Politics and Polls

Efforts at controlling the powers of concentrated wealth has been an ongoing problem within society. Some believe overcoming the issue involves looking back at the foundations of democratic societies. Paul Starr from Princeton University joins Sam Wang and Julian E. Zelizer to discuss about his new book, “Entrenchment: Wealth, Power and, the Constitution of Democratic Societies.” The book examines how societal changes in the foundations of contemporary politics are difficult to reverse and how the efforts against entrenchment can be found in the foundations of society to influence the future of America’s democracy. Starr is Stuart Professor of Communications and Public Affairs and professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. He is co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect magazine and received the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the 1984 Bancroft Prize in American History. His other books include “The Social Transformation of American Medicine” and “The Creation of the Media” and more.

With reports that voting rights are being compromised, some have concluded that elections are not truly democratic. Yet, individuals are making positive changes in their communities to protect these important rights. Joshua Douglas joins Sam Wang to discuss his new book, “Vote for US: How to Take Back Our Elections and Change the Future of Voting.” The book captures the positive stories of Americans working to secure elections by improving their local and state voting processes. In writing this book, Douglas aims to not only chart efforts to fight against voter suppression but also promote improvements that are making elections more inclusive, convenient, and democratic. Douglas is the Thomas P. Lewis Professor of Law at the University of Kentucky. His research includes election law and voting rights, civil procedure, constitutional law, and judicial decision-making. He co-edited the book “Election Law Stories” and has published his work in top academic journals, including the Georgetown Law Journal, Penn Law Review Online, Vanderbilt Law Review, Washington University Law Review, among others.

The internet continues to expand and grow in complexity, yet many people are unaware of its origins. Understanding the internet’s roots could be beneficial when looking toward the future of the web. David Kushner, award-winning journalist and author, joins Julian E. Zelizer to talk about his new book, “The Players Ball: A Genius, A Con Man, and the Secret History of the Internet’s Rise.” The book tells the relatively unknown story of Gary Kremen, creator of Match.com, and his fight for ownership of Sex.com against Stephen Michael Cohen. Kushner demonstrates how the Internet has evolved as a commercial platform through communication and business. Kushner is a contributing editor of Rolling Stone and has written for publications including The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Wired, New York Times Magazine, New York, and GQ. He has also written “Masters of Doom,” “Jonny Magic and the Card Shark Kids,” and more.

As the country debates whether President Trump should be impeached, many are making comparisons to past presidencies like Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton. Less attention, however, is paid to the impeachment of Andrew Johnson, the first president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. Brenda Wineapple, author of “The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation,” joins Julian Zelizer to discuss the components of the impeachment process of Johnson. Having begun “The Impeachers” six years ago, Wineapple talks about her book and demonstrates Johnson’s impeachment as a significant event in American history. Wineapple also wrote “Ecstatic Nation: Confidence, Crisis, and Compromise, 1848-1877,” named a “Notable Book” by The New York Times and “White Heat: The Friendship of Emily Dickinson and Thomas Wentworth Higginson,” a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Many in the media argue that the Trump administration is challenging democratic norms. Are they right or overstating the case? Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin joins Sam Wang to discuss the role of the fourth estate, the danger of “normalizing chaos,” and how Rubin transitioned from a passionate Reagan conservative to a never-Trumper who left the GOP. Rubin’s column covers politics and policy and provides insight into the conservative movement, the Republican and Democratic parties, and threats to Western democracies. She is also a contributor to MSNBC. Previously, Rubin worked at The Weekly Standard and Commentary magazine, and practiced labor law for two decades before becoming a journalist. Rubin will be visiting the Woodrow Wilson School as part of its Leadership through Mentorship Program Oct. 16-17, 2019.

Of the 23 candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for president, who is the most electable? How does one define “electability,” and how does the media drive its relevance? As the initial Democratic primary debates approach, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss what the early “horserace” polling numbers tell us, as well as the influence of communication media such as live television and Twitter.

Following the release of the Mueller Report, much of the media and the public’s focus has been on potential obstruction of justice. Yet, argues Georgetown University’s Marty Lederman, more attention should be paid to whether President Trump’s conduct violated his Constitutional oath of office and undermined the counterintelligence investigation into Russian election interference. As Democrats continue debating whether to file articles of impeachment, Lederman joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang to discuss how the report transcends Mueller’s decision-making on obstruction of justice. Lederman was deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) from 2009 to 2010, and an attorney advisor in the OLC from 1994 to 2002.

Last week, former White House Counsel Don McGahn — a key figure in Volume II of the Mueller Report — reportedly was instructed by the Trump administration not to comply with a subpoena from House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler for documents and testimony related to the Committee’s obstruction of justice investigation. Continuing our Mueller Report book club, journalist Quinta Jurecic joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang to give listeners a roadmap to Volume II. They examine the elements comprising obstruction of justice, instances of the President’s conduct Mueller weighed against the criminal statutes (including previous orders he gave McGahn), and why Mueller felt barred by existing Justice Department policy from indicting Trump — yet explicitly states the report does not exonerate him. Jurecic is the managing editor of Lawfare and a contributing writer to The Atlantic. She writes about politics, legal issues, and the rule of law. She previously served as an editorial writer for The Washington Post and as Lawfare's associate editor.

