Hunkering Down With Peter Schorsch

Hunkering Down With Peter Schorsch

By Peter SchorschNewsPolitics
Download on the App Store

Hunkering Down With Peter Schorsch episodes

  • Anitere Flores

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Sen. Anitere Flores as she winds down from her last Legislative Session after 16 years in the Legislature.



    Flores reflects on this year’s coronavirus-fueled budget and assures listeners lawmakers are prepared to act if more action is needed to combat the virus.


    But as a mom and a daughter, she opens up about her fears about the still spreading virus and share’s her family’s tools for getting through the loneliness of self-isolation. Prepare to find some inspiration from her commitment to keeping up her kids’ school routines including dressing them in their school uniforms for the day.


    And no period of hunkering down is complete without talking about binge watching. Hear about Flores and her amusing experience watching her kids take in the original Alice in Wonderland for the first time.

    Special Guest: Anitere Flores.

    23 min
  • Gus Corbella

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Gus Corbella, one of his favorite global citizens and Senior Director of the Government Law & Policy Practice at Greenberg Traurig. Corbella talks about his family in Spain - which is under lockdown - and explains when the coronavirus threat got real for him.



    Corbella shares insight on why he thinks coronavirus spread so quickly through the Mediterranean, why European culture makes it so hard to stop the virus, and how he's taking care of his family near and far.


    Peter and Gus talk about Florida's strange and lethal mix of young, careless spring breakers and elderly communities. "I've always joked that Millennials will be the death of us," Corbella laughed. "I just didn’t know how literal that would be." Then, discuss the final days of the 2020 Session in Tallahassee, budget conferencing and why remote voting isn't a thing yet.


    Finally, Corbella shares his top recommendations to get you through this time of social distancing. His arts recommendations: Stream concerts from symphonies, orchestras and artists (there's a full schedule on NPR). TV shows and streaming: Mad Men, Ugly Delicious, SommTV. Staying connected: Reach out to family and friends. Text, call or FaceTime them. Take this time to get closer to the people you love and travel virtually.

    18 min
  • Anna Alexopoulos

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Anna Alexopoulos, a longtime friend and a senior public affairs and communications director for Converge GPS.



    Alexopoulos dives into her work must go on attitude even while working from home has forced her to shift her schedule to accommodate the world’s changing realities in the age of coronavirus.


    She reminds us that communication is key in a time full of uncertainty and assuages discomfort with social distancing with an optimistic look at how our actions today save us from the heartache of tomorrow.


    And like all of Peter’s guests, Alexopoulos makes her recommendations for binge watching through the solitary moments and she says, scrap that deep reading and pick up something fun. Life is heavy enough, why not slip into another world for a bit?

    Special Guest: Anna Alexopoulos.

    16 min
  • Jane Castor

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Tampa Mayor Jane Castor.



    Castor shares her unique perspective as not only a Mayor of a large city tasked with managing the city’s coronavirus response, but as a former police chief.


    Castor shares her insight on the extent of the virus in Florida and cautions residents that the worst is yet to come. Tampa is not alone in lacking adequate testing supplies and Castor expects numbers to spike when that shortage is remedied.


    Listen as Castor explains what it was like to get the call that one of the state’s first cases was a Hillsborough resident who had recently traveled to Italy.


    Her measure of success on social distancing: When Netflix crashes.

    Special Guest: Jane Castor.

    13 min
  • JW Grant

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Rep. Jamie Grant of Tampa. Grant shares his wins from the 2020 Legislative Session, including reforming the citizen's initiative process for constitutional amendments and expanding Florida license plate options, to include a plate from his alma mater, Auburn University.



    With ten years of experience in the Florida Legislature, Grant has a deep knowledge of the legislative process. He talks about that experience and how it helps him see beyond the suddenly "sexy" legislative issues - as defined by powerful professional associations and big money interests.


    Grant talks about criminal justice reform efforts in the 2020 Session, which focused on helping wrongfully incarcerated individuals, expanding "seal and expunge" policies for returning citizens, and advancing victims' interests by leveling up the state's DNA database.


    Grant shares when the coronavirus pandemic got real for him, and why he believes the pandemic will be more of an economic crisis than a health crisis.


