The Takeaway

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages. 

For transcripts, please see individual segment pages. 

In just a few days, members of the 117th Congress will be sworn into office. While their first days in office will likely include talks about another COVID-19 aid package, one of their first tasks will be tallying the electoral college votes. This task would normally happen with little fanfare, but President Trump’s unfounded claims of voting irregularities and fraud have injected uncertainty into the typically peaceful transfer of power. 

Today, a look back at the recent conversations between Amy Walter and freshman members of Congress about the expectations they have going into their first terms. Plus, Nick Fandos of the New York Times describes President-elect Joe Biden’s chances for a more functional legislative process in 2021. 

Then, Georgia's competitive political landscape is emphasized by the fact that the state will soon hold two runoff elections that will determine which party controls the Senate. To secure the majority, Democrats will need to win both seats. Gradual demographic change, particularly in metro areas like Savannah and Atlanta, have pushed this former Republican stronghold into the swing-state territory. At the same time, grassroots organizations, many of them led by Black women, have spent years organizing and registering voters - especially Black voters. 

Andra Gillespie, an associate professor of political science at Emory University, and Deborah Scott, executive director of Georgia Stand-Up, describe the state’s changing electorate and the future of state-wide races. 

How the Pandemic Changed Our Relationship with Big Tech

The Takeaway looks back at our collective reliance on companies like Amazon and Google, and how it feels to be a consumer while attempting to reckon with the ethics of Big Tech. 

Making Sense of 2020 Through Poetry

The Takeaway speaks with poets Kwame Alexander and Javier Zamora to find out how they processed the events of the year in their own writing.

From the COVID-19 Pandemic to Black Lives Matter: What Kwanzaa Means in 2020

Tomorrow marks the final day of Kwanzaa, the annual weeklong celebration honoring African and African American culture.

A New Variant of COVID-19 Variant is Spreading Rapidly Worldwide

A new variant of the coronavirus has been spreading rapidly in parts of the world including the U.K., and now that variant has been detected here in the U.S.

Black Women Will Likely be Hurt the Most by the Looming Eviction Crisis

Research shows that Black women have historically faced evictions at twice the rate of white people in at least 17 states.

Black Animators and Voice Actors Weigh in on How the Animation Industry Needs to Change

This year saw the release of "Soul," the first Pixar movie with a Black lead character, but many Black creatives in the animation industry wonder what took so long.

Climate Change in 2020 Caused Some of the Worst Environmental Disasters in History

There have been 41 weather disasters this year that have caused more than a billion dollars in damage. A record 18 of these took place in the U.S.

Indigenous Treaties Are Helping to Secure Environmental Wins

Nearly 400 treaties exist in the U.S. to protect tribal lands and hunting and fishing rights—and they have rarely been honored. But that may be changing.

“Bridgerton” Presents a More Diverse Vision of the Period Drama

Producers for the new Netflix period drama, "Bridgerton," decided to subvert the genre by taking a largely colorblind approach to casting.

Decisive Georgia Senate Runoffs Enter Final Stage

In just about a week, Georgia will hold two Senate runoffs that will determine which party will control the U.S. Senate. 

Trump Pardons and Commutes Dozens of Loyalists

Last week, President Trump pardoned or commuted dozens of people. The majority of the President's pardons in his term have been those of supporters and loyalists to the president.

New Documentary, “The Dissident,” Explores the Life and Death of Jamal Khashoggi

More than two years after his murder, Khashoggi’s killers still have not been brought to justice, and the lives of journalists around the globe continue to be threatened.

Individual reactions to the coronavirus pandemic and the public health restrictions that have accompanied it have underscored how powerful negative partisanship can be in the formation of political opinions. In past crises, national shocks have urged partisans to put aside their personal grievances in pursuit of the greater good, but today, that doesn't seem to be the case. Jonathan Haidt, psychologist and professor of ethical leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business, shares how the perception of risk influences our political behavior and the impact it has on public opinion.

President Donald Trump spent his first term undermining the credibility of the media. His tweets, campaign events, and press conferences were tools he used to cast doubt on the legitimacy of reputable news organizations while promoting unfounded lies and conspiracy theories that served his personal agenda. As President Trump prepares to leave office, members of the White House press pool have turned their gaze to President-elect Joe Biden.

Due to the virtual nature of campaigning in 2020, Biden was able to avoid much of the traditional back and forth with members of the media. There are some who argue that members of the press didn’t push hard enough to get Biden in front of reporters. But because Biden has spent a considerable amount of time in Washington, he has a track record that he can be measured against.

A core part of Biden’s campaign promise was a return to normalcy that would include a more traditional communications team and relationship with the press. Rick Klein, political director at ABC News, Caitlin Conant, political director at CBS News, and Ben Smith, media columnist at The New York Times, discuss what the Biden administration’s relationship with the press could look like. 

President Trump distinguished himself in a crowded 2016 primary field by running as a populist. He spoke to the problems that many Americans felt the government had failed to adequately address, like their inability to earn a decent wage or pay for healthcare and higher education. A man who was born rich tapped into the anxieties of working-class Americans whose pleas for help were ignored by leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties.

William G. Howell, professor in American Politics at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, and Terry M. Moe, professor of Political Science at Stanford University and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution are the co-authors of Presidents, Populism, and the Crisis of Democracy. They spoke with Amy Walter about the last impact of populism and President Trump’s lasting impact on our politics. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.