Polilogue

Another Sunday with Coronavirus-filled segments on the political shows. Today the shows focused on the federal response (or lack thereof) and the testing and treatment options that need to be in place to finally get a handle on this pandemic.

Face the Nation also had very important interviews about the economic impact and the dire need to get support into the hands of small business owners and workers as quickly as possible.

Oh — and for one last time — Happy Birthday, Brendan!

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight/Lowlight

• Looking Ahead on the Coronavirus

• The Pandemic’s Economic Impact

• Why It Matters: Why Style Matters in Journalism Now

• 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

Resources we discuss

• Study shows photos of empty supermarket shelves instigate panic buying (University of Southhampton)

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

For the fifth week in a row, the Sunday talk shows focused entirely on the coronavirus. Today the shows explored the regional variation of the virus. There is no unified experience in fighting the coronavirus, nor is there one solution to tackle. New York City, California, and Washington state are deep in mitigation strategies and trying to help the patients filling their hospitals. Newer outbreaks in Michigan and Louisiana leaves those states desperate for equipment. And other regions like Florida, Maryland, and others could be getting their testing infrastructure in place so that contact tracing helps prevent massive spread in their communities.

After 3.3 million people applied for unemployment, it is clear that the virus is also having a huge impact on people financially. The Sunday shows discussed if and how much financial support would be getting into the wallets of hurting Americans.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight/Lowlight

• Regional Responses to a Pandemic

• America’s Economic Relief

• Why It Matters: Calling Attention

• 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

Resources we discuss

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 continues to impact schools, workplaces, and communities across the US and the world. FEMA is now coordinating the federal material response. Administrator Peter Gaynor went on multiple shows — but didn’t have much to say, which hosts like Martha Raddatz and Jake Tapper very much noticed.  There was also significant conversation about the stimulus package that is waiting to be revived and voted on.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight/Lowlight

• The Public Health Crisis

• The Economic Crisis

• Why It Matters: A Testing Approach

• 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

Resources we discuss

• The article referenced in Why It Matters: https://twitter.com/alecmacgillis/status/1240279081293352964?s=21

• The article referenced by Naomi on the topic of Seattle: The New York TimesWeb resultsIn Seattle, It Started With Panic. Then the Deeper Anxiety Set In.

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

In this special double episode, we analyze the 11th democratic primary debate. Last night, CNN hosted the first debate between only two candidates. Former Vice President Joe Biden and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. It was a debate reflective of America’s reality: the candidates didn’t shake hands, they stood 6 feet apart, there was no audience, and a significant part of the debate explored how the country should best address the Coronavirus.

In the second half of this double episode, we look at how the Sunday shows discussed the Coronavirus, which has quickly escalated, shutting down restaurants, bars, schools, and the general way of life in many parts of the country. The Sunday show hosts asked various public health and elected officials one question in many different ways: “Will our drastic actions be enough to slow the spread of this frightening virus?”

——

Chapters

• Introduction

• Eleventh Democratic Debate

• Joe Biden

• Bernie Sanders

• Health Experts on the Sunday Shows

• Governors and Mayors

• Economic Impact of the Virus

• 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

——

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 and a significant commitment of time every week. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

 Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

Multiple representatives of the Coronavirus Taskforce went on the Sunday shows to reassure and calm the American public regarding US public health readiness. Many officials, however, could not answer basic data requests or describe imminent plans. Surgeon General Jerome Adams could not say how many Americans have been tested for the Coronavirus on State of the Union. And HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson refused to describe to George Stephanopoulos a mitigation plan that would be implemented the very next day.

As more and more states and cities learn of Coronavirus cases in their communities, local leaders will lean on the federal government for direction and guidance. If today’s shows are any indication, the White House and the Coronavirus Taskforce have a lot more work to do.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight/Lowlight

• The Coronavirus Response

• Bernie Sanders Makes his Case

• Why It Matters: Learning from Other Countries

• 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

Resources we discuss

• The book Brendan is reading: Influenza by Dr. Jeremy Brown https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Influenza/Jeremy-Brown/9781501181252

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

Former Vice President Joe Biden had a resounding win in South Carolina — thus reviving his campaign and making a clear case to be the alternative to Sen. Bernie Sanders. Additionally, late on Sunday evening, Mayor Pete Buttigieg dropped out of the race as well. The Sunday talk shows focused their coverage of the Democratic race on Sanders and Biden and ignored most of the other candidates.

