state of division. His book is “Founding Partisans: Hamilton, Madison, Jefferson, Adams and the Brawling Birth of American Politics.”

A little-known pair of newspaper owners helped fuel the Mexican Revolution — and they set up shop here in America. Kelly Lytle Hernandez, Thomas E. Lifka Endowed Chair in History at UCLA, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the Magónistas – brothers who fought for anarchy against the Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz – and the very wealthy U.S. business owners they angered along the way. Her book is “Bad Mexicans: Race, Empire, and Revolution in the Borderlands.”

Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and the other Founding Fathers get the credit for our nation's founding principles. But where did they get their ideas from? Historian Marilynne Robinson joins guest host John McCaa for a look at the people and events that shaped the men who shaped America. Her essay, “One Manner of Law: The Religious Origins of American Liberalism,” appears in Harper's magazine.

In an attempt to heal a bitterly divided country after the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln preached moderation and forgiveness. John Avlon, senior political analyst and anchor at CNN, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss Lincoln as peacemaker, his approach of reason over brute strength, and how that was derailed after his assassination. His book is “Lincoln and the Fight for Peace.”

Democracies are in danger around the world – and some argue here at home, too. Nicole Bibbins Sedaca, Kelly and David Pfeil Fellow at the George W. Bush Institute, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the health of democracies amid the rise of authoritarianism – and what can be done to strengthen them.

The Underground Railroad ferried enslaved people to the North, but turning south to Mexico provided opportunity for freedom, too. Alice L. Baumgartner is assistant professor of history at the University of Southern California, and she joins guest host John McCaa to discuss her research into the thousands who made their way south of the border, where slavery was outlawed, and where the formerly enslaved could hope to find independence and agency. Her book is called “Runaway Slaves to Mexico and the Road to the Civil War.”

There's a breadth and depth to Zora Neale Hurston's writing that goes far beyond “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” Genevieve West, Chair of the Department of Language, Culture & Gender Studies at Texas Women's University, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss her extensive compilation of Hurston's work. It's co-edited with Henry Louis Gates Jr., and features essays, criticism and articles of the Harlem Renaissance author. The book is called “You Don't Know Us Negroes and Other Essays.”

“The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Strangers on a Train” are just two of the classic works of fiction by Fort Worth-born author Patricia Highsmith – a writer of mysteries who was a mystery herself. Anna von Planta was Highsmith's primary editor for the later part of her life, and she joins guest host John McCaa to discuss Highsmith's literary legacy, as well as her private life, which was often marked by controversy. Von Planta is the author of “Patricia Highsmith: Her Diaries and Notebooks: 1941-1995.”

A 35-year journalist at WFAA in Dallas, John McCaa has experienced a career full of Lessons. But it's the Lessons he learned growing up on military bases with his airman father that shaped him into the man he is today. ‬Learn more about John's perspective on the military family, his career in broadcast news, and how the National Relay impacted his understanding on volunteerism on this edition of Lesson From The Front!

In an era of fake news, how does a journalist arrive at the truth and then get that message to an audience? Al Tompkins of the Poynter Institute for Media Studies joins guest host John McCaa to discuss ethics in an ever-polarized media landscape, how social media has changed journalism, and what it means for society when individuals can choose only the news they want to hear.

For decades, Bob Phillips has invited viewers to ride along with him across the backroads of the Lone Star State with his show “Texas Country Reporter.” He joins guest host John McCaa to talk about 50 seasons of the beloved Texas travel show and highlight some of the places and people that have made their mark on the state over the years.

The future of warfare isn't fighter planes and guns – it's cyberattacks and disinformation. Seth G. Jones is director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and he joins guest host John McCaa to talk about American adversaries who are changing the game when it comes to international conflict. His book is called “Three Dangerous Men: Russia, China, Iran and the Rise of Irregular Warfare.”

Sometimes a bond forms between two friends that's so strong that it can seem like destiny. Did we mention that the two friends in this case are dogs? “CBS Sunday Morning” correspondent Martha Teichner joins guest host John McCaa to tell the story of her beloved bull terriers, and how rescuing them has brought her joy and a deeper understanding of what it means to love. Her book is called “When Harry Met Minnie: A True Story of Love and Friendship.”

It's impossible to look at today's crisis at the border without considering decades of interventionalist policy in Latin America. Aviva Chomsky, professor of history and the coordinator of Latin American Studies at Salem State University, joins guest host John McCaa to talk about hundreds of years of colonization and displacement, and why stabilizing the region will take more than just economic aid. She's the author of “Central America's Forgotten History: Revolution, Violence, and the Roots of Migration.”

In today's far right, there are echoes of doctrine that predates the Civil War. Baylor University historian Robert Elder joins guest host John McCaa to talk about the source of some of those ideas – Vice President John C. Calhoun, a man who argued that slavery was a “positive good” and set the stage for the South to secede from the Union. Elder's book is “Calhoun: American Heretic.”

What if there was an easy, step-by-step process for strengthening democracy? James Fishkin is a political scientist and director of the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford, and he joins guest host John McCaa to explain the process of deliberative democracy – and demonstrate successes it's already produced around the world. His latest book is “Democracy When the People are Thinking: Revitalizing Our Politics Through Public Deliberation.”

The tenor of American diplomacy changes with each new president – and that change has been especially pronounced after the most recent change. Jonathan Tepperman is a former editor-at-large at Foreign Policy magazine, and he joins guest host John McCaa to talk about how the Biden administration might strengthen the relationship with American allies – and about the growing threat from Russia, China and other adversaries.