    Finally, Grant shares tips to get listeners through self-isolation:
    1) Spend as much time talking to friends as possible.
    2) Watch Vikings.
    3) Check out the TED Library - particularly Simon Sinek's 2009 talk - The Golden Circle.
    4) Catch up on reading.
    5) Get outside and stay active.

    Special Guest: Jamie Grant.

    25 min
  • Paul Bradshaw

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Paul Bradshaw, one of the most influential people in The Process.



    In 1999, the veteran policymaker and administrative lawyer founded The Southern Group, building it into the premier lobbying firm in Tallahassee. Bradshaw is an expert in a broad range of public policy issues, including development, environmental protection and public education.


    A longtime advocate of conservation and sustainability — as well as a chicken farmer who specializes in rare breeds — Bradshaw offers unique insights about the growing coronavirus crisis, which he saw as a problem early on.


    As a rare poultry breeder, Bradshaw “lives in the virus transmission world” and immediately knew the scope of what COVID-19 could be.


    “For years we haven’t been able to import chickens from Asia,” he said. “Because of H1N1 and variants of the avian flu. We are attuned to the way pathogens work in large populations.”


    While hunkering down, Bradshaw and The Southern Group have been able to quickly establish a “virtual water cooler” — through video conferencing, email and texts — for his team to collaborate, hang out and talk.


    “Our plan is to … responsibly engage in social distancing to help,” he said, adding that we are fortunate enough to be in a world with communication tools that allow us to stay in contact and remain productive.

    Special Guest: Paul Bradshaw.

    15 min
  • Jason Brodeur

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with former Rep. (and current Senate candidate) Jason Brodeur. As a former lawmaker, current Senate candidate and President and CEO of the Seminole County Chamber of Commerce, Brodeur covers a lot of angles.



    He opens up about the moment the virus first became real as he and chamber leaders faced the very real possibility that revenue would slow to a trickle and tough choices might need to be made about keeping up with payroll.


    But Brodeur looks for the silver lining, encouraging homebound individuals heeding the advice of health officials to practice social distancing to use the time as an opportunity to catch up on unread books and unwatched television series and movies.

    Special Guest: Jason Brodeur.

    12 min
  • Michael Waltz

    Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Congressman Michael Waltz for a salient conversation on politics in the age of coronavirus and of both partisanship and the drive to work together independent of politics.



    Waltz, a former Green Beret, describes himself as a proud conservative, but also as pragmatist driven to get things done, even if it means compromising some of his priorities in the name of progress.


    He tackles the tough topic of policy and COVID-19, weighing the pros and cons of imposing tough restrictions on businesses that have a ripple effect throughout the nation’s economy.


    Waltz offers a must-listen take on some of the nation’s biggest fears as it faces a global pandemic — one that includes lessons for Republicans and Democrats alike.

    Special Guest: Michael Waltz.

    13 min
  • Wilton Simpson

    How do you hunker down when you have to be in Tallahassee to vote on the crucial state budget? In this episode, Peter Schorsch hunkers down with Senate President-designate Wilton Simpson to find out how governance in person can be tackled with minimal risk.



    The Trilby egg farmer share insights into the 2020 Legislative Session and opens up about when the threat of coronavirus first hit — in the waning days of Session.


    Simpson, the ultimate family man, also weighs in the importance of spending time with family as Floridians across the state hole up their homes to promote social distancing. And what self-isolation would be would be complete without a reference to binging Die Hard?

    Special Guest: Wilton Simpson .

    10 min
  • Ryan Wiggins

    Peter Schorsch talks with political strategist Ryan Wiggins about her time in Tallahassee this Legislative Session and how she’s coping with the new threat of the coronavirus and the social distancing that comes with it.



    Wiggins opens up about a heart-wrenching story about her own mother’s close call with the illness. After returning from a trip to Texas, her mom developed coronavirus symptoms but was unable to obtain testing.


    Wiggins also shares her frustrations with legislation that died this year that would have let seriously ill state workers accept help from coworkers like meals or GoFundMe contributions.


    But don’t worry, as Wiggins assures in the podcast, the measure will come back in January and, yes, January will come.

    17 min

About Hunkering Down With Peter Schorsch

From the publisher's feed

It's Hunkering Down with Peter Schorsch.