To the Point

Donald Trump held his first news conference in six months—staged at Trump Tower in New York -- while his cabinet nominees were being scrutinized by Senate Committees in Washington. We look at today's political drama from Trump Tower to the vetting of nominees for Secretary of State and Attorney General.

The election and re-election of the first black president led to predictions of a "post-racial" America. Today, we talk about Barack Obama's eight years in the White House and what they mean for the future. 

Donald Trump has tweeted that only "fools" and "stupid people" don't want closer relations between the US and Russia -- despite intelligence findings. When he gets to the White House, will he make peace with the CIA, the FBI and America's massive network of spies and covert activities? 

In a rare political moment, the head of the AFL-CIO has expressed some agreement with the Republican President-elect. But how far is Donald Trump willing to go on behalf of working Americans? We look for answers among his appointees to offices that can make a difference.

Donald Trump, his aides and many supporters have said that US Intelligence agencies have not produced enough evidence to convince them that Russia tried to influence the US election. Is Trump onto something American spies don't know, or is he concerned that reports of Russian influence will de-legitimize his election?

President Obama took office with promises to bring troops home from the Middle East, engage with hostile nations and build ties with the world's other major powers. We hear different assessments of where he succeeded and where he failed.

One politician's "achievements" are another's "mistakes that urgently need correction." We look at what president Obama will leave behind when his second term ends three weeks from now.

Universal basic income is an idea people on both the Left and Right have kicked around for decades. But it has newfound currency because of the gig economy and automation replacing workers. On this special rebroadcast of To the Point, guest host Barbara Bogaev discusses the pros and cons of Uncle Sam cutting everyone a check.

In this tumultuous year for American politics, that wasn't the only thing to talk about. Every day we bring you a Talking Point about an issue or an event that's helping define the national conversation even though it's not leading the news.  Today, we bring you a collection of our favorites. 

The freelance workforce is growing exponentially, with companies like Uber, Lyft, and Etsy driving the trend, as well as corporations increasingly outsourcing work. Guest host Barbara Bogaev looks at what happens when we all become our own bosses -- especially as we near retirement.