The United States and China seem to be locked in a two-nation race for global supremacy. But don’t count Russia out as a superpower just yet. Kathryn E. Stoner is the deputy director of Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, and she joins guest host John McCaa to explain how Vladimir Putin has used his iron grip on domestic power to rachet up his country’s influence on international affairs. Her book is “Russia Resurrected: Its Power and Purpose in a New Global Order.”

Since the nation’s founding – and particularly after the Civil War – public education was seen as a key component of creating common values that would hopefully unite the states. University of South Carolina School of Law professor Derek W. Black joins guest host John McCaa to talk about why a public education system built to serve all students is fundamental to creating an equitable society. His book is called “Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy.”

Gross Domestic Product is one of the standard numbers most economists use to measure a nation’s financial health. Stephen J. Macekura of Indiana University joins guest host John McCaa to make the case that an ever-increasing GDP isn’t the answer to inequality and other social issues. His new book is called “The Mismeasure of Progress: Economic Growth and Its Critics.”

In colonial America, children often served as intermediaries between adversaries as a way of keeping the peace. Karen Ordahl Kupperman, Silver Professor of History Emerita at New York University, joins guest host John McCaa to talk about how Pocahontas collaborated with a trio of English boys to keep communication flowing between the colonists and their Indian neighbors. Her book is “Pocahontas and the English Boys: Caught Between Cultures in Early Virginia.”

Kenneth McDuff was a notorious serial killer who gamed a rigged justice system to kill again and again. Robert Riggs is a Peabody Award-winning investigative reporter and creator and host of the True Crime Reporter Podcast. He joins guest host John McCaa to talk about the flaws in the parole system that allowed this murderer to walk free several times over.

Six-thousand years after the fact, we can thank the ancient city of Alexandria for allowing the post office to deliver straight to your door today. Author Ben Wilson joins guest host John McCaa to talk about the innovations of ancient cities, which connect the Sumerian city of Uruk to the world’s urban mega-centers of today. His book is called “Metropolis: A History of the City, Humankind’s Greatest Invention.”

On December 21st, Jupiter and Saturn will have their closest encounter in more than 400 years — the kind of moment that has inspired astronomers and novices alike for centuries. Science journalist Jo Marchant joins guest host John McCaa to talk about the impact stargazing has had on human civilizations and the importance of connecting to the wonder of the night sky. Her new book is called “The Human Cosmos: Civilization and the Stars.”

Studies show that students at high-achieving schools aren’t learning more than students at low-achieving schools, suggesting that effort to close the achievement gap should focus on what can be done outside the classroom. Ohio State professor Douglas B. Downey joins guest host John McCaa to explain why academics are approaching closing equity gaps for student achievement all wrong. His book is “How Schools Really Matter: Why Our Assumption About Schools and Inequality Is Mostly Wrong.”

He’s one of the most celebrated character actors living today, and hearing his signature salty delivery means whatever you’re watching is about to be injected with a little Texas twang. Barry Corbin joins guest host John McCaa to talk about his storied Hollywood career – from “Urban Cowboy” and “War Games” to “No Country for Old Men” and “Lonesome Dove” – and how his training in Shakespeare set him up for success.

The historical records are clear: Native tribes knew American colonists were coming for their lands by any means necessary — and millions were slaughtered in the process. Jeffrey Ostler, Beekman Professor of Northwest and Pacific History at the University of Oregon, joins guest host John McCaa to talk about how America was built in part on relentless violence and Native American dispossession. His book is called “Surviving Genocide: Native Nations and the United States from the American Revolution to Bleeding Kansas.”

In the mid-19th Century, Chinese immigrants began settling in the U.S. – largely in San Francisco. And many of the young women and girls who crossed the Pacific were thrown into a life of slavery and prostitution. Julia Flynn Siler joins guest host John McCaa to tell the story of a courageous group of female abolitionists who dedicated their lives to rescuing these women, which she writes about in “The White Devil’s Daughters: The Women Who Fought Slavery in San Francisco’s Chinatown” (Knopf).

Since the nation’s founding – and particularly after the Civil War – public education was seen as a key component of creating common values that would hopefully unite the states. University of South Carolina School of Law professor Derek W. Black joins guest host John McCaa to talk about why a public education system built to serve all students is fundamental to creating an equitable society. His book is called “Schoolhouse Burning: Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy.”

Fake news existed back in Abraham Lincoln’s day. The difference is: he was able to shut it down. Elizabeth Mitchell joins guest host John McCaa to discuss an incendiary, false story published in two newspapers during the Civil War and how it became a battle of the press vs. the president. Her book is “Lincoln’s Lie: A True Civil War Caper Through Fake News, Wall Street, and the White House.”

In the almost 50 years since President Nixon resumed relations with China, the world’s most populous country has become an economic and political juggernaut with ambitious, global designs. Mary Gallagher, director of the International Institute at the University of Michigan, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the current state of U.S.-China relations and what it would take for the relationship to improve.

The enduring myth that enslaved people were loyal and happy to serve their masters is not only harmful to historical accuracy, it’s just plain wrong. Farah Peterson, law professor and legal historian at the University of Chicago Law School, joins guest host John McCaa to set the record straight on the Black experience dating back to the time of the nation’s founding. Her article “The Patriot Slave” appears in The American Scholar.

Celebrating the career of John McCaa that touched so many in DFW with Ed BarkySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WFAA's flagship anchor John McCaa doesn't hold back as he expresses his feelings about the terrorist attack that left more than one hundred people dead last week in Paris. Plus, in an encore performance, anchor/reporter Mike Castellucci takes the helm of a rudderless ship in an attempt to steer this weeks segment of What's Trending.