We’ve been noticing something. It’s getting harder to get elected officials and candidates — some of them, at least — to talk to us.

There was a time when participating in debates was a given, an automatic bipartisan agreement to answer questions in the name of civic discourse. But now, especially among Republican candidates, journalists — including those of us here at KCUR — are increasingly being told "no." And that has consequences for the community’s understanding of candidates' views, and for our ability to bring the full range of voices and ideas to listeners.

Kansas City Today host Nomin Ujiyediin spoke with the host of KCUR’s Up to Date, Steve Kraske, to reflect on why this is happening and why it matters.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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