In this special episode, Naomi and Brendan say goodbye to Polilogue. After more than 5 years and 291 episodes, we are bidding farewell to the podcast in this bittersweet episode. Thank you to all of our supporters and listeners over the years. We will miss the show but appreciate so much the privilege to speak with you during these interesting times. You can still email us at podcast@polilogue.com or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast . You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteid...
Dec 20, 2022•34 min
In the last episode of our Supreme Court series, we discuss the prospect for reform of the Supreme Court. We review the analysis of reform released by the Presidential Commission, suggest some of our own ideas for reforming the court—and then discuss reform of media coverage. Resources You can check out our ongoing research list spreadsheet here Contact us Email us at podcast@polilogue.com or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast . You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle . Sup...
Nov 23, 2022•52 min
There’s no job criteria to be a Supreme Court justice. But then how does someone even get to serve on the highest court — for the rest of their life? In this episode of Polilogue, we look at the Supreme Court pipeline and how national media organizations portray and analyze the very few paths to the court. We also discuss the Federalist Society, an influential outside group that has been extremely successful in developing and mentoring federal judges—shaping the conservative Court we experience ...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 2 min
In this episode of Polilogue we wonder if a job you can almost never be fired from can have any level of accountability. Congress and the White House have elections to give people the opportunity to “re-hire” their elected officials. But if our top court does not have an election, does that mean they are exempted from any accountability? What’s the role of the media ecosystem to describe and analyze the quality of work that the Supreme Court does every day? What more can they do during the nomin...
Oct 18, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justices have been wildly dramatic (Kavanaugh) and surprisingly calm (Jackson). What’s to account for the difference? Is it all just about the nominee—or is there something else behind it? In this episode of Polilogue’s special season on the Supreme Court we dive into how the media covers the confirmation process. It’s not as simple as it seems—and not as easy to explain. How does the media do in explaining the process and helping the public understand wha...
Oct 11, 2022•46 min
For episode 4 of our Supreme Court season, we’re focusing on the moment when most Americans learn about a potential Supreme Court justice: when the president nominates them to fill a vacancy. Too often the immediate coverage is about the president and his political intentions in nominating this person. There is little substantive coverage about who this nominated person is, how they got to the legal position that they are in, and how their legal training could impact their work as a Supreme Cour...
Oct 03, 2022•59 min
For episode 3 of our Supreme Court season, we acknowledge two unsaid realities: First, where and why do we have an extensive reverence of the Supreme Court? Is it even justified? We examine the conditions and expectations that perpetuate the reverence. The sanctimony cycle is unending: from the American people, to the press, and back to the Court. Most importantly, we explore the notion that reverence of the Court inhibits the press from holding the institution accountable. Second, we break down...
Sep 26, 2022•1 hr 6 min
We’re back with the second episode of Polilogue 2.0: The New Conservative Court. SCOTUS experts are defining the latest term as the most conservative term in almost 100 years. But how did we get there? If people read and watched SCOTUS news stories and alerts in the last decade — would they even have been aware we were on this path to begin with? Looking ahead: What does it mean now that we have a young conservative Court? And how can the media acknowledge and/or explain the Court’s conservative...
Sep 19, 2022•58 min
It’s time to talk about the United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is one of our three branches of government, but for completely confusing reasons, it is covered by national media organizations in entirely different ways than the legislative and executive branches. For the first episode of Season 1 of Polilogue 2.0, we’re doing an overview of how the media currently covers the Supreme Court — and more importantly — all the ways it’s not covered. We talk about the go-to moments of SCOTUS...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 30 min
We’re back!! For the first time in four months, both Brendan and Naomi are back on the mics! In today’s teaser episode, we give a sneak peak into the topic for the new season of Polilogue: The United States Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is one of the three branches of government — and yet — it’s practically impossible to find information about the Court, their processes, or their legacies. This nebulous understanding extends to States or other regional courts. In true Polilogue fashion, we’re...
Jul 18, 2022•14 min
In this final episode of the Solving Guns project, we conclude our discussion of the portrayal of guns in film. This is Part 15 of a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions without passing gun restricting laws. Whether you love guns or hate them, my hope is that the solutions here can uni...
Jul 11, 2022•28 min
In this episode we reach the final chapter of our discussion on reducing gun violence—taking a look at the portrayal of guns in film. This is Part 14 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions without passing gun restricting laws. Whether you love...
Jul 04, 2022•20 min
In this episode we look at a single case—the deadliest mass shooting in US history—and try to understand how we can secure future public spaces to prevent a repeat and ensure safety. This is Part 13 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions witho...
Jun 27, 2022•24 min
In this episode we look at ways that we can make the places where we learn and work safer in case of a mass shooting. This is Part 12 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions without passing gun restricting laws. Not because these types of laws ...