Hundreds of former federal prosecutors asserted in a recent statement that, were Donald Trump not the President, he would have been charged with obstruction of justice based on findings contained in Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s (Class of 1966) report. As the aftermath of the report continues to unfold, what should Americans retain and understand from the document itself? In part one of a three-episode series, independent journalist Marcy Wheeler joins Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang in a deep-dive look at Volume I — which examines whether there was conspiracy or coordination between Trump’s associates and the Russian government on its election interference efforts, and describes in detail activities not deemed criminal but likely to be considered political graft. Marcy Wheeler writes about national security and civil liberties at her eponymous blog, emptywheel. She also publishes at outlets including Motherboard, the New Republic, and Al Jazeera, and appears frequently on television and radio. Blogging full-time since 2007, Wheeler was declared an internet human rights hero by Access Now. She serves on the advisory committee for the House Fourth Amendment Caucus and as a senior fellow at GWU’s Center for Cyber & Homeland Security. She holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from the University of Michigan.

Has feminism changed in in recent years, particularly with the #MeToo movement and presidential elections as the backdrop? A new book by author and actress Amber Tamblyn explores "coming of age in a time of rage,” showing how self-reflection can lead to personal upheaval and, ultimately, positive change. Tamblyn discusses her book, “Era of Ignition,” in this episode with co-host Julian Zelizer. She discussed the book during an April 23 visit to the Princeton University campus. Tamblyn is known for her work on "General Hospital," "Joan of Arcadia," "Two and a Half Men" and "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." In June 2018 Tamblyn released her first novel "Any Man." "Era of Ignition" is her second book, published by Penguin Random House.

A redacted version of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report was released April 18, giving politicians time since to respond to its findings. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss the politics of navigating the report, particularly for the Democratic Party. The pair discuss some of the various reactions of several leading primary candidates, especially Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Zelizer also makes the case for why embarking on impeachment proceedings in 2019 might not yield the same consequences as the Republican-led effort in the 1990s.

Reproductive rights have been a contentious issue for decades and have come into particular focus during the Trump presidency. In this episode, Julian Zelizer discusses possible future for reproductive rights in the United States with Cecile Richards, former president of Planned Parenthood. In their conversation, they talk about the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict reproductive rights in the legislature and in the judiciary. Richards discusses state-led efforts to limit reproductive rights and the wide-ranging implications of the Kavanaugh confirmation. She also explains several of the interconnections among reproductive rights, women’s rights, health care rights, and more. INSERT PODCAST Richards is a national leader for womens rights and social and economic justice. She was the president of Planned Parenthood for twelve years and previously served as the deputy chief of staff for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Richards is also the author of The New York Times’ bestseller “Make Trouble: Stand Up, Speak Out, and Find the Courage to Lead.”

Donald Trump’s presidency has raised serious questions about the future direction of the Republican Party. Former Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona has been among those to raise concerns about the party. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss the GOP with Flake, who outlines some of his divergences with the President’s views. Flake, who was a U.S. Senator in Arizona from 2013 to 2019, expresses concern that the Republican party has seemed to abandon what it believes to be right in favor of what makes for an effective campaigning message. Flake further asserts his view that Republicans have failed to fully internalize what he believes to have been a ringing defeat during the midterm elections. While in the Senate, Flake worked on the Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and Law and chaired the Africa Subcommittee of the Foreign Relations Committee. He previously served as the executive director of the Goldwater Institute and then spent six terms in the House of Representatives from 2001 to 2013. He is the author of The New York Times bestseller: “Conscious of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle.”

The technology sector is an important part of the economy, yet there exists a dearth of women in the field — especially females of color. Joining this episode to discuss breaking through these barriers is Kimberly Bryant, founder and CEO of Black Girls CODE, a non-profit organization dedicated to “changing the face of technology” by introducing girls of color (ages 7-17) to the field of technology and computer science. Bryant’s organization will host a workshop for young girls who want to explore artificial intelligence this Saturday, April 6, in New York City. Prior to starting Black Girls CODE, Bryant worked for over 20 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries as an engineering manager in a series of technical leadership roles for various Fortune 50 companies such as Genentech, Merck, and Pfizer. Since 2011, Bryant has helped Black Girls CODE grow from a local grassroots initiative serving only the San Francisco Bay Area, to an international organization with fourteen chapters across the United States and in Johannesburg, South Africa. Black Girls CODE has currently reached over 7,000 students and continues to grow and thrive.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller released his report on Russia interference in the 2016 election this week, finding no collusion between President Donald Trump and Russia, but neither charging nor exonerating Trump on obstruction of justice. Now, many Democratic leaders argue the report, which has not been made public, should be made available in its entirety to lawmakers and Congress. In this episode, Sam Wang and Julian Zelizer discuss how the absence of this public report is shaping the overall narrative of the investigation and its results.