The Takeaway

On Thursday President Biden held a press conference on the quickly spreading Omicron variant that’s now been found in multiple states.

To do that Biden has a new plan - and it doesn't include lockdowns. Instead, the White House wants to focus on vaccinating families, getting every adult a booster shot, and upping the testing on international travelers. The administration is even pushing for free, at-home covid tests covered by private insurance. 

To beat the new variant, Biden says it’s time for Americans to be united. But Americans across the country aren't exactly “united” in their support for him. Biden's approval rating sits at about 42%, and it hasn't budged even after the House passing his signature piece of legislation, Build Back Better. And when it comes to getting the shot, less than 60 percent of Americans are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 - one of the lowest rates among wealthy nations.

So what does all this mean for the White House when it comes to their response against omicron? We discuss with Sheryl Gay Stolberg, a Washington Correspondent covering health policy at the New York Times.

Will Biden's New Covid Strategy Fix His Low Approval Ratings? 

On Thursday President Biden held a press conference on the quickly spreading Omicron variant that’s now been found in multiple states. To beat the new variant, Biden says it’s time for Americans to be united. But Americans across the country aren't exactly “united” in their support for him. Biden's approval rating sits at about 42%, and it hasn't budged even after the House passing his signature piece of legislation, Build Back Better. We discuss with Sheryl Gay Stolberg, a Washington Correspondent covering health policy at the New York Times.

Reproductive Rights and the Constitution

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health which involves a Mississippi law that restricts abortion at 15 weeks, well before the viability of the fetus. Upholding the law threatens the constitutional right to abortion established in 1973 with Roe v Wade. We wanted to understand what the Constitution says or doesn’t say about the reproductive rights that have been extended to individuals for the past 50 years, so we spoke with Carter Snead, Professor of Law at Notre Dame University, and Elizabeth Wydra, President of the Constitutional Accountability Center.

Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams Second Bid for Governor: How the Political Landscape Has Changed

On Wednesday, Georgia Democrat Stacey Abrams announced via Twitter that she would once again seek the office of governor of  Georgia. With the upcoming midterm elections, all eyes will be on Georgia once again. But the political landscape has changed since 2018, so what will this mean for Abrams’ campaign? Delilah Agho-Otoghile, Field Director for Stacey Abrams' 2018 gubernatorial campaign and Executive Director of the Texas Future Project, joined the Takeaway to discuss. 

What Is the NYC Racial Justice Commission?

In March, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio created the Racial Justice Commission.  The Takeaway hears from two members of the commission, Jennifer Jones-Austin and Yesenia Mata about their work.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

"Attica" Film Chronicles Dishonest Media Portrayal Of America's Largest Prison Uprising

50 years ago, in 1971, over a thousand prisoners took hold of the Attica supermax facility for five days in Western New York making it the largest prison rebellion in American history. We were joined by "Attica" co-director Stanley Nelson to talk about the film and the historical significance of the uprising. 

"Mississippi Goddam: The Ballad of Billey Joe:” An Exploration of History, Southern Identity, Policing and Race

The Takeaway talks to Al Letson, the host of the national investigative news program, Reveal. He’s been working on an investigative podcast series that is out now called "Mississippi Goddam: The Ballad of Billey Joe.” The series takes its listeners to Lucedale, Mississippi, located in the southeast corner of the state, near Mobile, Alabama where a Black high school football star, Billie Joe Johnson, died during a traffic stop with a white deputy back in 2008.

Reinaldo Marcus Green on Directing HBO's King Richard

We spoke with the film's director Reinaldo Marcus Green about helming this project and where he’d like to take his career from here.

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.

Janai Nelson on the Future of the NAACP LDF

Janai Nelson, Associate Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund joins us to discuss the banning of books that teach a truthful version of history, and how she will lead the NAACP LDF in Spring of 2022 after the departure of current president, Sherrilyn Ifill. 

Abortion Is Back in the Supreme Court

As the justices hear arguments, advocates are gathering  outside the Court to express their support or opposition to abortion rights. The Takeaway spoke with one of those advocates, Dr. Dawn God-bolt, policy director at the National Birth Equity Collaborative. Her organization filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in support of the Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the only remaining abortion provider in Mississippi.

