Democratically: 2020

This week, Karin talks to the political journalist Emma Burnell to look at the race so far, which candidates have already stepped forward and who is yet to come. Karin and Emma played a new version of the Gut Check game in which they reacted to slogans, policies and straplines that have been heard on the campaign trail, and we also here from three Democrats who have already chosen a candidate about why they are supporting, respectively, Kamala Harris, Pete Buttigieg and Bernie Sanders.

This week, Karin talks to pollster and strategist James Morris about how candidates should be using polls, what public polls actually mean at this point in the race, and how a candidate can put across their best case to voters (spoiler alert: policies, even great policies, are not how). We also recap the news of the week, including a couple new entrants into the primary race and one firm no announcement. Also, the President's close friend Roger Stone was arrested today. So that's a thing that happened. Plus, of course, we play the Gut Check game to test our reactions to some possible candidates.  

This week, Karin covers the ongoing government shut down and its severe implications for federal workers. She addresses her profound concerns about the President's flirtation with wanting to declare a state of emergency in order to force his preferred outcome, and we use Beto O'Rourke's dental visit as an opportunity to talk about how the media gets social media-led campaigning wrong. All this, plus a roundup of the primary news - and a certain former Presidential candidate's name finally comes up in the Gut Check game.

This week, Karin shares her 5 podcast promises for 2019, talks at length about Elizabeth Warren's core belief that American capitalism is currently failing to deliver shared prosperity to Americans, makes some predictions for the year ahead, and plays the Gut Check game.... Happy New Year and welcome to 2019!

This week, we speak with the brilliant Sarah Churchwell, Professor of Public Understanding of the Humanities at the School of Advanced Studies in London about the meaning of the American Dream, and the white nationalist origins of America First - these are 2 ideas that have been central to our understanding of American political and cultural life for a century and, as we'll see, they are very much informing our politics today. We also talk about a couple randomly selected prospective candidates in the Gut Check game, and do a news roundup on the looming government shutdown, Defense Secretary Mattis' resignation, and the Democratic debate plans for 2020. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your family!