The White House also sent Vice President Mike Pence and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to all of the Sunday talk shows to calm and reassure the American public. Secretary Azar achieved this objective; Vice President Pence did not.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight/Lowlight

• South Carolina win revives Biden campaign

• White House responds to Coronavirus

• Why It Matters: Public Trust

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Also, don’t miss our special episode about the Tuesday Democratic debate! It will appear in your podcast feed on Wednesday morning.

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

Article we discuss

• A great article in the NYT about public trust in times of crisis: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/26/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-credibility.html

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 and with about 10 hours of work every Sunday. 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

In this special episode, we analyze the 10th democratic primary debate. Last night, CBS News hosted the last debate before Super Tuesday—and did a pretty bad job of it. From the questions to the botched ending to the loss of control, it was a lesson in what NOT TO DO when hosting a debate. Despite all of this, an intrepid crew of candidates continued on with their agendas—attacking the newly-crowned frontrunner Bernie Sanders and making the argument for their candidacies.

As always with our debate special episodes, we provide an analysis of the host performances and then we rank the candidates in three distinct categories: candidates who have improved their standing; candidates that are in the same place they were  yesterday; and candidates who are in a worse place than they were yesterday. 

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 and a significant commitment of time every week. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

 Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

Acting Director of National Intelligence Joseph Maguire was forced to resign after he and his staff insinuated to the House Intelligence Committee that Russia was continuing to meddle in the 2020 election and favored President Trump to win. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien and Vice President Chief-of-Staff Marc Short were on the Sunday shows to explain the situation. They came with conflicting and confusing statements.

In addition, the shows also brought more scrutiny and attention to the Bernie Sanders campaign. After the Nevada caucus win, Sanders is shaping up to be the frontrunner, which is finally bringing on a more nuanced and thorough conversation about the Sanders campaign.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight/Lowlight

• Another DNI Shake Up

• Sanders Wins Nevada

• Why It Matters: Truth to Power

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Also, don’t miss our special episode about the Tuesday Democratic debate! It will appear in your podcast feed on Wednesday morning.

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 we discuss

• For more on the NYT The Daily podcast episode about Bernie Sanders, read the article and listen to the episode here.

• To read more about the story discussed in Why It Matters, check out the full article in the Financial Times

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 and with about 10 hours of work every Sunday. 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

In this special episode, we analyze the 9th democratic primary debate. Last night, NBC News and Noticias Telemundo hosted the most energetic democratic debate ever—with six candidates in Las Vegas. Elizabeth Warren took control of the stage as Bloomberg was welcomed for the first time—if you could call it a welcome.

As always with our debate special episodes, we provide an analysis of the host performances and then we rank the candidates in three distinct categories: candidates who have improved their standing; candidates that are in the same place they were  yesterday; and candidates who are in a worse place than they were yesterday. 

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 and with about 10 hours of work every Sunday. If you’d like to support the show with a one-time or recurring donation, please visit our donate page here. Thank you!

Brendan’s website: www.armisticedesigns.com  

 Naomi's website: www.startwithaquestion.org

This week, we examine how 2020 campaign conversations are being framed on the Sunday shows. Most notably, we examine if the shows are asking candidates about their ability to do the job of president, rather than simply looking at the horserace.

Plus, in our “Why It Matters” segment, we go back to examine what the media has learned about its coverage of 2016. We discuss the interview with New York Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet in the January 31 episode of The Daily podcast. In the episode, Baquet is interviewed by Michael Barbaro on the NYT coverage of 2016, from Bernie to Hillary’s emails (the leaked ones, at least) and the upset win by Donald Trump.

Chapters

• Introduction

• Highlight/Lowlight

• Criminal Justice Spotlight

• Michael Bloomberg Conversations without Michael Bloomberg

• Beyond the Horserace

• Why It Matters: The NYT Coverage in 2016

• Show Rankings

• Closing

Also, don’t miss our special episode about the Wednesday democratic debate! It will appear in your podcast feed on Thursday morning.

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

• The Daily from The New York Times

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 and with about 10 hours of work every Sunday. 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