Political Breakdown

KQED

Join hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos as they unpack the day in politics with a California perspective. Featuring interviews with reporters and other insiders involved in the craft of politics—including elected officials, candidates, pollsters, campaign managers, fundraisers, and other political players—Political Breakdown pulls back the curtain to offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics works today. read less

Our Editor's Take

Listeners who care about California politics might enjoy the Political Breakdown podcast. Hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos deliver news that has often not made it to the mainstream media. The hosts explain how politics works in California. Guests of the show are policy experts, fundraising specialists, and more. The podcast offers listeners a deeper understanding of the political process.

KQED, a public radio station in San Francisco, produces the show. Shafer is an Emmy Award-winning radio journalist. He shares articulate views on California's complicated political environment. Journalist and reporter Lagos is an expert political analyst. She was named by the Washington Post in 2020 as one of the top political journalists in the state of California. She also received awards for her investigative reporting on the 2017 wildfires. The mission of the podcast is to analyze election results and explain campaign strategies. Both hosts can explain complicated topics in simple ways.

The hosts also report on how policies affect the state's diverse demographics. They discuss laws and potential bills that affect people all over the state. The hosts focus on a wide range of subjects, including environmental issues and healthcare. Other topics are housing and education, urban homelessness, and immigration rights. The podcast includes diverse points of view.

Political Breakdown also explores politics beyond its borders. Special episodes explore historic elections in Alaska and crucial elections in the South. Episodes air weekly and run around 30 minutes.

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AIPAC: Israel's Political Enforcer in the U.S.

AIPAC: Israel's Political Enforcer in the U.S.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, has long been regarded as one of the most powerful advocacy groups in Washington. Their goal: support candidates who are strongly pro-Israel and oppose those they feel are are too critical. The October 7th attack by Hamas and Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza have intensified AIPAC’s political activities and its involvement in the 2024 election. Scott and Marisa discuss the role AIPAC plays in U.S. policy and politics with Joan Greve, senior political reporter for Guardian US. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episodes

AIPAC: Israel's Political Enforcer in the U.S.

AIPAC: Israel's Political Enforcer in the U.S.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, has long been regarded as one of the most powerful advocacy groups in Washington. Their goal: support candidates who are strongly pro-Israel and oppose those they feel are are too critical. The October 7th attack by Hamas and Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza have intensified AIPAC’s political activities and its involvement in the 2024 election. Scott and Marisa discuss the role AIPAC plays in U.S. policy and politics with Joan Greve, senior political reporter for Guardian US. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump Conviction Hangs on Cohen’s Testimony. So – How’d He Do?

Trump Conviction Hangs on Cohen’s Testimony. So – How’d He Do?

It’s day two of Michael Cohen’s testimony about Donald Trump’s hush money payments to Stormy Daniels. As the prosecution begins to dig into Cohen’s story and motivations, Scott and Marisa talk with Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson about the trial so far, the legal strategies on both sides and how the jury might be interpreting it all. Check out Levinson's weekly podcast, Passing Judgment, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Newsom’s Solution to a $45 Billion Budget Deficit

Newsom’s Solution to a $45 Billion Budget Deficit

Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised state budget tackles a total deficit of $45 billion, including cuts made earlier this year. The governor is proposing to spread the pain widely, with cuts to programs ranging from healthcare and scholarships for the middle class to climate change initiatives he supports. Scott, Marisa and Guy hash out the winners and losers in the May Revise budget. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liberal Republican Pete McCloskey Dies at 96; SF Mayor’s Race Heats Up

Liberal Republican Pete McCloskey Dies at 96; SF Mayor’s Race Heats Up

Scott and Marisa remember a Republican maverick: former Bay Area Congressman Pete McCloskey. He fought for the environment, helped write the Endangered Species Act, opposed the Vietnam War and was the first House Republican to call for Nixon’s impeachment. McCloskey died this week at age 96. Then, KQED politics reporter Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez joins to talk with Scott and Marisa about the race for mayor of San Francisco. Mayor London Breed is facing several strong challengers as she struggles to convince voters she’s turning around the city she’s led for six years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shasta County Elections Chief Who Fought Far Right Extremists Reflects on Democracy