Jun 20, 2022•14 min
In this episode we look at how technology should be used to save lives in mass shootings. We also discuss ways that preparations can be taken to reduce the impact of impulsive mass shootings. This is Part 11 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find soluti...
Jun 13, 2022•25 min
In this episode we look at how media coverage can inspire mass shootings—and how we could change that coverage to reduce mass shootings. This is Part 10 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions without passing gun restricting laws. Not because t...
Jun 06, 2022•17 min
In this episode we bring you Part 9 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. After the horrific events in Texas, we shift the focus to ways that we can improve the police response to mass public shootings. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions without passing gun restricting laws. N...
May 30, 2022•36 min
In this special episode we are excited to bring you Part 8 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is the third part of our discussion on reducing mass shootings. The discussion focuses on ways to reduce the causes of active shooter incidents at workplaces. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and...
May 23, 2022•39 min
In this special episode we are excited to bring you Part 7 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is the second part of our discussion on reducing mass shootings. The discussion includes some analysis of active shooter incidents and the first step in our discussion of reducing shootings—with a focus on school shooters. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go...
May 16, 2022•30 min
In this special episode we are excited to bring you Part 6 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is the first part of our discussion on reducing mass shootings. We discuss the three types of mass shootings and ideas for reducing gun violence without the need for gun control legislation. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people ...
May 09, 2022•30 min
In this special episode we are excited to bring you Part 5 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is the second part of our discussion on guns used in crime. Last week we talked about how guns are used to resolve disputes—this week, we’re focusing on how guns are used to gain respect and social standing. The question is: can we reduce this kind of gun violence without the need for gun control legislation? This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a proje...
May 02, 2022•32 min
In this special episode we are excited to bring you Part 4 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is Part 4. This part introduces the issue of guns used in crime and one of the top reasons guns are used violently—resolving disputes. How can we reduce this kind of gun violence without the need for gun control legislation? This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to ...
Apr 25, 2022•18 min
In this special episode we are excited to bring you Part 3 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This is Part 3. This part explores another dimension of another top reason why people own guns—sport. Last week we talked about the idea for gun subscription service. Let’s take another look at this and see if we can tackle this from a different angle. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every fo...
Apr 18, 2022•17 min
In this special episode we are excited to bring you Part 2 of Brendan’s Solving Guns project. This part explores the other top reason why people own guns—sports and hunting. This is a multi-part series that we are sharing first with our polilogue listeners—a project that is years in the making. The goal is to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions without passing laws. Not because laws are a bad idea or a good i...
Apr 11, 2022•21 min
In this special episode—which is six years in the making—Brendan finally shares with the world the first chapter of his Solving Guns project. Solving Guns is a project that started with one question: How do you solve gun violence in the face of legislative inaction? Thus began a years-long journey to examine every form of gun violence, to go deep on the reasons why people own guns in the first place, and to find solutions without passing laws. Not because laws are a bad idea or a good idea—but b...
Apr 04, 2022•1 hr
In this special episode, we introduce the audience to a new member of the Polilogue team. We’re excited to be back with a new episode with new content next week! Contact us Email us at podcast@polilogue.com or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast . You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle . Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Or leave a review o...
Mar 21, 2022•5 min
There’s much much (justifiable and needed) coverage about the risks and courage of Ukrainians standing up to President Putin. That said, the Sunday morning political shows have a mission beyond informing the public about the latest events—their mission seeks to elevate dialogue about US policy. Today on Polilogue we ask: how did the shows do at that function on the topic of Ukraine. We also go deeper on the US decision to scrap the deal to provide Ukraine fighter aircraft. Shows discussed State ...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Today on Polilogue, we look at how the shows explain and talk about a no-fly zone over Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is essentially begging western allies to impose a no-fly zone and provide concrete defense of Russia’s aggression. The US and NATO partners have all denied this request. The Biden Administration, in particular, has zero interest in engaging in direct military conflict with Russia, citing concerns that it would trigger an all-out war with Russia. Democratic and Republican ...
Mar 07, 2022•52 min
Today on Polilogue, we note how American news organizations can miss the mark of foreign affairs stories. Usually these stories are not as giant as the Ukraine-Russia escalation, so we read a headline or two about a tanker stuck in the Suez Canal and leave it at that. But now, with over a hundred thousand Russian soldiers having invaded Ukraine, tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees fleeing to border nations, and average citizens making Molotov cocktails in an attempt to defend their country, ...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 10 min
Today on Polilogue, we note the excellent show design of Face the Nation, which had a near-perfect episode. They nailed the bookings, story angles and story perspectives to explain a compelling and complicated situation in Ukraine. We also look at notable questions that went above and beyond to explain the stakes of this growing escalation. Shows discussed State of the Union on CNN Fox News Sunday on FOX This Week on ABC Face the Nation on CBS Meet the Press on NBC Links The excellent song “You’...
Feb 21, 2022•59 min