The Urgency of Addressing Global Inequalities on World AIDS Day

This year’s World AIDS Day theme is End Inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics. While the Joint United Nations AIDS program believes we can end the AIDS pandemic by 2030, we will not be able to do so without addressing the inequalities of awareness, infection rates, access to healthcare, and treatment around the world. We discuss the impact of those inequities with Dr. Steven Thrasher, professor at Northwestern University and author of the upcoming book, The Viral Underclass: The Human Toll When Inequality and Disease Collide.

Comedian Lizz Winstead on Bringing a Satirical Lens to the Fight for Abortion Rights

Daily Show co-creator Lizz Winstead joins The Takeaway to discuss her work for abortion access and the two recent abortion cases before the Supreme Court. She also talks about her organization Abortion Access Front and their new weekly Youtube show, Feminist Buzzkills Live!

For transcripts, see full segment pages.

SCOTUS To Decide the Fate of Reproductive Rights

This week, the Supreme Court will be hearing arguments for a Mississippi case that challenges legal precedent set by Roe v. Wade. If SCOTUS sides with the State of Mississippi, nearly five decades of abortion law will almost immediately be undone, and the effects would be swift and consequential as there are nearly 21 other states with "trigger laws" intended to criminalize a woman's right to choose. We heard from some listeners what Roe v. Wade means to them, and we sat down with Melissa Murray, Law Professor at NYU, faculty director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Network, and co-host of the legal podcast “Strict Scrutiny.”

Environmental Defenders Are Being Killed, Threatened for Protecting Their Land

According to a report by Global Witness, an environment and human rights watchdog, 2020 was the deadliest year on record for environment and land defenders around the world. On average more than four people a week were killed as a result of their work. And these numbers almost certainly underestimate the true scope of the violence. Much of this brutality occurred in Central and South America and more than one third of the victims are Indigenous persons. President Josefina Tunki of the Shuar Arutam People (PSHA) and Herlin Odicio, leader of the Kakataibo people in the central Peruvian Amazon joined the Takeaway to discuss.  

BOOK: A Field Guide to White Supremacy

A Field Guide to White Supremacy creates a roadmap for understanding the existence of extremism and white supremacy in the United States and why it continues to persist. Co-Editor Kathleen Belew and Jamelle Bouie, one of the many leading thinkers contributing to the text, join us to discuss the new book.

George McGovern's Impact on Today's Political System

To understand the current polarization of our political system, we need to look at political campaigns in history. In the podcast, Of The People, creator and producer Ben Bradford focuses his lens first on the 1968 Democratic National Convention. While anti-Vietnam war protestors demonstrated outside the convention, party bosses selected pro-war vice presidential candidate Hubert Humphrey, who had not won a single primary. At the same time, South Dakota freshman Senator George McGovern decided to run for president. We speak with Ben Bradford about how the trajectory of McGovern’s campaign impacted our political system.

Transformational Takeaway

Today, we honor the lifetime and legacy of American composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim who composed scores for groundbreaking musicals like Into the Woods, Westside Story, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. 

Multiple Guilty Verdicts for the Murder of Ahmaud Arbery

Nicole Lewis, senior editor of Jurisprudence at Slate, discusses guilty verdicts in Ahmaud Arbery murder case.

The Omicron Variant and Vaccine Inequity

Dr. Bhakti Hansoti, an associate professor of emergency medicine and international health at Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg School of Public Health will join us to discuss the latest.

Eating Leftovers in Style

Dan Pashman, host of The Sporkful joins The Takeaway to talk about how to make use of leftovers in style. And we also talk with him about his pasta, cascatelli, which was recently named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 best inventions of 2021.

Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis Talks About 'Fierce Love'

She is the author of Fierce Love: A Bold Path to Ferocious Courage and Rule-Breaking Kindness That Can Heal the World and the host of the “Love.Period.” Podcast and she left our listeners with a timely message about the power of love and radical acceptance. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages. 

 What Kneeling in Protest Means To a New Generation of Athletes

Dave Zirin, Sports Editor for The Nation, talks to The Takeaway about his new book, The Kaepernick Effect: Taking a Knee, Changing the World.  The Takeaway talked with Zirin about the long history of activism by athletes and what this new generation risked as they stood up for equality by taking a knee.

