Scott and Marisa discuss how Governor Gavin Newsom is spending his political capital, as the legislature stalls a clean water tax and legislation to increase housing density. Then, Kimberly Ellis joins to discuss her 2017 loss in the Democratic party chair race, her childhood in a military family, the death of her brother from cancer, and her current bid to lead the state party. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 17, 2019•32 min
Gavin Newsom lays out a revised state budget, and Marisa and Scott discuss the governor's break with Attorney General Xavier Becerra over the release of police misconduct records. Then, pollster David Binder joins to talk about polling vs. focus groups, early indications of Trump's electoral success, the myth of voters in the 'middle,' and the 2020 Democratic primary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 10, 2019•32 min
California Senator Kamala Harris grabs the spotlight in her questioning of Attorney General William Barr. Then, Washington Governor Jay Inslee joins Scott and Guy Marzorati to talk about his Jimi Hendrix connection, hooping with Obama, the vote that cost him his House seat in 1994, climate change politics, and his campaign for President. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 03, 2019•32 min
Joe Biden enters the 2020 fray, more Democratic nominees head west, and Scott and Marisa are joined by Guy Marzorati to talk about the latest in housing politics at the state Capitol (0:30). Then, San Francisco Assemblyman David Chiu joins to talk about renter protections, his relationship with Governor Gavin Newsom, growing up with a "tiger mom," San Francisco vs. state politics, and jamming out on the electric violin (8:35). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 26, 2019•32 min
The race for California Democratic Party chair is heating up, and Scott and Marisa discuss what's at stake. Then, they're joined by Rusty Hicks, candidate for chair, who discusses his vision for the state party, meeting his father at age 11, his decision to join the Navy Reserves, and the political work of the LA County Federation of Labor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 18, 2019•33 min
A lukewarm poll and an ongoing utility crisis greet Governor Gavin Newsom upon his return from El Salvador. Then, Scott and Marisa are joined by Laphonza Butler, campaign advisor to Kamala Harris, who discusses her role on the campaign, her childhood in Mississippi and time at Jackson State, advocating for home care workers at SEIU and high-stakes negotiations with Governor Jerry Brown's office. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 12, 2019•32 min
The debate over a proposed navigation center in San Francisco exposes the challenge local electeds face in addressing homelessness in California. Then, Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert joins Marisa and Scott to talk about opposing her brother at the ballot box, Governor Newsom's death penalty moratorium, leading a breakthrough in the use of forensic DNA, her public announcement in the Stephon Clark case, and leaving the Republican party. Learn more about your ad choices. V...
Apr 05, 2019•32 min
Freshman Congressman TJ Cox tells Scott and Marisa about waiting three weeks before emerging victorious in his Central Valley House district, the moment he knew the Democratic Party was abandoning his race, his childhood and the early death of his father, the Green New Deal, high-speed rail, and his bi-coastal family. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 29, 2019•32 min
Minnesota Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar joins Scott and Marisa to talk about embracing leadership at an early age, prom night trauma, why it's important to have "the voice of a Midwesterner" on climate change, her treatment of Senate staff, and using Dr. Seuss to convince colleagues to allow babies on the Senate floor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 22, 2019•32 min
Gavin Newsom places a moratorium on executions in California, and Scott and Marisa delve into the factors that weighed into the governor's decision. Then, Newsom's chief of staff Ann O'Leary joins to discuss life inside the governor's office, her childhood in Maine, clipping newspapers in the Clinton White House, running the Clinton-Kaine transition, and the days leading up to Newsom's death penalty decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 15, 2019•32 min
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra says the two Sacramento police officers who shot and killed Stephon Clark last year will not face criminal charges, and advocates are calling for a change to the state's use of force standards (0:45). Then, Marisa and Scott are joined by Aimee Allison, president of Democracy in Color, to discuss the controversy sparked by Rep. Omar's criticism of Israel, empowering women of color in politics and how she thinks identity politics will play into the 2020 p...
Mar 08, 2019•32 min
Governor Gavin Newsom delivers his first state of the state, and struggles to keep his high-speed rail announcement on track (0:40). Then, Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon joins Scott and Marisa to discuss his journey from school struggles to a Ph.D, what he learned from his first run for speaker, whether his leadership style is too deferential, the internal karma of the Capitol, and his relationship with Governor Gavin Newsom after their single-payer spat (5:24). Learn more about your ad choices...
Feb 15, 2019•32 min
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi becomes a meme again, and California's delegation tries to flex its muscle as the majority on House committees. Scott and Marisa also look ahead to Gavin Newsom's first State of the State and new legislation on policing and deadly force (0:46). Then, Silicon Valley Leadership Group CEO Carl Guardino joins to discuss his organization's corporate philosophy, why he's stayed away from running for office, letting go of Olympic dreams in martial arts, meeting his wife at a ...
Feb 08, 2019•32 min
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal joins Scott and Marisa to share the story of her move to America at 16, going from Wall Street to immigration advocacy, negotiating with Nancy Pelosi, how Democrats should approach the issue of single-payer healthcare, and what she wants to see in the 2020 primary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 01, 2019•32 min
Cal Fire finds that PG&E equipment did not start the deadly Tubbs Fire in the North Bay -- what does that mean for the utility's impending bankruptcy claim? Scott and Marisa also discuss Kamala Harris' entrance into the 2020 presidential field, and the debate over how "progressive" a prosecutor she was in California. Then, San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi joins to discuss Harris' time as district attorney, his work in the public defender's office, and further changes he'd like to se...
Jan 25, 2019•32 min
The government shutdown turns into a Trump/Pelosi showdown, and Governor Gavin Newsom is greeted with a teachers strike in LA and the possible bankruptcy of PG&E (0:58). Then, Scott and Marisa are joined by East Bay Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, who talks about juggling parenting and politics, her childhood in the Sierra foothills, working for President Obama, and facing challenges from the left in her race for State Assembly (6:44). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice...
