Polilogue

Political panels. We don’t talk about them enough on Polilogue—and when we do, it’s usually in the negative. Why is that? And what is wrong with the political panels on the Sunday morning political shows? In this special episode of Polilogue, we give panels the discussion they deserve. And as it turns out, this is the IDEAL time to consider panels—because at two of the Sunday morning shows have completely eliminated panels during the pandemic. So, we challenge ourselves to answer the question: if Face the Nation’s executive producer asked us if they should restart their panels, what would be our recommendation? If the panels drive you crazy—or if Polilogue drives you crazy for not talking enough about panels—this is the episode for you.

This special episode continues our series of specials while we spend time with our newborn baby girl. Each week, you can expect a new episode until September—when we will return to our traditional coverage of the Sunday morning shows. We hope you enjoy these specials as much as we’ve enjoyed the opportunity to stop and think more broadly about the Sunday shows.

Chapters

• Introduction

• The Question of Panels

• Pros and Cons

• Changes to the Panels

• Alternatives to Panels

• The Face the Nation Question

• Polilogue and Panels

• Dialogue Challenge

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

Senator Kamala Harris has been selected to serve as Biden’s Vice Presidential running mate. It’s exciting news—and we have some exciting news of our own to share. In this special episode, we look forward to Kamala’s role in the 2020 election by looking back. First, we examine Kamala’s first major interview on the Sunday shows as a presidential candidate last year. Then, we revisit Kamala’s performance in the Democratic debates—hearing again the key highlights and clips from those moments alongside our immediate reactions that appeared in our special debate episodes. Yes, this is what Hollywood would call a “clips episode”—but it’s got clips within clips. And to be honest, we were quite excited to look back and remind ourselves of where Kamala’s been—and where her political career might take this 2020 election. Join us for this fun special episode. It’s a Polilogue first!

Chapters

• Big News

• Kamala Harris Sunday interview

• Debate 1B: June 27, 2019

• Debate 2B: July 31, 2019

• Debate 3: September 12, 2019

• Debate 4: October 15, 2019

• Debate 5: November 20, 2019

• Dialogue Challenge

Links and References

Chuck Toddcast episode with NBC News Political Embed Deepa Shivaram on August 12, 2020: https://art19.com/shows/toddcast/episodes/85265538-0509-438e-93f0-7ea1174ac874

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

The Trump Administration and Congressional Democrats are at an impasse and have not made concrete progress for the next round of COVID relief. In response, President Trump signed a series of Executive Orders that are aimed to provide relief to unemployed and struggling Americans. The devil, as they say, is in the details. And the details show that there’s a long way to go still for any economic support to get into the wallets of desperate Americans.

Multiple White House representatives and Congressional Democrats were on the shows today making their case. Dana Bash examined this breakdown best in her interview with Larry Kudlow, the Director of the National Economic Council. Today on Polilogue, we talk extensively about this powerful, effective interview, as well as the others stakeholders in this negotiation process.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight / Lowlight

• Kudlow vs Bash

• Two Pelosi Interviews

• Stronger Arguments

• What We Learned Today

• Show Rankings

• Dialogue Challenge

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

It’s been a rough week for many households. Thirty million Americans are currently unemployed. The extra $600 federal unemployment benefit insurance expired. The American economy had its worst growth number ever recorded. The virus continues to surge in the south, west, and some parts of the midwest. And yet, the Trump administration and Democratic Congressional leaders are still in ongoing conversations to determine the next round of Coronavirus economic relief.

Today on Polilogue, we look at the slow progress of these negotiations and examine the differed focuses of Republicans and Democrats. We also examine the VP selection for assumed Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Joe Biden. Congresswoman Karen Bass, in particular, was on multiple shows making the case for her possible selection.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight / Lowlight

• Coronavirus relief negotiations

• Virus Update

• 2020 Election Stakes Heat Up

• Show Rankings

• Dialogue Challenge

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

The extended federal unemployment benefits for out of work Americans expired last week. No longer will unemployed Americans receive an extra $600 per week. This will leave many scrambling to make ends meet. Republicans from the Trump Administration and in the Senate are working to put together a relief bill. The proposal would counter the Democratic bill that passed the House two months ago and serve as a starting point for negotiations.

