Katie welcomes her friend Nina Totenberg to Words Matter. Nina is NPR's award winning and legendary legal affairs correspondent. Her coverage of the Supreme Court and legal and political affairs has won her widespread recognition. Newsweek calls her "the creme de la creme of NPR" and Vanity Fair calls her "Queen of the Leaks." She's not a lawyer but any lawyer in Washington will tell you she knows more about the law than they do.
From more than 30 years, Nina Totenberg has broken some of the biggest stories in some of the most important and consequential events in the history of Supreme Court nominations. Listen to Nina talk with Katie about the Brett Kavanaugh hearings, the Mueller Report and executive privilege and her special friendship with the Terminator -- former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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Nina Totenberg -- Legendary Supreme Court Journalist

American politics is undergoing seismic changes that will alter the course of history. At Words Matter, we believe that facts, evidence, truth and objective reality are necessary and vital in public discourse. Our hosts and guests have broad experience in government, politics and journalism -- this gives them a unique ability to explain recent events and place them in historic context. Together, with fellow journalists, elected officials, policy-makers and thought-leaders, they will analyze the week's news and get at the real truth behind all the distracting headlines. New episodes are released on Fridays.

News

Government

There’s much to unpack with the ceasefire protests at universities across the country. From students occupying a building at Columbia to the abysmal response by USC’s administration, it is clear that there is no easy way to address the issue. Norm and Kavita break down the latest news on this contentious topic, and why it may be even more impactful than we realize. 
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Untangling the University Protests

At the Supreme Court and college campuses, leaders aren’t leading. As the court weighs incredibly consequential decisions and colleges grapple with divisive protests, we need clear leadership more than ever. Norm and Kavita discuss this unique problem and where we go from here.
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What Happens When Leaders Don’t Lead

The House is its own special kind of crazy, but the Senate is no slouch either. Tom Cotton’s recent comments calling for Americans to “take matters into their own hands” in response to protests reminds us that Senators can seemingly call for acts of violence and get away with it. Norm and Kavita break down the fall of accountability in the Senate and why some Senators continue to embarrass the institution. 
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Accountability is Gone but Not Forgotten in the Senate

House Republicans are fighting or floundering, Mike Johnson is traveling to Mar-a-Lago to pray at the altar of Trump, and Arizona lawmakers grapple with an archaic abortion law. All in a week’s work for this Republican Party. Norm and Kavita discuss the farce that is the contemporary Republican agenda and more.
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Republicans are Reaching New Levels of Ineptitude

The Biden administration’s policy towards Israel has been controversial to say the least. As the conflict grinds on and the election approaches, it is clear that the conflict will loom large in the voting booth. Norm and Kavita break down the key issues that Biden faces, and why the administration desperately needs a new strategy. 
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Nina Totenberg -- Legendary Supreme Court Journalist

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