Politics and Polls

Three weeks after the midterm elections, the results are finally clear. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang examine the emerging consensus regarding the outcome of the midterms that there was, in fact, a Blue Wave—at least in terms of the U.S. House of Representatives. The pair discuss the effects of geographic polarization and gerrymandering on the election results and how the size of the Democratic party’s popular vote victory is historic. Zelizer and Wang also discuss Nancy Pelosi’s prospects for resuming the title of Speaker of the House.

How is today’s brand of conservatism different from past presidencies? In this episode, Julian Zelizer discusses the ins and outs of conservatism today, particularly compared with that during the Ronald Reagan presidency, with economist Arthur Brooks. Brooks elaborates on his own unlikely path to becoming a leading conservative thinker and expresses his firm belief that, because of the unique history of the United States, nearly all Americans are progressive, regardless of their party identification. He also takes an historic look at the conservative movement, noting, for example, that while many of Trump’s views are in opposition to those of Reagan, they are very much in line with the conservatism of President William Taft. Brooks is currently the president of the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and also author of numerous books including “The Conservative Heart: How to Build a Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America.” He also writes comments in several media outlets including The New York Times.

Democrats gained control of the U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 6, while Republicans bolstered their majority in the U.S. Senate. Democrats also gained seven new governorships, including in states key to President Donald Trump’s victory in 2016 like Michigan, Wisconsin and Kansas. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss the election results and voting rights with Valerie Jarrett, former senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Jarrett believes that wrestling control of the House from the Republicans was a massive accomplishment and asserts that the Democrats did what they set out to do, successfully communicating a message to the electorate that resonated broadly across the country. Jarrett also discusses the strategy she and other women developed to make sure their ideas were heard in the White House.

he past week has been marked by a series of hate crimes. Pipe bombs were sent to a few political critics of President Donald Trump by a fanatic in Florida; two African Americans were shot by a white nationalist in Kentucky; and a horrific attack at a synagogue in Pittsburgh left 11 people dead. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss how these events could influence next week’s midterm elections. They examine how white nationalism is being leveraged to maximize voter turnout and if voter suppression attempts will affect tight gubernatorial and Congressional races. They also discuss voter rights expansion, which has substantial implications for 2020 and beyond.

Uncertainty looms regarding next week’s midterm elections. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang consider the dynamics shaping the midterm elections and the potential implications with journalist Barry Yeoman and political scientist Danielle M. Thomsen. Yeoman discusses a judicial race in North Carolina that has significant implications for democracy and voting rights in the state. Thomsen speaks about the likely role that female candidates and women voters will play in November. Thomsen is an assistant professor of political science at the University of California, Irvine, and a visiting scholar at the Center for the Study of Democratic Politics, Princeton University, 2018-19. She is the author of the 2017 book, “Opting Out of Congress: Partisan Polarization and the Decline of Moderate Candidates.” Her research focuses on the kinds of candidates who run for Congress, how this has changed over time, and why this matters for partisan trends in Congress. Barry Yeoman is a journalist who “specializes in in-depth reporting that puts a human face on complex issues.” In addition to his work in print media, Yeoman has also made forays into documentary radio. His work has won numerous accolades, including an honor by the Columbia Journalism Review, which proclaimed him to be one of “the best unsung investigative journalists working in print in the United States.”

Technological innovations have fundamentally altered the landscape of illicit trade. From war lords to state actors, top-down forces have harnessed technology to expand illicit trade in everything from pesticides to rhino horns. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss the current state of the global illicit economy with expert Louise Shelley of George Mason University. Shelley explains the roles of market forces, criminal actors and non-criminal actors in the illicit trade market. Shelley is the Omer and Nancy Hirst Endowed Chair for Civil Intellectuals, a professor in the Schar School of Government at George Mason University and the founder and director of the Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center. She also is the author of a new book, “Dark Commerce: How a New Illicit Economy is Threatening Our Future.”

