President Joe Biden's State of the Union speech was an energetic and blunt performance, including many direct attacks on his political rival, former President Donald Trump. Scott breaks down the speech with KQED political correspondents Marisa Lagos and Guy Marzorati. Plus, updates on Super Tuesday election results for congressional races and Governor Gavin Newsom's Proposition 1.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hot Takes on Biden’s State of the Union Speech

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.

News

Politics

Scott, Marisa and Guy get into their Friday roundup of politics stories from the week, including a hearing Thursday in the House subcommittee looking into anti-semitism on college campuses. UCLA Chancellor Gene Block skated by without any tough questions about the violence that broke out when pro-Palestinian students were attacked by counterprotesters. Plus, a Silicon Valley billionaire will host a big ticket fundraiser for Donald Trump in San Francisco next month.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

UCLA’s Chancellor Escapes Harsh Criticism in House Hearing

Assemblymember Laura Friedman is all but guaranteed a seat in Congress next year, after she beat out a very crowded field in Representative Adam Schiff’s LA district and landed a spot in the November runoff. She joins Scott and Marisa to talk about her career in politics, which she entered in her 40s after a career in film.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Waiting Tables, Working in Hollywood Prepared Laura Friedman for Politics

Democratic pollster Ben Tulchin helped guide the presidential campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020. Now he’s sounding the alarm about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s independent race for president and his concern that Kennedy could pull support — especially among young and Latino voters – from President Joe Biden.
Scott and Marisa chat with Ben Tulchin about the Kennedy candidacy and what his own battleground polls tell him about the November election.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pollster Sounding the Alarm About RFK Jr.’s Presidential Campaign

The State Supreme Court today heard a case that could have a profound impact on app-based companies like Uber and Lyft as well as on their drivers. Proposition 22, which was passed by voters four years ago, allowed gig companies to reclassify workers as self-employed contractors, rather than employees. Now the state Supreme Court will decide whether to uphold the law, strike it down or strip out part and leave the rest intact.
Scott and Marisa are joined by Brandon Stracener, an attorney in private practice and a senior research fellow at the California Constitution Center at Berkeley Law.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fate of Gig Workers’ Benefits Now Up to  the State Supreme Court

The California Republican Party wrapped up its state convention in Burlingame on Sunday. It was a low-key gathering that focused on winning congressional and state legislative seats that are in play while also trying to undo the impact of Donald Trump’s message that voting by mail can’t be trusted. 
State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones spoke with Scott and Marisa on Friday about his party’s struggle for statewide relevance, the loss of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and more.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hot Takes on Biden’s State of the Union Speech

Download our free app to listen on your phone