Jan 18, 2019•32 min
Gavin Newsom takes the oath of office to become California's 40th governor. Live coverage and analysis from KQED's politics team and Capital Public Radio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 08, 2019•2 hr 3 min
Nancy Pelosi regains the gavel as the new Congress is sworn in, and California's new members fall in line behind the speaker (0:25). Then consultant Aaron McLear joins Marisa and Scott to talk about leaving the Republican Party, working for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, why working for Uber was like working on a campaign, and managing a gubernatorial transition (6:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 04, 2019•32 min
The state legislature continues to weigh reforms around utilities and wildfires, and Republicans jump on a failed attempt to audit the state DMV (00:40). Then, State Senator Kevin de Leon joins the show to talk about his childhood in San Diego, fatherhood, how he chooses his legislative battles, bringing organized labor into a clean-energy future, and his run for U.S. Senate (8:11). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 10, 2018•32 min
The skyrocketing costs of California's wildfires raise new fiscal questions for the Governor and the legislature, while Barack Obama and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez make splashes in California (0:40). Then, Congressman Eric Swalwell joins Marisa and Guy Marzorati to talk about his Iowa roots (6:31) student loans (8:57), why his dad got fired from an Iowa police department (10:51), being the lone Democrat in his family (12:32), why Dianne Feinstein is not Pete Stark (15:49), and what event to focus ...
Aug 03, 2018•32 min
Governor Brown proposes new changes to laws governing utility liability in response to the state's wildfires (1:12) and Scott and Marisa talk about new data that sheds a different light on poverty in California (6:46). Then, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Drew Godinich discusses Democrat's prospects in Orange County House races (9:19), political diversity in his Texas family (13:20), how to make health care a top voting issue (16:25), and asking candidates to drop out in o...
Jul 27, 2018•32 min
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra joins Scott and Katie Orr to talk about the recent dismissal of challenges to California's sanctuary state law (1:30) how his parents dealt with bigotry as Mexican immigrants (6:30) what's to blame for California's increase in hate crimes (10:00) how he prepared for an interview with Stephen Colbert (13:17) and the story behind his appointment by Governor Jerry Brown (21:30). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 13, 2018•32 min
Marisa and Scott run through a wild day in the state legislature, with last-minute deals on digital privacy, lead paint cleanup, and soda taxes to avoid ballot measure battles in November (0:50). Then, Sacramento mayor Darrell Steinberg talks about his 2014 law that allowed the legislature to negotiate ballot measures (8:32), his reputation as a nice guy in politics (14:50) the difference between addressing homelessness as a mayor and a legislator (16:47), the "cutting the ribbon syndrome" (17:4...
Jun 29, 2018•32 min
Scott and Marisa discuss the retirement of Supreme Court Justice (and Sacramento native) Anthony Kennedy, and his departure's impact on California. With McGeorge School of Law Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz, Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson, Cook Political Report senior editor Jennifer Duffy, and the Family Research Council's Travis Weber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 28, 2018•32 min
California Report host John Sepulvado joins Scott and Marisa to share his experience of reporting from migrant camps in Tornillo, Texas (0:45) Then, State Senator Connie Leyva makes the case for visiting Chino (9:49), her rise from working at a supermarket to leading the California Labor Federation (11:55), why California Democrats need to choose more progressive candidates (19:55), and lessons from the legislature's handling of sexual misconduct claims (21:55). Learn more about your ad choices....
Jun 22, 2018•32 min
Scott and Marisa are joined by KQED's Katie Orr and the San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofoli to recap Tuesday's primary, look ahead to the general election in the Governor's race, and analyze the impact of the #MeToo movement on some state contests. State Senator Josh Newman, recalled by Orange County voters, calls in to discuss his gas tax vote and the impact of his recall on politics in Orange County and the state legislature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 08, 2018•32 min
After a heated jungle primary, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox are set to face off in the November governor's race. Plus, both Democrats and Republicans appear pleased with their performances in some of the state's hotly contested Congressional races. In this Political Breakdown special, hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined by pollster Mark DiCamillo and reporters from across the state to discuss all the latest numbers in California's June primary election...
Jun 06, 2018•1 hr 32 min
The State Assembly wraps up its sexual harassment investigation of Cristina Garcia, and California Republicans gather at the White House to denounce the state's 'sanctuary' law (0:45) Then, Scott and Marisa are joined by San Francisco mayoral candidate Angela Alioto, who talks about growing up as the daughter of the mayor (8:20), her mother's brief disappearance in 1974 (12:05), what Joe Alioto taught her about politics (13:56), her proposal to change San Francisco's 'sanctuary' law (17:15), and...
May 18, 2018•32 min
The six leading candidates for Governor square off in a high-profile debate, and (try to) talk about sacrifices in their lives. Political Breakdown hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos recap the debate with KQED's Guy Marzorati, and talk about where past GOP donors are spending their money in the race. Then, Democratic political operative Gil Duran talks about growing up in Kentucky (10:30) meeting Jerry Brown while working as a janitor (14:34), Mayor Jerry vs. Governor Jerry (15:43), and the mos...
May 11, 2018•32 min
A shakeup of leadership in the House of Representatives sets California up for increased influence in 2019 (00:25), and a California mayor has his sights on Iowa (3:23). Then, San Francisco supervisor and mayoral hopeful Jane Kim joins Political Breakdown hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos to talk about Wu-Tang as her campaign anthem (6:55), coming up in Chinatown politics as a Korean-American (11:50), learning from losses (19:10) and why she's focusing on clean streets in her mayoral campaign ...
Apr 13, 2018•32 min