"High on the Hog" Celebrates Black Food Culture

In the new Netflix series “High on the Hog,” host and food writer Stephen Satterfield traces the history and significance of African American foodways. The show is based on a book of the same name by the renowned historian and cookbook author Dr. Jessica B. Harris. We’re joined by Osayi Endolyn, a James Beard Award-winning writer and co-author of "The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food," for more on Black food culture. 

In His New Book, Chef Bryant Terry Explores Black Foodways

Earlier this year, the Netflix series “High on the Hog” brought the stories of the Black people who have shaped U.S. food culture past and present to a mainstream audience. It turns out there’s a lot of appetite right now in recognizing and celebrating Black foodways and culinary traditions.   

 For transcripts, see individual segment pages.  

A few weeks ago we hosted a special Takeaway live on Facebook that served as holiday preparation. You can watch the full event here.

We spoke with Dr. Monique Morris, President and CEO of Grantmakers for Girls of Color, Imara Jones, creator of TransLash Media, and Bré Rivera, writer and co-creator of The Femme Queen Chronicle about how we hold space for challenging but necessary conversations around gender identity with our loved ones as we all come together for the holidays. 

We also heard from our listeners and staff on what their holiday plans are as we encounter another holiday season during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Trans Lifeline

Trans Lifeline is run by and for trans people with a goal to provide trans peer support and care for our community.

(877) 565-8860

Black Trans Travel Fund

The Black Trans Travel Fund is a grassroots, Black Trans led Collective, providing Black transgender women with financial and material resources needed to remove barriers to self-determining and accessing safer travel options.

Managing our Mental Health During the Holiday Season

Looking ahead to the second year of holidays during the pandemic, we speak with Dr. Vaile Wright, Senior Director of Health Care Innovation at the American Psychological Association. Dr. Wright discusses how to identify signs of depression and anxiety and the importance of creating a coping plan so that we can better manage our mental health during the holidays this year.

How to Cope With Grief and Loss During the Holiday Season

Covid-19 has claimed more than 5 million lives globally.  That means many families have an empty chair at the holiday table this year. Including many families in our Takeaway community of listeners. Dr. Sonya Lott is a licensed psychologist specializing in prolonged grief, and she spoke to The Takeaway to help us through coping with grief and loss during the holidays. 

COVID-19 Is Surging Across Europe

Because of the rise in cases, some governments have had to put in place new COVID restrictions, including lockdowns for the unvaccinated, prompting backlash -- and even large protests in countries like Austria and Belgium. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke to Yasmeen Serhan, staff writer at The Atlantic. 

What is Therapeutic Choice?

Does medical freedom and choice cover those not wanting to get the Covid-19 vaccine or those resisting the Covid-19 Mandates? We talk about this and more with Lewis Grossman, author of Choose Your Medicine: Freedom of Therapeutic Choice in America.

Can the U.S Legal System Deliver Justice?

Two recent cases bring that question into the forefront. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt spared the life of Julius Jones by commuting his death sentence four hours before his execution. Jones will spend the rest of his life in jail despite his claims of innocence and ineffective counsel. Kyle Rittenhouse who killed two people and maimed another was found not guilty on all charges because he claimed self defense. Paul Butler, the Albert Brick Professor in Law at Georgetown University Law Center joins us to discuss the two cases, and the true meaning of justice under our current legal system. 

The U.S. Has a Nursing Crisis

The pandemic has placed intense stress on nurses nationwide, leading many to consider leaving the profession altogether. For more on this, The Takeaway spoke with Jean Ross, president of National Nurses United, the largest organization of registered nurses in the United States, and Leo-Felix Jurado, professor and chairperson at the William Paterson University Department of Nursing. 

Netflix Adapts Popular Anime Show "Cowboy Bebop" to Live Action 

Part science fiction, part Neo-noir, with a splash of slapstick comedy, the anime series "Cowboy Bebop" follows a ragtag group of bounty hunters, called cowboys, as they track down fugitives across space in a dystopian future. Adapting animated stories like “Cowboy Bebop” into live action is no easy feat. Anime especially, since it has a pretty unique visual and storytelling style that doesn’t necessarily translate well to live actors. That’s according to Shirley Li, staff writer covering culture for The Atlantic. The Takeaway recently spoke with her and Jeff Yang, cultural critic and co-author of the forthcoming book Rise: A Pop History of Asian America from the Nineties to Now, about the new live action “Cowboy Bebop” series. 

For transcripts, see individual segment pages.