Political Breakdown

With less than two weeks until Election Day, Scott and Marisa discuss the latest on the record-breaking Proposition 22 with KQED's Sam Harnett. Then, Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee joins to share her thoughts on Prop 22, her recent campaign trip to Arizona, Gov. Gavin Newsom's potential Senate pick and what she hopes to hear from Joe Biden in Thursday night's debate.

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California's Republican Party defends its operation of unofficial vote-by-mail ballot drop boxes across the state in the face of potential legal action. Marisa and Scott are joined by KQED's Guy Marzorati to discuss the dispute and the politics of vote-by-mail in California. Then, UC Berkeley and USC professor Dan Schnur joins to talk about voting and whether California's Secretary of State should be nonpartisan. Finally, Scott and Marisa end the show with their thoughts on the performances of California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris during the Supreme Court confirmation hearings of Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

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Scott and Marisa analyze California Senator Kamala Harris' performance in Wednesday night's vice presidential debate, and KUER politics and government reporter Sonja Hutson joins from Salt Lake City to share her experience at the debate and discuss politics in the Beehive State. Then, María Teresa Kumar, President and CEO of Voto Latino shares what was missing from the debate, her journey into civic work, Latinx enthusiasm for Harris' addition to the Democratic ticket, and Voto Latino's voter registration campaign.

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As California ballot measure campaigns heat up, CalMatters reporter Laurel Rosenhall joins Marisa and Scott to discuss her story about the ballot endorsements of Alice Huffman, the California NAACP President who is also a professional campaign consultant. Then, San Joaquin County District Attorney Tori Verber Salazar joins to discuss her family's law enforcement background, the barriers to reform among prosecutors, the new progressive Prosecutors Alliance of California, and her thoughts on Proposition 20.

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President Trump nears a nomination for a successor to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Scott and Marisa preview the roles of California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris in a potential confirmation hearing. They also discuss why so many Californians are undecided on key state ballot measures. Then, California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu joins to share his memories of clerking for Ginsburg, his childhood as a first-generation American, the importance of diversity on the bench and the events that led to his appointment to the state Supreme Court.

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President Trump visits California as the state deals with a historic wildfire year. Marisa and Scott discuss the president's visit with Katie Orr, along with new polls on Proposition 15 and Proposition 16. Then, California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot shares the story behind his confrontation with the President over climate change and wildfires, the future of forest management in California, the Newsom administration's fracking policy and open streets during the pandemic.

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The finger-pointing continues at the state Capitol after a frantic end to the legislative session. Katie Orr joins Scott and Marisa to talk about Senate vs. Assembly feuding, Anthony Rendon's leadership and how criminal justice reforms fell short. Then, former Assemblyman Mike Gatto joins to talk about legislative leadership styles, parenting in office, running for Assembly while in college, his father's murder in 2013 and his vote on California's prison realignment law. 

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After a wild end to the legislative session, Marisa and Guy Marzorati talk with Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, who voted on the floor with her four-week old baby. They also provide an update on Proposition 20, and former governor Jerry Brown opening his wallet to defeat the measure. Then, actor and activist Jamal Trulove joins to talk about being framed and wrongfully imprisoned for murder in San Francisco and why he's still supporting then-District Attorney Kamala Harris on the presidential ticket.

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A COVID-19 infection derails the state legislature just days before the final recess of the session. Marisa and Guy Marzorati get the latest from KQED politics reporter Katie Orr on how the Senate and Assembly are planning to finish the year's work. Then, Joseph Rodota joins to discuss his podcast "The Oppo File" about campaign opposition research. Rodota shares stories from his time as an opposition researcher on Republican presidential and gubernatorial campaigns and discusses how oppo researchers could be approaching the 2020 campaign.

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Before the final night of the Democratic National Convention, Scott and Marisa discuss the week's program and Senator Kamala Harris' vice presidential acceptance speech. Addisu Demissie, senior advisor for the convention, joins to talk about his work planning the unprecedented virtual event and Rep. Ro Khanna discusses the party platform debate and Harris' speech.

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