Following a bitter and contentious confirmation process, Justice Brett Kavanaugh has been sworn in to the Supreme Court. Could his confirmation galvanize Republican support in the upcoming midterm elections? And what effect will it have on the reputation of the Court? Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang dive deep into the aftermath of Justice Kavanugh’s confirmation in this episode. They discuss Kavanaugh’s career, the increasingly politicized Supreme Court and whether this confirmation process was, indeed, historically divisive.

Questions abound regarding what impact the recently opened FBI investigation will have on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court confirmation process. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss Kavanaugh’s prior political career, recent testimony and prospects for confirmation with research journalist Marcy Wheeler. Wheeler discusses Kavanaugh’s role in both the Ken Starr investigation of President Bill Clinton and the national security legislation of the George W. Bush administration. Wheeler also discusses her unique approach to journalism, which relies predominantly on document analysis rather than human sourcing.

Working-class citizens have been historically underrepresented in American politics. In this episode, Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss the influence of money in politics — both in terms of who rises to elected office and how those elected govern — with political scientist Nicholas Carnes. Carnes asserts that government would be more responsive to what the general public wants if the socioeconomic backgrounds of politicians were more in line with those of the general public. Carnes then explains the cash barriers that exist, which bar working-class Americans from running for office.

Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has been accused of sexual assault. How might this play out? And what effect will it have on the midterm elections? Professors Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss this and more in today's episode. (Note: This episode was recorded on Tuesday, Sept. 18.)

The conservative news media has had a historical role in shaping national politics. In this episode, Julian Zelizer discusses the influence of conservative news media, both then and now, with historian Laurence Jurdem. Jurdem goes into detail about how conservative publications were created as a means to influence policymakers and as an alternative to the liberal news media. These outlets influenced presidents like Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan. Jurdem is the author of a new book, “Paving the Way for Reagan: The Influence of Conservative Media on US Foreign Policy 1964-1980.” He also is a regular contributor to numerous national publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the National Review.

Between the death of Senator John McCain, recent developments in the Trump-Russia investigation, and Congressional upsets, quite a bit has unfolded in the political sphere. Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang discuss all that's happened in this week's episode.

Fictional work often stimulates a broader debate about politics and history. This was the case following the release of Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman” in 2015. A beloved literary hero, Atticus Finch was remade into a bigoted antagonist. In today’s episode, historian and author Joseph Crespino joins Julian Zelizer to discuss the controversy that sparked following the release of “Go Set a Watchman.” Crespino, who’s written a book about Harper Lee’s writing, argues that her second book raised a number of questions about race relations and the American South.

The 25th Amendment has returned to national dialogue and become a popular topic during Donald Trump’s presidency. The amendment, adopted in 1967, addresses what happens if the President of the United States is removed, dies, is incapacitated, or otherwise unable to fulfill the powers and duties of the presidency. A leading law expert, Harold Hongju Koh joins today’s episode to explain the intricacies of the 25th Amendment. Earlier this year, Koh worked with the Rule of Law Clinic at Yale Law School to publish, “The Twenty-Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution: A Reader’s Guide,” which provides thorough guidance on the 25th Amendment. Koh is Sterling Professor of International Law at Yale Law School and one of the country’s leading experts in public and private international law, national security law and human rights.

In recent history, federalism has been favored by the Republican party, while Democrats have aimed to nationalize certain policies. But given Republicans’ current control of the federal government, progressive Democrats may need to aim to achieve their policy goals at the state level. Daniel Hemel joins this episode to discuss what he calls “blue state federalism” and how states themselves can be “laboratories of democracy.” Hemel, a law scholar, explains how states can set precedents for the federal government with regard to social issues. For example, Massachusetts did this by legalizing gay marriage and through adopting Romney-care, a precedent to the Affordable Care Act. Hemel is assistant professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School. His research focuses on taxation, nonprofit organizations, administrative law and federal courts.