Podcast appearances and mentions of Mark Z Barabak

The American West used to be Republican territory. But in recent years, Democrats have gained ground in formerly red states like Arizona, Nevada and Colorado. Marisa and Scott chat with LA Times political columnist Mark Z. Barabak about his series "The New West" and how this political shift transpired. 

Mark Barabak, columnist at the LA Times, joins Joe and Alex in the first of many 2024 breakdowns -- and this time, it's all about the New West. Of course, the conversation has to start and end with Arizona. But Alex almost immediately derails our state breakdowns after Mark makes the claim Joe's been making for months - why Mark thinks Trump may be weaker than many think. What's going on in states like Colorado and New Mexico? And is the machine that Reid built alive and well in Nevada? And a bonus: Why 20 years ago Joe was secretly going to... Mike Huckabee rallies in Iowa? Read Mark's series at the Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-06-16/columnist-mark-z-barabak-the-new-west Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Barabak, the veteran political reporter and columnist for the L.A. Times, has just helmed a six-part series analyzing the political evolutions across the New West - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon.  In this conversation, Mark talks his recent series, touches on the politics in all six of these states, and breaks down what it says about the trajectory of the region and the impact on the national landscape. He also mines his reporter's notebook to talk some of his favorite stories and personalities from 35+ years covering politics.IN THIS EPISODEMark talks how he was drawn to working in political journalism...The one state Mark hasn't covered yet...What led Mark to helm his recent series on the New West...The biggest surprise in the recent political evolution of the West...How much remains of the historical, libertarian political character of the West...How Cindy McCain has recently played an important symbolic role in Arizona politics...Mark on Governor Jared Polis and political trajectory of Colorado...Why emigration from California is not helping Republicans in the rest of the region...Mark talks the importance of Latino voters in the West...Mark's take on what it would take for Republicans to finally break through in Oregon...What Bend, OR reveals about politics in the state...How resilient is Democratic strength in the West if the party moves more to the left...How Bill Clinton muscled California into becoming a safe Democratic state...The anecdote Mark has waited 30 years to use...Mark recalls the importance of the Berman/Waxman So Cal "machine" and Northern CA's Burton "machine"...Mark's memories covering Nancy Pelosi's political career from her very first race in the 80s...Mark weighs in on the '24 California open Senate seat...The most charismatic politicians Mark has seen over the years...AND 801 Chophouse, accelerants, Joe Biden, Barbara Boxer, Harry Britt, broad libertarian streaks, Pat Brown, Ron Brown, Willie Brown, bundling, Sala Burton, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, California tattoos, criminal malpractice, Gray Davis, Michael Dukakis, election deniers, John Emerson, extractive industries, fingertip sensitivity, Diane Feinstein, Greek Lit, Kamala Harris, Peter Hart, John Hickenlooper, the hoi polloi, Mark Kelly, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Kari Lake, Adam Laxalt, Barbara Lee, Mel Levine, Bill Lunch, Maricopa County, Blake Masters, Leo McCarthy, Narragansett, Grover Norquist, Tip O'Neill, Mike Ovitz, Leon Panetta, Pablo Picasso, Katie Porter, RINOs, Ronald Reagan, Dick Riordan, Brian Sanderoff, Adam Schiff, John Seymour, Derek Shearer, Bob Shrum, sourdough bread, unhelpful quotes, Pete Wilson...& more!

Mark Z. Barabak, political columnist for the Los Angeles Times, joins Chuck to analyze America's battleground states ahead of 2024 and details what role the West might play in swinging the election.

Amy Walter talks with Mark Z. Barabak, a political columnist for the Los Angeles Times, focusing on California and the West. They discuss his new series, "The New West," which explores the forces and factors that led once-reliable Republican states like Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada to turn from red to purple and blue. Amy and Mark also delve into the state of the 'Reid Machine' in Nevada, the importance of Latinos to Democrats' success and how the post-COVID "work from anywhere" economy could play into future voting patterns.

The indictment of former president Donald Trump has provoked praise and criticism alike. So what's next? We talk to two of our political wizards to figure it out.Read the full transcript here.Host: Gustavo ArellanoGuests: L.A. Times political columnist Mark Z. Barabak, and L.A. Times national security reporter Sarah D. WireMore reading:Full coverage: Trump hush-money probeTrump indicted in alleged hush-money scheme, becoming first former U.S. president in history to be prosecutedColumn: Scandal after scandal, Trump has defied political physics. Will this time be different?

Over the next couple of months, media from across the world will descend on California to cover the possible recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom. There have been only two successful recalls of governors in U.S. history — including the recall of California Gov. Gray Davis in 2003. Why is this famously liberal state so prone to conservative voter uprisings? It's part of a decades-long trend that has rocked local and state politics, a trend that's gone on to influence the rest of the U.S. Today, we examine the roots of the upcoming recall election against California Gov. Gavin Newsom with L.A. Times politics columnist Mark Z. Barabak and Randy Economy, one of the architects of the Recall Gavin 2020 campaign.Further reading:How three political novices with turbulent pasts helped spark the Newsom recall Column: Good news for Gavin Newsom — California is no longer the place it was in 2003From the Archives: Death Ends Career of Sen. Hiram Johnson

LA Times columnist Mark Z. Barabak and New York Times congressional reporter Emily Cochrane join Chuck to talk about the Republican Party. Jim Cavanaugh, former special agent in charge at the ATF, talks about the uptick in extremism — a topic we're going to focus on this week with our new season of Meet the Press Reports.

Drew Cline and Michael Graham discuss the push for commuter rail from Manchester to Lowell, Mass., spending $5.4 million spent to study it. Why would NH enter the era of electric cars and automonous vehicles with the cutting edge transportation tech of the 19th Century?And Mark Z. Barabak covers state and national politics for the Los Angeles Times. He talked to Nevada's Harry Reid about his efforts to end NH's #FITN reign, and he talks to Drew and Michael about how the battle over the presidential primary process is likely to shake out.

Jim talks with L.A. Times writer Mark Z. Barabak about his insight into the 2020 election, and the current shapes of the presidential campaigns.

The COVID-19 catastrophe has highlighted major problems in America that existed well before the pandemic did, from a broken health care system to vast (and rising) inequality. But what if out of this crisis came the chance to create big change? Today our focus is on expanding our political imaginations and beginning to think about what a post-pandemic America should look like.First, a quick follow-up, as Antoinette gives us an important update on vote by mail in Texas. Next, we jump into our main topic. To start, we explore a couple of recent happenings that highlight the possibility of tossing aside the old, ineffective ways of doing things and searching for a better path forward. Helping guide the conversation: Jamelle Bouie's recent column in support of Elizabeth Warren for Dem V.P.; Mark Leibovich's story on Stacey Abrams; and the recent commencement address given by President Obama.Then we dive into how previous crises have opened the door to major policy shifts and structural change in America. For more historical context, check out this Los Angeles Times piece by Mark Z. Barabak, and this Mara Liasson story from NPR.What are the big changes your hosts would like to see? We delve into some of the big ones, including fixing our broken healthcare system, confronting white supremacy, and fighting back against the war on people who actually know what they're talking about. (For an entertaining and depressing piece on how far we've fallen in that last category, check out this excerpt from Michael Lewis' book, "The Fifth Risk."). How do we get to a place where we can make real change? For starters, by getting real about how we got into this position in the first place. We take a look at an interesting 2018 proposition from Kevin Baker in the New Republic.Of course, no change can happen if we can't take power, and big change can't happen if we don't play the long game by winning at the state and local, as well as federal, levels.Your calls to action for today:1. Get involved locally. Find a state or local election in a swing district near you and volunteer today. Have no idea where to start? If you're in Texas, check out Flip The Texas House, Swing Left and Indivisible Austin. In Texas or out of it, visit Run For Something and Sister District.2. Create a political dream board. Figure out the change you want to see. And let us know what you're thinking. We're on Twitter and IG at @ohthisworldpod.This episode was recorded on Wednesday, May 20, 2020.