Politically Speaking

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Yinka Faleti, the Democratic nominee for secretary of state joins the program to discuss his bid for the office — and the burgeoning protest movement for police accountability.

Faleti’s appearance on the podcast kicks off an effort to have all of Missouri’s major statewide candidates on Politically Speaking. The two Democratic contenders for attorney general, Elad Gross and Rich Finneran, are slated to record episodes later this month — and we’ll be reaching out to GOP and Democratic candidates to come on the show in the coming weeks.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, Creve Coeur Mayor Barry Glantz joins the show to talk about his run for the 2nd District St. Louis County Council seat.

Glantz is facing incumbent Kelli Dunaway in the Aug. 4 primary. Dunaway was elected to represent the district that takes in Creve Coeur, Chesterfield, Maryland Heights, Overland and St. Ann in 2019. She filled the seat vacated by Sam Page when he was named County Executive. Dunaway was on Politically Speaking last week.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, St. Louis County Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about how the county is spending federal coronavirus funding — and how county police should respond to protests over George Floyd’s death.

Dunaway is a Chesterfield Democrat who represents the council’s 2nd District. That takes in cities like Creve Coeur, St. Ann, Maryland Heights and Chesterfield. She was elected to her post in 2019, filling out the rest of Sam Page’s term on the council after he became county executive.

A conversation with 10th Ward Alderman Joe Vollmer

St. Louis County Councilman Ernie Trakas is the latest guest on Politically Speaking. The south St. Louis County Republican joined St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum to talk about the split between the council’s Republican and Democratic members.

Trakas was elected to represent the council’s 6th District in 2016. His district includes a part of largely unincorporated south St. Louis, which means that he makes many of the development and zoning decisions for the area.

House Minority Leader Crystal Quade is the latest guest on Politically Speaking. The Springfield Democrat joined St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jaclyn Driscoll to provide her impressions of how the Missouri General Assembly is faring after it was idle for weeks due to the coronavirus.

Quade represents a House district that takes in part of Springfield. As the leader of the House Democrats, Quade is largely responsible for crafting her party’s message and strategy in the Missouri House.

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley wants to force a paradigm shift in how the United States handles mass employment during an economic calamity.

The Missouri Republican senator wants the federal government to step in to help pay for an employee’s wages at companies negatively affected by the COVID-19 crisis. It’s a move he says will substantially tamp down on economic anxiety among workers and employers.

Hawley’s proposal, which mirrors what some European countries are doing to deal with the economic downturn, has some fans among economists and Democrats. But it’s an open question whether his GOP colleagues that run the U.S. Senate will make it a priority.

House Speaker Elijah Haahr is the latest guest on Politically Speaking. The Springfield Republican spoke with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum and Jaclyn Driscoll about why the General Assembly is coming back into session on Monday — and what issues lawmakers plan to discuss.

Haahr, a Springfield Republican, became Missouri House speaker in 2019 after serving two years as House Speaker Pro Tem. Term limits will bar Haahr from running again for his House seat.

On the latest episode of Politically Speaking, St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum talks with Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller and Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon about how Missouri elections should proceed amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Schoeller, a Republican, and Lennon, a Democrat, have been working on a public policy response together since the coronavirus outbreak came to the state. Their main objective is to make absentee ballots more available to people during a pandemic or emergency.

On the latest edition of Politically Speaking, St. Louis-based author Sarah Kendzior talks with St. Louis Public Radio’s Jason Rosenbaum about her new book Hiding in Plain Sight — which chronicles President Donald Trump’s rise to power from the 1980s to present day.

Kendzior, who holds a doctorate in anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis, has become a nationally-known voice in opposing Trump’s presidency. Her last book, The View From Flyover Country, was a New York Times-best seller.

Kendzior’s episode is split into two parts. The first part features Kendzior talking about the key points of her book, as well as her experience living in St. Louis during the aftermath of Michael Brown’s shooting death in Ferguson.