Politics and Polls

Polarization was a strong undercurrent to the 2016 presidential election, powerfully affecting the electorate and politics. Looking toward President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments, those same divisions remain clear. As Trump builds his team, the nation is beginning to see the outlines of a Trump administration - one that fits well with congressional Republicans. In their first live recording of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss Trump’s recent appointments, the state of polarization today and how the polls got it wrong.

Polarization was a strong undercurrent to the 2016 presidential election, powerfully affecting the electorate and politics. Looking toward President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet appointments, those same divisions remain clear. As Trump builds his team, the nation is beginning to see the outlines of a Trump administration - one that fits well with congressional Republicans. In their first live recording of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss Trump’s recent appointments, the state of polarization today and how the polls got it wrong.

Since Donald Trump’s election, there has been considerable debate about what the Democratic party should do next. While some Democrats argue for an openness to cooperation, others insist there isn’t room for compromise given Trump’s views on race and individual rights. In this episode of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview one of the most powerful voices in this debate: Jamelle Bouie. In his writing, Bouie — who serves as Slate’s chief political correspondent — has tackled a host of issues from white nationalism to minority voters to Trump’s vision of Black America. His work has appeared either online or in print at The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Nation and other publications. He also serves as a political analyst for CBS News.

Since Donald Trump’s election, there has been considerable debate about what the Democratic party should do next. While some Democrats argue for an openness to cooperation, others insist there isn’t room for compromise given Trump’s views on race and individual rights. In this episode of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview one of the most powerful voices in this debate: Jamelle Bouie. In his writing, Bouie — who serves as Slate’s chief political correspondent — has tackled a host of issues from white nationalism to minority voters to Trump’s vision of Black America. His work has appeared either online or in print at The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Nation and other publications. He also serves as a political analyst for CBS News.

The vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court has returned to the spotlight, with President-elect Donald Trump promising supporters that he will nominate a conservative justice, and Democrats fuming from Senate Republicans’ refusal to hold a vote on Obama nominee Merrick Garland. In this episode of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview Linda Greenhouse about how a Trump presidency may affect the U.S. Supreme Court. Greenhouse is the Knight Distinguished Journalist in Residence and Joseph Goldstein Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School. She covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times between 1978 and 2008 and writes a biweekly column on law. She’s the author of several books, including, most recently, “The Burger Court and the Rise of the Judicial Right.”

The vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court has returned to the spotlight, with President-elect Donald Trump promising supporters that he will nominate a conservative justice, and Democrats fuming from Senate Republicans’ refusal to hold a vote on Obama nominee Merrick Garland. In this episode of Politics & Polls, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview Linda Greenhouse about how a Trump presidency may affect the U.S. Supreme Court. Greenhouse is the Knight Distinguished Journalist in Residence and Joseph Goldstein Lecturer in Law at Yale Law School. She covered the Supreme Court for The New York Times between 1978 and 2008 and writes a biweekly column on law. She’s the author of several books, including, most recently, “The Burger Court and the Rise of the Judicial Right.”

Political polarization is the worst it’s been since the Civil War, some experts argue. How did we get here? How have America’s ideologies shifted so much in the past four decades? What forces underlie the growing divide between Republicans and Democrats? And how has social media and varying sources of information widened the gap? In episode 21, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss party polarization with Matt Grossmann and David Hopkins, co-authors of the new book, “Asymmetric Politics: Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats.” Published by Oxford University Press, the book provides a new understanding of contemporary polarization. Grossmann and Hopkins show how Republicans are more ideological, gaining public support by pledging their loyalty to broad values, while Democrats are more interested in special interest groups, appealing to voters’ group identities and interests through the endorsement of certain policies. The result: two parties that think differently, argue past one another, rely on completely different sources of information and pursue divergent governmental goals.

Political polarization is the worst it’s been since the Civil War, some experts argue. How did we get here? How have America’s ideologies shifted so much in the past four decades? What forces underlie the growing divide between Republicans and Democrats? And how has social media and varying sources of information widened the gap? In episode 21, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss party polarization with Matt Grossmann and David Hopkins, co-authors of the new book, “Asymmetric Politics: Ideological Republicans and Group Interest Democrats.” Published by Oxford University Press, the book provides a new understanding of contemporary polarization. Grossmann and Hopkins show how Republicans are more ideological, gaining public support by pledging their loyalty to broad values, while Democrats are more interested in special interest groups, appealing to voters’ group identities and interests through the endorsement of certain policies. The result: two parties that think differently, argue past one another, rely on completely different sources of information and pursue divergent governmental goals.

In a stunning upset, Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang react to the results in episode #20, their first post-election recording. Among a host of issues, they discuss why the polls might’ve been off and what a Trump presidency means the nation and the history of democracy.

In a stunning upset, Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States. Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang react to the results in episode #20, their first post-election recording. Among a host of issues, they discuss why the polls might’ve been off and what a Trump presidency means the nation and the history of democracy.

In their last episode before the election, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang look ahead to election day 2016. Among other issues, they discuss what the results will do to the GOP, which states Wang in particular will be watching on election night (hint: it’s not what you’d think), how the Senate races might turn out and if this particular election may shape political discourse in 2020 and beyond.

In their last episode before the election, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang look ahead to election day 2016. Among other issues, they discuss what the results will do to the GOP, which states Wang in particular will be watching on election night (hint: it’s not what you’d think), how the Senate races might turn out and if this particular election may shape political discourse in 2020 and beyond.

Since the 1970s, the religious right has been an important part of the Republican coalition. This group, comprised mostly of right-wing Christians, are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies. Throughout this presidential campaign, both candidates, especially Donald Trump, have tested the religious right. Trump’s personal wrongdoings, in particular, have ruffled feathers, which some say are causing splits within the religious right. In this episode, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss this sect with their colleague Kevin M. Kruse, a professor of history at Princeton University. Kruse studies the political, social, and urban/suburban history of 20th-century America, with particular interest in the making of modern conservatism. Kruse is the author of “White Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism” and, most recently, “One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America,” a study of the rise of American religious nationalism in the mid-twentieth century.

Since the 1970s, the religious right has been an important part of the Republican coalition. This group, comprised mostly of right-wing Christians, are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies. Throughout this presidential campaign, both candidates, especially Donald Trump, have tested the religious right. Trump’s personal wrongdoings, in particular, have ruffled feathers, which some say are causing splits within the religious right. In this episode, professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss this sect with their colleague Kevin M. Kruse, a professor of history at Princeton University. Kruse studies the political, social, and urban/suburban history of 20th-century America, with particular interest in the making of modern conservatism. Kruse is the author of “White Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism” and, most recently, “One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America,” a study of the rise of American religious nationalism in the mid-twentieth century.

Who knew that the discharge petition—signed by members of the House of Representatives to bring a bill from committee to the floor—could be good material for a Tony Award-winning play and HBO feature film? In this episode, Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang interview Robert Schenkkan whose play “All the Way” about Lyndon B. Johnson has been brought from the stage to the screen. “All the Way” is a play and film depicting LBJ’s efforts to enact the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and his re-election victory against Republican candidate Barry Goldwater. Schenkkan is an American screenwriter, actor and playwright. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1992 for his play “The Kentucky Cycle” and his play “All the Way” earned the 2014 Tony Award for Best Play. He has three Emmy nominations and one Writers Guild of America Award. The conversation explores how artists encourage us to think about politics beyond the scope of the media or academia and, in unique ways, teach Americans how politics work. Through plays such as “All the Way,” Zelizer and Wang discuss with Schenkkan how the arts have opened up conversations about politics and play an important role in an era when many Americans seem distrustful.