Center Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy are joined by attorneys and redistricting experts Benjamin Ginsberg and Michael Li, former CA Assemblymember Gloria Molina, and USC Professor Christian Grose to examine the challenges of redistricting across the country and its implications for the 2022 midterm elections. Featuring: Robert Shrum - Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife Mike Murphy- Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; MS...
Oct 01, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 23
Unlike the vast majority of journalists who cover U.S. politics, columnist Salena Zito lives far away from the centers of power and wealth. Twice a year she leaves her home in western Pennsylvania and drives thousands of miles across the country on back roads, visiting towns and rural communities that are often ignored by the national media. In this episode, we learn about the perspectives of voters who support Donald Trump and the populist coalition that reshaped the Republican Party. Selena, a...
Sep 30, 2021•27 min
Common Ground Committee is part of a robust and growing national movement of bridge builders, who are working to reduce incivility and toxic polarization in America today. We look in-depth at this diverse, vital coalition. Who's involved and how are they tackling racial, cultural, and political schisms that threaten American democracy? Our guest, Nathan Bomey, is a reporter for USA Today, and author of the new book, "Bridge Builders: Bringing People Together in a Polarized Age." In this intervie...
Sep 16, 2021•27 min
Center Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy are joined by journalists Carla Marinucci and Seema Mehta, strategist Roger Salazar, and USC Professor Jennifer Cryer to assess the campaign to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom. They unpack how the effort gained momentum, weigh criticisms for and against the recall, and discuss potential outcomes of the upcoming election. Featuring: Robert Shrum - Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife Mik...
Sep 03, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 22
The need to find common ground for improving race relations has rarely been more urgent than it is today. In this episode, we share profound insights from an interracial couple and an African-American scholar and poet. Caroline Randall Williams wrote a widely-read opinion column for the New York Times that added fresh insight to the debate over Confederate monuments and how America remembers its past. As a Black southern woman with white ancestors, she brings an innovative and passionate first-p...
Sep 02, 2021•26 min
Gloria Molina, former LA County Supervisor, CA Assemblymember, and Fall 2021 Fellow at the Center for the Political Future, joins co-directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy to discuss the future of Los Angeles. LA County made history last year with an all-women Board of Supervisors elected to lead the largest local legislative body in the nation. Molina was the first Latina elected to the Board of Supervisors (1991) and the first Chicana elected to the California State Assembly (1982). In 1987, she ...
Aug 23, 2021•51 min•Season 2Ep. 21
The takeover by the Taliban in Afghanistan; a more aggressive China and Russia; a newly-elected hardline President in Iran: All are all major challenges facing President Joe Biden and his Administration. Our podcast guests are Ned Temko, who writes the weekly international affairs column “Patterns” for The Christian Science Monitor, and Scott Peterson, the Monitor's Middle East bureau chief. Both are highly experienced and well-traveled foreign correspondents, who bring depth and expertise to co...
Aug 19, 2021•30 min
Everyone wants the best education for their children. But parents and teachers don't always agree on how to get there. In this episode, we hear from two education leaders whose views clashed when they first met. Gisele Huff is a philanthropist and longtime proponent of school choice, including charter schools. Becky Pringle spent her career in public education. A science teacher for three decades, she is now President of the National Education Association, the nation’s largest labor union. After...
Aug 05, 2021•25 min
America’s long-term care system needs much more than a facelift. Is there a common path to solutions? Most baby boomers who retire today can expect to live years longer than their parents or any previous generation. That’s the good news. But there’s a greatly increased need for long-term care as they age. The current system is in crisis and needs much more than a facelift. In this episode, we hear first from a policy expert, Howard Gleckman, of the Tax Policy Institute, who explains why solution...
Jul 22, 2021•29 min
What steps are needed to cause people to leave white supremacist and other hate groups of their own volition? In this deeply personal podcast episode, we explore the tactics and commitment needed to be successful in this work. Daryl Davis, an award-winning Black musician, race reconciliator and renowned lecturer, has used the power of human connection to convince hundreds of people to leave white supremacist groups. His fellow guest, Ryan Lo’Ree, a former white supremacist, is now an interventio...
Jul 08, 2021•29 min
Nichol Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and Fall 2021 Fellow at the Center for the Political Future, joins co-directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy to discuss the intersection of sports, politics, and community engagement. Whiteman also highlights the power of diversity in advocating for resources and opportunities for marginalized populations. Featuring: Bob Shrum - Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife Mike Murphy - Co-Di...
Jun 24, 2021•52 min•Season 2Ep. 20
We learn about two brave and successful attempts to get Americans of differing backgrounds and political convictions to engage in personal face-to-face conversations. America Talks and the National Week of Conversation, both held in mid-June, were part of expanding efforts to push back against deep divides and toxic polarization. In this episode, we discuss lessons learned, insights gained, and the vital difference between talking and listening. Our guests are Kristin Hansen, Executive Director ...
Jun 24, 2021•28 min
American democracy is being challenged by hyper-polarization, widespread distrust of competing parties, and extremists who seek to weaken democratic values and institutions. In a recent poll , only one-in-six Americans said our democratic system is working very well, while nearly two-in-three voters told a Pew Research Center survey that major reforms are needed. "I certainly feel we are more vulnerable than we have ever been in the modern era," says our podcast guest, constitutional law scholar...
Jun 10, 2021•29 min
Young Americans, aged 18-29, believe that the threat from climate change is real regardless of their ideological leanings, compared to older Americans. Recent polling shows that Republican voters, born after 1980, are much more likely than older Republicans to think that government efforts to reduce climate change have been insufficient (52% vs. 31%). In this episode, we ask: can the youngest generation of voters put aside partisan differences and agree on policies needed to protect climate and ...
May 27, 2021•27 min
CPF Director Bob Shrum is joined by Jane Harman, former Congresswoman and author of “Insanity Defense,” to discuss how four presidential administrations have failed to confront some of the toughest national security policy issues. Congresswoman Harman also shares her views on the Democratic Party’s platform and how to make progress in a closely divided Congress. Featuring: Bob Shrum - Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife Jane Harman - Dist...
May 21, 2021•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 19
Elex Michaelson, Fox 11 News co-anchor, is joined by journalist Todd Purdum, strategists Rachel Bitcoffer and Mark Mellman, and Shaniqua McClendon, political director at Crooked Media, to discuss whether Democrats will lose seats and legislative control in the midterms and which candidates are shaping the race for the presidency in 2024. Featuring: Elex Michaelson - Co-Anchor, Fox 11 News and Host, "The Issue Is: With Elex Michaelson" Rachel Bitecofer - Elections Analyst and Strategist; Editor, ...
May 13, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Banks & businesses are betting big on sustainable investments. Can they help politicians bridge the gap on climate change? When Joe Biden talks about the challenge of fighting climate change, he mentions jobs: not green jobs or renewable energy jobs, but “millions of good-paying union jobs.” The new administration is working to reframe the conversation about the environment at a time when many of Wall Street’s largest banks and corporations are betting big on sustainable investments — from e...
May 13, 2021•29 min
CPF Co-Director Mike Murphy is joined by former Congresswoman Barbara Comstock, journalists Robert A. George and Jeremy Peters, and President Trump’s former White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, to discuss how the impact of Republican voter support of the former president translates into influence within GOP leadership. Featuring: Mike Murphy - Co-Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; NBC Political Analyst Barbara Comstock - Former U.S. Representative (R-VA) , Spring '21 Fe...
May 10, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Michael Beschloss, presidential historian and best-selling author, is joined by Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, Max Boot, national security analyst, USC professor Alison Dundes Renteln, and former Obama administration advisor, Ben Rhodes, to discuss President Biden's foreign policy goals and achievements 100 days into his presidency. Featuring: Michael Beschloss - Historian, Best-Selling Author Anne Applebaum - Pulitzer Prize-Winning Historian; Staff Writer, The Atlantic; Autho...
May 06, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 16
CPF Director Bob Shrum is joined by former Congressman Joe Kennedy III and strategists Karen Finney, Ron Christie, and Brian Goldsmith to discuss President Joe Biden's domestic performance for reviving the economy and reforming immigration, police, and gun policies. Featuring: Robert M. Shrum - Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future; Carmen H. & Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics Ron Christie - CEO, Christie Strategies; Political Analyst, BBC; Former Special Assistant...
May 04, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Growing numbers of voters are fed up with politics as usual. In a recent survey, 62% of Americans say a third party is needed — up 5% from September of last year, and the highest it has ever been since Gallup polls first asked the question nearly twenty years ago. Our podcast guest, former two-term Florida Congressman David Jolly , says it's time to reexamine the system that reinforces the entrenched power of both the Republican and Democratic parties. Last year, Jolly was named Executive Chairm...