Today on Polilogue, we look at the interviews with key Republicans working on that relief package. We discuss interviews that took place with White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and Economic Advisor Larry Kudlow. We also review the interview with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who talked about protecting essential workers and supporting state and local governments.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight / Lowlight

• Republicans’ Relief Bill

• The Missing Portland Context

• Show Rankings

• Dialogue Challenge

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Resources and Links

• Many low-wage workers earn more on unemployment than in their former jobs (CBS News)

• The Mother Tongue - English And How It Got That Way (Bill Bryson)*
  This book was written in 1990 and in some parts it is out of date with the latest understandings of linguistics.

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

Today on Polilogue, we look at the interview Chris Wallace has with President Trump on Fox News Sunday. Wallace is often someone that thoroughly prepares for his interviews — and today’s interview is no different. Wallace is ready with data-driven questions and real-time fact-checking. While there were a couple of missed moments for follow ups, Chris Wallace overall demonstrates why he is one of the best interviewers in journalism today.

We also discuss the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis who passed away last Friday.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight / Lowlight

• Remembering John Lewis

• The Trump Interview

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

It’s mid-July, schools are supposed to open in the next 4-6 weeks, and COVID-19 cases are rising across the south and southwest. Today on Polilogue, we closely examine two important interviews with Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. Dana Bash in particular, did a fantastic job questioning Secretary DeVos on the objectives and plans for reopening schools. We also looks at the comments of other public health experts scratching their heads in exasperation at these new COVID-19 spikes.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight / Lowlight

• Two DeVos Interviews

• COVID-19 Predictions

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

Everyday we learn of new record-breaking case counts of COVID-19. Cases are spiking, especially in states like Florida, Texas, and Arizona. But instead of sharing words of confidence and assuredness in two recent speeches, President Trump lambasts the far left and urges the preservation of America’s history. 

Today on Polilogue, we explore if and how journalists have learned to simultaneously cover the comments of this president and the breaking news of the day. 

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight / Lowlight

• COVID-19 cases spike

• Grab bag rants

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

The Coronavirus returns as the dominate story on the Sunday talk shows. Virus containment strategies, like extensive contact tracing, are being successfully implemented in other countries, but are no where near operational in the US. This meanwhile cases of the virus are spiking in several states in the south and southwest, including Florida, Texas, Arizona, and California.

Today on Polilogue we explore how the Sunday morning political shows handled conversations with key leaders of the virus taskforce: Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Vice President Mike Pence. We also examine the asks, expectations, and pleas of other political and public health leaders.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight / Lowlight

• The Resurging Virus

• Police Reform Update

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

Today on Polilogue, we look at the exclusive interview that Martha Raddatz had with John Bolton, former National Security Advisor to President Trump. It’s the first interview in Bolton’s long-awaited book tour—and although it was a prime time special and not a Sunday morning booking, we cover it at the start of today’s episode. Then, in our second segment we discuss key moments from Sunday’s five morning shows.

Chapters

• Introduction

• The Bolton Interview Format

• Bolton as Key Witness

• Martha Raddatz as Interviewer

• Sunday Show Lightning Round

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Shows discussed 

• Face the Nation on CBS

• State of the Union on CNN

• Fox News Sunday on FOX

• This Week on ABC

• Meet the Press on NBC

Articles Discussed on the Show

• The full transcript of the un-edited Bolton interview: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/transcript-john-bolton-interview-abc-news-martha-raddatz/story?id=71287825

Contact us

Email us at [email protected] or you can send us your feedback @PolilogueCast. You can also follow us at @sotonaomi_ and @bsteidle.

Support the show: We produce Polilogue out of our own pocket. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Check out some of our other work: 

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org