Shasta County Elections Chief Who Fought Far Right Extremists Reflects on Democracy

Cathy Darling Allen was Shasta County’s elected county clerk and registrar of voters for two decades, and for the first part of that, like most registrars, she toiled in relative obscurity. Then came 2016, Donald Trump and a growing narrative on the right that the voting system couldn't be trusted. Darling Allen retired on Sunday, after announcing several months ago that she's facing some serious health problems. Marisa and Scott chat with her about her tenure and the growing pressure on election workers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Campus Protests from the Eyes of Student Journalists

The Campus Protests from the Eyes of Student Journalists

Campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza, and universities' response to them, have attracted international attention. Months after it began, the movement shows no signs of slowing down, even as the school year comes to an end. Scott is joined by two student journalists who have been on the front lines covering the protests at UC Berkeley, where the Free Speech Movement began in the 1960s, and UCLA, where the actions of police officers and counterprotesters are under scrutiny after a violent confrontation last week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Cities Call This Ballot Measure an “Existential” Threat

Why Cities Call This Ballot Measure an “Existential” Threat

Tomorrow the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over whether to remove a controversial constitutional amendment from the November ballot. The measure – sponsored by the California Business Roundtable – has triggered a huge battle between business on the one hand and Democrats with their allies in organized labor on the other. Scott and Marisa are joined by Bloomberg News correspondent Laura Mahoney to talk about what the constitutional amendment would do and why the governor is asking the state's Supreme Court to remove it from the ballot. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Arizona and Nevada Became So Pivotal in 2024

How Arizona and Nevada Became So Pivotal in 2024

Joe Biden narrowly won both Arizona and Nevada in 2020. Now, both states have emerged as key battleground states in 2024, as abortion, border security, election conspiracy theories and the economy are all playing out there. Scott is joined by New York Times reporter Kellen Browning to discuss what impact the two states will have on who controls the White House and Senate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Behind The Scenes with Political Breakdown

Behind The Scenes with Political Breakdown

Political Breakdown started as a way to give our listeners a peek behind the curtain of politics. Over the past six years, we’ve brought you conversations with presidential candidates, governors, mayors, political consultants, pollsters and regular people involved in politics. This work is important because the policy debates that will shape our country are happening in California first. That's why this election year, we're bringing you those insights EVERY weekday. Our journalism is totally independent — we're mostly funded by individual donors, so we can operate free from corporate interests and ask hard questions of powerful people. If you want to support us continuing this work, please consider visiting donate.kqed.org/podcasts and give any amount you can. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Congressional Recount Drama and Questions About Campus Protests

Congressional Recount Drama and Questions About Campus Protests

Scott, Marisa and Guy tackle the political intrigue behind the race for Anna Eshoo’s congressional seat, where a recount knocks out one contender. Plus, they dig into the ongoing turmoil and controversy involving campus protests over Israel's war in Gaza, how campuses are responding and the political implications for November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Presidential Candidates are the Source of Election Year Disinformation

When Presidential Candidates are the Source of Election Year Disinformation

As America’s presidential election approaches, we are facing an unprecedented rise in mis and disinformation fueled by populist political movements, foreign actors and online platforms. Marisa and Scott are joined by NPR disinformation correspondent Shannon Bond and University at Buffalo professor Yotam Ophir to talk about why this has become such a problem, the impact it's having and practical advice for spotting and combatting disinformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kanishka Cheng: The Most Influential San Franciscan You’ve Never Heard Of?

Kanishka Cheng: The Most Influential San Franciscan You’ve Never Heard Of?

