Talk Cocktail

"Vigilantism” - it's a word that conjures images of lynch mobs and frontier justice. But today, both would be Presidents and state governments are not just turning a blind eye to vigilantes, they're actively encouraging them.

From Virginia's tip line for parents to snitch on teachers, to Texas unleashing bounty hunters against abortion providers, to Florida encouraging drivers to run over protesters - vigilantism is becoming the new normal in American politics.

My guest, Jon Michaels, argues in 'Vigilante Nation' that this represents a concerted effort by right-wing politicians, pundits, and preachers to subvert democracy and cement their hold on power. The pattern they expose should concern us all."

About a year ago, on my WhoWhatWhy podcast, I spoke with Harvard professor Daniel Ziblatt, co-author of the book Tyranny of the Minority. Ziblatt takes a hard look at the institutional inertia and political extremism that is threatening the future of American democracy. 

Ziblatt argues that the nation’s precarious condition is defined by two contrasting views of what George Washington called “the last great experiment for promoting human happiness”:  one that aspires toward a multiracial, multicultural democracy focused on equity and inclusion, and another that leans toward authoritarianism — a dichotomy Ziblatt says is epitomized by the events of January 5 and 6.

In light of this weeks events, it was vital that we hear this conversation once again, right now!

"Vigilantism” - it's a word that conjures images of lynch mobs and frontier justice. But today, both would be Presidents and state governments are not just turning a blind eye to vigilantes, they're actively encouraging them.

From Virginia's tip line for parents to snitch on teachers, to Texas unleashing bounty hunters against abortion providers, to Florida encouraging drivers to run over protesters - vigilantism is becoming the new normal in American politics.

My guest, Jon Michaels, argues in 'Vigilante Nation' that this represents a concerted effort by right-wing politicians, pundits, and preachers to subvert democracy and cement their hold on power. The pattern they expose should concern us all."

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On this California Sun podcast I talk with Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano who dismantles the myth of a monolithic “Latino vote.” After 3,000 miles across the Southwest, Arellano finds Latino communities laser-focused on local issues & identity, not national politics The real power? It's in city halls, not DC.

On a recent California Sun podcast I spoke with Sasha Abramsky, author of the new book “Chaos Comes Calling.” Abramsky talks to me about how America’s deep polarization has cascaded from national politics down to local levels of governance. Abramsky reveals that even in small rural communities, once-mundane local issues like library policies, road repairs, and child care have become ideological battlegrounds. Abramsky illuminates how the pandemic, social media echo chambers, and talk radio amplified partisan voices, transforming school boards and city councils into microcosms of the broader red-blue divide. 

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This is January 6 as you’ve never seen it before. 

My guest on my latestWhoWhatWhy podcast is filmmaker Jon Long. Long has just completed Fight Like Hell, a documentary that offers a provocative, unfiltered, never before seen look at the day’s shocking events, and the Stop the Steal movement’s evolution.

Long explains that what you will witness in this documentary may shock you, move you. You may have thought the talk of January 6 was old news, that the candidates and the country had moved on, but not so fast. What happened still matters a lot.

Imagine the United States without FEMA and the National Weather Service. Imagine our water and air with no EPA, or investing with no SEC. Picture a government where all agencies are disbanded or rendered powerless. This isn’t a nightmare scenario from some dystopian novel — it’s the alarming vision behind Project 2025 and the agenda of Donald Trump and JD Vance.

In my recentWhoWhatWhy podcast, I explore the concept of “ungoverning” — a strategy far more radical than simply reducing taxes and regulation. 

My guests, Nancy Rosenblum and Russell Muirhead, in their new book, Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos, argue how and why this deliberate dismantling of governmental capacity poses an existential threat to American democracy.

Steve Wasserman's journey from Berkeley radical to literary luminary is a testament to the enduring power of the written word. In our conversation, Wasserman reflects on a life shaped by books, ideas, and an insatiable curiosity that led him from tear gas-filled streets to the pinnacles of publishing. His friendships with intellectual giants like Christopher Hitchens and Susan Sontag honed his empathetic sensibility, while never dulling his capacity for outrage at injustice. Having navigated the literary landscapes of New York, Los Angeles, and the Bay Area, Wasserman offers a unique perspective on American culture and politics. His memoir, “Tell Me Something, Tell Me Anything, Even If It's a Lie,” serves as both a celebration of and a rallying cry for the life of the mind in our digital age.

In a time when democracy hangs in the balance, how do we turn political conviction into victory? My guest, Robert Creamer, argues it's all about execution - the nuts and bolts of political organizing. 

With five decades of activism under his belt, from working with Saul Alinsky to helping pass the Affordable Care Act, Creamer has been at the forefront of progressive battles. 

His new book, "Nuts and Bolts: The Formula for Progressive Electoral Success," offers a pragmatic handbook for today's political climate. In an era of base elections where undecided voters are rare, Creamer's insights on turning out voters could shape the future of America.

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Twenty years ago, Alexander Payne's SIDEWAYS changed how we look at wine, relationships, and midlife crises. Today we explore the film's impact, 20 years out, and Payne's remarkable career. From Election to About Schmidt, from The Descendants to his latest, The Holdovers, Payne has consistently delivered insightful, often satirical looks at American life. His characters, whether in the vineyards of California or the plains of Nebraska, remind us of the struggles and triumphs we all face.