Apr 29, 2021•28 min
CPF Director Bob Shrum is joined by California Senators Ben Allen and Sydney Kamlager and Los Angeles Sustainability Officers Gary Gero and Dominique Hargreaves to discuss how Southern California should move forward on climate change issues and the role of institutions in reducing its impact. Robert Shrum - Director, USC Center for the Political Future; USC Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics Ben Allen - California State Senator, District 26 Gary Gero - Chief Sustainability Officer, County of L...
Apr 26, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 14
CPF Co-Director Mike Murphy is joined by Congressman Garret Graves, climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, journalist Bina Venkataraman, and USC professor Wandi Bruine de Bruin to discuss how to communicate the urgency of environmental legislation and encourage bipartisan support for climate change solutions. Mike Murphy - Co-Director, USC Center for the Political Future; NBC Political Analyst Garret Graves - U.S. Representative (R-LA) Katharine Hayhoe - Climate scientist; Founder and CEO of Atmos ...
Apr 24, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 13
In the third installment of the CPF Fellows Roundtable Series of 2021, Spring 2021 CPF Fellows Barbara Comstock and Todd S. Purdum are joined by former Fellow Ron Christie (Fall 2019) to discuss how new far right outlets are challenging Fox News, the influence of these new far right outlets on conservatism, and why conservatives don't trust "mainstream" outlets. This discussion was moderated by CPF Fellows Manager, Harry Burke. Featuring: Ron Christie: Former Special Assistant to President Georg...
Apr 20, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 12
She lived in liberal Seattle and covered science, climate change and the environment for NPR for more than a decade. Then in 2018, journalist Ashley Ahearn made a big jump, moving with her husband to one of the most conservative counties in rural Washington State. In this episode of "Let's Find Common Ground," we hear about the profound rural-urban divide in America, and what Ashley discovered about her new neighbors and herself when she switched from the city to the country, now living on a 20-...
Apr 15, 2021•32 min
When Joe Biden became president he wanted to bring Americans together, to forge unity. But maybe unity isn’t what we should aim for. Our guest this week says instead of focusing on that elusive goal, Americans need to concentrate on what’s damaging all of us: toxic polarization. In this episode we look at what toxic polarization is and how to end it, person by person. Peter Coleman has advised the Biden administration on how to detoxify America. He is a mediator and psychologist who specializes ...
Apr 01, 2021•25 min
In the second installment of the CPF Fellows Roundtable Series of 2021, Spring 2021 CPF Fellow Shaniqua McClendon is joined by former Fellows Barbara Boxer (Fall 2020) and Dan Schwerin (Fall 2018) to discuss current progressive policies and debates and the future of progressivism in the U.S. This discussion was moderated by CPF Fellows Manager, Harry Burke. Featuring: Barbara Boxer: Former U.S. Senator (D-CA) and CPF Fall 2020 Fellow Shaniqua McClendon: Political Director, Crooked Media and CPF ...
Mar 29, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 11
CPF Co-Director Mike Murphy is joined by historians Sylvain Piron and Jay Rubenstein, former Congressman Denver Riggleman, and Marley Clements, co-creator of "QAnon: The Search For Q" on Vice, to examine the similarities between the Apocalyptic and Millenarian cults in the Middle ages to modern conspiracies around Y2K and QAnon. Featuring: Mike Murphy - Co-Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future Marley Clements - Documentary filmmaker, political strategist, and co-founder of Bunke...
Mar 25, 2021•57 min•Season 2Ep. 10
CPF Director Bob Shrum is joined by historians Sean L. Field and Julien Théry, filmmaker Kristin Pichaske, and best-selling Author Michael Shermer to discuss the history of the Templars and how similar trends target America’s civic institutions, drawing on events from the Kennedy assassination to 9/11. Featuring: Robert M. Shrum - Director of USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future and Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics Sean L. Field - Professor of History at the Unive...
Mar 23, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 9
CPF Executive Director Kamy Akhavan is joined by historians Elizabeth A.R. Brown and Dallas Dennery and psychology experts Sara Gorman and Norbert Schwarz to explore how beliefs in conspiracies shaped the politics and psychology of the medieval world and our current political climate. Featuring: Kamy Akhavan – Executive Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future Elizabeth A. R. Brown - Professor Emerita of History at Brooklyn College and The Graduate Center, CUNY Dallas Denery - Auth...
Mar 22, 2021•55 min•Season 2Ep. 8