When the San Francisco Chronicle recently compiled a list of the 20 most influential people working mostly behind the scenes in San Francisco, Kanishka Cheng was first on the list. She co-founded and heads the group TogetherSF Action and its sister organization TogetherSF. Like similar groups recently created in the city, TogetherSF wants to push city policy from the left toward the middle. Cheng joins Scott to talk about their priorities, tactics and potential conflicts of interest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

She Heads the Most Trusted Source of Political Data in California

She Heads the Most Trusted Source of Political Data in California

California Target Book is a goldmine of information for campaigns, journalists, and political insiders. For three decades, Target Book has provided non-partisan research on voter registration, campaign contributions, candidate profiles and more. Scott and Marisa talk with publisher Marva Diaz, the first woman and first Latino to have that position. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Politics and Policy Around Newsom’s Vatican Climate Summit Trip

The Politics and Policy Around Newsom’s Vatican Climate Summit Trip

Governor Gavin Newsom will be heading to Rome next month as one of several state and local officials invited from around the world to speak at the Pope’s Vatican Climate Summit. The governor will focus on how the changing climate is affecting California’s ability to cope with droughts, wildfires and floods. Scott is joined by Marisa and Guy to talk about the politics and policy of Newsom’s trip. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California Moves To Create a “Sanctuary” for Arizona Women Seeking Abortions

California Moves To Create a “Sanctuary” for Arizona Women Seeking Abortions

A bill to ban non-disclosure agreements while outside groups negotiate legislation failed in committee, creating some interesting alliances in the process. Meanwhile, a bill to allow licensed doctors from Arizona to perform abortions in California moves forward. Scott, Marisa and Guy discuss it all in this week's roundtable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UC Regent John Pérez on the Gaza Protests Roiling College Campuses

UC Regent John Pérez on the Gaza Protests Roiling College Campuses

As protests over the war in Gaza roil college campuses from New York to California, Marisa and Scott sit down with UC Regent John Pérez, who has served on the board overseeing the University of California system since 2014 and was recently appointed to another 12 year term. Pérez was also Speaker of the State Assembly from 2010 to 2014. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Voters Under 35 Have A Lot At Stake in November. Here’s What They’re Thinking About

Voters Under 35 Have A Lot At Stake in November. Here’s What They’re Thinking About

As part of KQED's Youth Takeover Week, we’ll hear from young voters and what they care about most. From the war in Gaza to climate change, student debt and how they might vote in November. In addition to hearing from young Bay Area voters, Scott talks with Erin Heys, policy director and senior researcher for the Berkeley Institute for Young Americans and Saa’un Bell with Power California, which focuses on young people of color and LGBTQ voters throughout the state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer Mark Leibovich on Newsom, Biden, Trump and the “D.C. Carnival”

Writer Mark Leibovich on Newsom, Biden, Trump and the “D.C. Carnival”

Writer Mark Leibovich of The Atlantic is known as a shrewd observer of presidents, Congressional leaders, insurgents and insiders, capturing it all in books like “This Town," which describes what he calls “the carnival that D.C. has become.” He just wrote a profile of Gov. Gavin Newsom, and he joins Scott to talk about this strange and unsettled moment in U.S. politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NYU’s Melissa Murray Dissects Trump’s Trial and Presidential Immunity

NYU’s Melissa Murray Dissects Trump’s Trial and Presidential Immunity

The first criminal trial against Donald Trump got underway in New York Monday– a case where prosecutors say Trump engaged in a conspiracy to cover up a sex scandal with adult film star Stormy Daniels in order to get elected president in 2016. The former president is facing dozens of felony charges and the possibility of prison time. The trial comes days before the U.S. Supreme Court considers the limits of presidential immunity as Trump also faces federal charges over his involvement in the Jan. 6 uprising at the U.S. Capitol and charges in another case over his handling of national security documents at his home in Florida. Melissa Murray, a law professor at New York University and co-author of The Trump Indictments joins Scott to explain what’s at stake and what’s ahead for the Republican presidential nominee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Newsom Promises to Get Tough With Local Homeless Programs

Newsom Promises to Get Tough With Local Homeless Programs

After a state audit slammed California for not carefully tracking outcomes of public money spent on homelessness programs, Gov. Gavin Newsom said this week, “I’m not interested in funding failure any longer,” and promised to hold local governments accountable. And on Monday the U.S. Supreme Court will hear a major case that could change how West Coast cities police homelessness. Political journalist Nikki Laurenzo joins Political Breakdown to discuss these and more developments in California's approach to homelessness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices