The Common Good Podcast

In a season of surprises and unprecedented events, we will hear from our VP nominees, Vice President Mike Pence and Senator Kamala Harris for their one-time debate this season.  On Thursday, October 8th, 4pm-5pm ET, The Common Good hosts an incredible conversation to analyze the historic evening.  

Democratic strategist @Hilary Rosen, Republican strategist, @Susan DelPercio,  political commentator @TaraSetmayer, and legendary pollster @StanGreenberg will review the evening’s highs and lows and how the debate may affect their election fortunes.  

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Join us as we review the First Presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Vice President Joe Biden. How are their performances going to impact voters, did it sway anyone and other insights from the night.  Our panelists will review and analyze the highs and lows of the face-off between the Democrat and the Republican nominee's and how the debate may affect each ticket’s election fortunes.  

John Avlon is an author, columnist and commentator. He is a senior political analyst and fill-in anchor at CNN, appearing on New Day every morning. From 2013 to 2018, he was the editor-in-chief and managing director of The Daily Beast, during which time the site’s traffic more than doubled to over one million readers a day while winning 17 journalism awards.  

Ed Rollins is a giant in the political world, having served as campaign consultant and advisor for numerous congressional, senatorial, gubernatorial and presidential campaigns and victories.  

Doug Sosnik served as a senior advisor to President Clinton from 1994 to 2000, playing a key role in policy, strategy, political and communications decisions in the White House; his titles included Senior Advisor for Policy and Strategy, White House Political Director and Deputy Legislative Director. Prior to joining the Clinton Administration, Sosnik was the chief of staff for Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd, and later worked with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.  

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For Nearly two decades America has been in war with Afghanistan. Join us with Ret. Colonel Chris Kolenda, the man who pioneered a new approach to counterinsurgency, led soldiers in successful battles against the Taliban and was later hand picked by the US government to be involved in early talks with the Taliban. We will cover  the impact of the war, how it can be ended, and recent events with our military that have made headlines. Moderated by former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson.  

Ret. Colonel Christopher Kolenda recently served as the Senior Advisor on Afghanistan and Pakistan to Under Secretary of Defense Michèle Flournoy, and three 4* Generals in Afghanistan. He was decorated with the Department of Defense’s highest civilian award for his work on strategy. In 2007-08, he commanded an 800-solider task force in Kunar and Nuristan provinces where he pioneered an innovative approach to counterinsurgency in one of the most violent areas of the country. His unit is the only one in the history of the war to have motivated a large insurgent group to stop fighting and join the government. His advice has been adopted by three Secretaries of Defense and the President of the United States. He was selected to be the Secretary of Defense’s representative in exploratory talks with the Taliban from 2010-2013. He is the only American to have fought the Taliban in combat and engaged them in high-level diplomacy.  

Secretary  Jeh Johnson was appointed by President Obama on December 23, 2013, following confirmation by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 78-16.  Between 2013 and 2017 he served as Secretary of Homeland Security. Previously, Secretary Johnson was appointed by President Obama to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense from 2009 through 2012. In that position, Johnson was one of the legal architects for the U.S. military’s counter terrorism mission during President Obama’s first term.  

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Congresswoman- turned-Director of the Wilson Center, Jane Harman, joins former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff as we discuss national security threats and concerns facing the world. Terrorists don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican.  

Representing the aerospace center of California during nine terms in Congress, Jane Harman served on all the major security committees: six years on Armed Services, eight years on Intelligence, and eight on Homeland Security. During her long public career, Harman has been recognized as a national expert at the nexus of security and public policy issues, and has received numerous awards for distinguished service.   

Jane Harman resigned from Congress in February 2011 to join the Woodrow Wilson Center as its first female Director, President and CEO. She is a member of the Defense Policy Board, the State Department Foreign Policy Board, and the Homeland Security Advisory Committee. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the Trilateral Commission and the Advisory Board of the Munich Security Conference.  

As Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from 2005 to 2009, Michael Chertoff led the country in blocking would-be terrorists from crossing our borders or implementing their plans if they were already in the country. He was the co-author of the Patriot Act.  Before heading up the Department of Homeland Security, Chertoff served as a federal judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Earlier, during more than a decade as a federal prosecutor, he investigated and prosecuted cases of political corruption, organized crime, corporate fraud and terrorism – including the investigation of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  

After leaving DHS, Chertoff created the Chertoff Group and provides high-level strategic counsel to corporate and government leaders on a broad range of security issues, from risk identification and prevention to preparedness, response and recovery. “Risk management has become the CEO’s concern,” he says. “We help our clients develop comprehensive strategies to manage risk without building barriers that get in the way of carrying on their business.”  

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Join us as we breakdown the past four day Republican National Convention.  Join us with political experts, brilliant commentators and pollsters as we discuss the RNC and what occurred.   

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Join us as we breakdown the past four day Democratic National Convention. Join us with political experts, brilliant commentators and pollsters as we discuss the DNC and what occurred.   

To RSVP for upcoming events, visit our events page at: https://www.thecommongoodus.org

With massive unemployment, more businesses closing permanently, and the most devastating three-month collapse on record, what is next? Join us with brilliant investor and business legend Glenn Hutchins, co-founder of the hugely successful Silver Lake Partners, Vice Chairman of Brookings, former Senior Advisor to President Clinton and board member of the NY Fed. The conversation will be moderated by Andy Serwer, the former managing director of Fortune and the current Editor-in-Chief of Yahoo! Business.   

Glenn Hutchins has earned respect and success at the top of the business world, philanthropy, and public service. He is chairman of North Island and a co-founder of Silver Lake, and also served as chairman of the board of SunGard Data Systems, Inc. and Instinet, Inc. and a director of Nasdaq, Inc.   Previously, Mr. Hutchins served President Clinton in the White House as a special advisor on both economic and health-care policy. He was also a director of Harvard Management Company and co-chairman of Harvard University’s capital campaign.  

Andy Serwer is the editor in chief for Yahoo Finance, where he oversees all editorial content from breaking news to in-depth stories to original video programming. He was previously the managing editor of Fortune and worked at Time Inc. for 29 years. He has been a regular guest on MSNBC’S Morning Joe and CNBC’s Squawkbox and many other TV and radio programs.  

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Endgame? We live in an era where the so much happens in mere hours and days. Yet only six months ago the nation went through the rare event of an impeachment trial. The President was impeached in the House then acquitted in the Senate. What remains?  

Join us for a riveting conversation with Congressman Eric Swalwell (D-CA 15) as we discuss his new book "Endgame: Inside the Impeachment of Donald J. Trump." We will get an inside look into what went on during the impeachment, recent revelations made by other government leaders, along with discussing the 2020 election. Moderated by business leader and philanthropic icon Dennis Mehiel.    

Eric Swalwell is serving his fourth term representing California's 15th Congressional District, in the East Bay near San Francisco. Elected to Congress at age 31, he now serves on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and the House Judiciary Committee, and co-chairs the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee.   

In his first term he introduced three bills and had two signed into law -more than any other freshman congressman. He has since continued to have great success and has been credited as a leader within the party. Swalwell ran for the Democratic nominee for president focusing heavily on gun control but eventually dropped out. He recently published the book "Endgame: Inside the Impeachment of Donald J. Trump."  

Dennis Mehiel is one of the Democratic Party’s most visionary, effective and experienced leaders in the fields of business, government, politics and philanthropy. His close friends, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and dozens of other national Democratic leaders and Presidential candidates can attest to his vision and effectiveness. He has chaired and been involved with numerous committee's including the Battery Park City Authority and founded ShowUp in 2018 to increase participation in the 2018 midterm election.   

Mehiel’s governmental and political skills arise from decades of business and charitable activities. As Chairman, CEO and principal shareholder of Sweetheart Cup Company – then North America’s largest producer of disposable tabletop products for the “away-from-home dining” market, he brought the Company back from the brink of bankruptcy and preserved 8,000 jobs. During his long career in the corrugated packaging business he twice built the largest independent producer in North America.   

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Join us for a unique event with media mogul and expert Tom Rogers, creator of MSNBC and CNBC, along with his millennial daughter Jessica Rogers Ecker where we will be discussing social media, the youth vote and the 2020 election. What impact will the youth vote play in the upcoming election, how will social media be a factor in this election and so much more.  

A true innovator and leader in the field of television, news and entertainment, Tom Rogers is the founder of CNBC and a CNBC contributor, as well as the founder of MSNBC, when he served as the first President of NBC cable. He is the former CEO of TiVo and is currently Chairman of Engine Media, a broad based sports, esports, and news content & distribution company. He can also be credited for as bringing Netflix and Amazon to the TV screen. He is the former Senior Counsel to the House Telecommunications Committee where he oversaw the FCC and media industry. He is also an Editor-at-Large for Newsweek.   

Jessica Ecker is a graduate of Columbia University and Columbia Law School. After law school, she clerked for Hon. Michael M. Baylson of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and then Hon. Cheryl Ann Krause of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She is currently a litigation associate at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York City.   

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Sarah Longwell, recently profiled in the New Yorker, is one of the important Republican leaders, along with George Conway, Steve Schmidt, Bill Kristol,  and Max Boot, and others, who have audaciously taken on Trump - as an out-of-control executive. at odds with the law and their party. Join us as we dive into her ambitious drive to shape the campaign this fall, restore the nation, and her Party. Some call such actions a “suicide mission...”  Will their efforts prove successful?    

Sarah has served as a defining member of the Voters Against Trump movement and gained national attention as a Republican strategist and active voice in Republican politics. She is the head of the Republicans for the Rule of Law, part of Defending Democracy Together, which has and does advocate against Trump. She also served as the first female member of the board for the Log Cabin Republicans and would go on to serve as chairwoman of the board.   

Susan Del Percio is a New York-based Republican strategist and founder of Susan Del Percio Strategies, she has advised dozens of candidates in New York and elsewhere on successfully communicating messages to an electorate. Ms. Del Percio has served as a media spokeswoman on many campaigns, both political and corporate, and frequently appears on many local and national news outlets as a political analyst. Susan is also an MSNBC contributor. She served in the Giuliani Administration and holds a Masters degree in political communications.  

To RSVP for upcoming events, visit our events page at: https://www.thecommongoodus.org