Thinking CAP

Joyce Vance—a former U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, an MSNBC contributor, and current distinguished law professor at the University of Alabama—knows a thing or two about this country’s legal institutions. From the efficiency of special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, to the influence and legacy of U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Ed and Daniella probe this seasoned prosecutor on a range of issues surrounding our trust in institutions. Vance also shares her thoughts on what to expect from Mueller’s investigation in the coming weeks and how much of the final report—if any—the public will get to see.

The alleged assassination of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul has rattled the world, and attention has turned to how the U.S. government will respond. Against that tableau, Daniella and Ed sat down with Michael McFaul, the former U.S. ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama, to break down what an American diplomatic response should be to this atrocious alleged crime. McFaul also discusses Russia’s new ideological war with the West and retells the story of when President Donald Trump almost allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin to interrogate him. Editor’s note: this interview was conducted on Monday, October 14.

Hollywood and Washington, D.C., collide in the pod this week as Ike Barinholtz stops by to discuss his new film, “The Oath,” in which he stars alongside Tiffany Haddish, and for which he earned his first major movie directing credit. The writer/director/actor talks about the inspirations behind his satirical take on these sordid times and shares how his early aspiration of being a politician shaped his political engagement—and rampant media consumption—in today’s climate. No spoilers, all laughs.

Michael Steele is probably not who you’d usually expect to be our guest, but these are unusual times. The former Republican National Committee chairman and lieutenant governor of Maryland—and the first African American elected to statewide office in Maryland—joined the pod this week to discuss the present chaos riddling the ranks of the conservative movement with President Donald Trump at the helm and how that disorder has impacted his efforts to motivate voters of color. In fact, he doesn’t even try anymore. Come for the bipartisan conversation, stay for Steele’s take on Kanye.

The pod is in New York City for the second annual Smart On Crime Innovations Conference—an annual convening to change the criminal justice system to be fairer and more just, comprehensive, and effective. Ed and Daniella were lucky to be joined by Valerie Jarrett, formerly the senior adviser to President Barack Obama, and Michael Tubbs, the 28-year-old mayor of Stockton, California. Mayor Tubbs offers his personal philosophy for how leadership at the local level can move the needle on criminal justice reform, and Jarrett provides her take on the ongoing sexual assault allegations against Judge Brett Kavanaugh and what they portend for the future of the Supreme Court and the country. Finally, we all find common ground in a certain hit television series. And attention: spoiler alerts within, but don't worry—they're from last season.

As the U.N. General Assembly kicks off this week, Daniella and Ed sat down with Ambassador Wendy Sherman—the former under secretary of state for political affairs and the first woman to hold that post—to reflect on the most recent diplomatic goings-on in North Korea and Iran and how this administration has hamstrung American leadership abroad. As the former lead negotiator for the Iran nuclear deal, Ambassador Sherman discusses her new book, "Not For The Faint of Heart: Lessons in Courage, Power, and Persistence," and weighs in on how she learned to embrace power as a woman in Washington.

Dan Pfeiffer knows when to speak. As a former senior adviser and communications director for former President Barack Obama, Pfeiffer was once charged with shaping 44’s public voice and vision. Now, as a Pod Save America co-host and author of a new book, “Yes We (Still) Can,” Pfeiffer—like the rest of us—is still reckoning with how we went from the first black president to one that traffics in racism and fascism, and has white supremacists on his staff. He joined the pod this week to remind us that we are not that far removed from a president who is comfortable using polysyllabic words, and shares how he accidentally stumbled into a podcasting empire.

CNN’s Chief Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin joins Daniella and Ed to discuss the new sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. They draw on the eerie parallels to Anita Hill’s experience back in 1991 and look at how today’s #MeToo Movement might a foretell a different outcome. They also digest the plea deal Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, made with the special counsel and break down what it all means for the president. Finally, they look at the extraordinary life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Toobin reveals what he—and some liberals—see as a "selfish act."

Nayyera Haq is asking the right questions. As a former White House and State Department official in the Obama administration, Haq knows what a functioning government looks like — and knows this isn’t it. In this episode, Haq taps her past life as a government official and joins Daniella and Ed to talk about the Trump administration’s foreign policy ethos (strategic pessimism), the anonymous New York Times op-ed (no big deal), and being a new parent (smelly). She also shares her thoughts on the so-called Department of Swagger, and why the 25th Amendment sounds so intriguing.

Jason Kander is an army veteran, former secretary of state for Missouri, and founder of the voting rights advocacy group Let America Vote. In this episode, Daniella and Ed sit down with Kander to discuss his new book, "Outside the Wire: Ten Lessons I've Learned in Everyday Courage," and his position as a progressive in a red state. Daniella breaks down the political ad that brought Jason into the national consciousness—or, at least, into her consciousness—and Ed laments the foregone fate of his beloved Detroit Lions. Finally, our hosts digest Nike's new ad campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick.

Vanita Gupta, former head of the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice and president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, joins Daniella and Ed for our second episode of Season Two to discuss Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, the lack of transparency throughout his vetting process, and what listeners can do to say “no” to his confirmation. She also speaks to his threat to the Voting Rights Act, as well as why President Donald Trump’s push to add a citizenship question to the 2020 census would be devastating for many communities across the country. Finally, she shares why her husband won’t let her binge watch “Insecure.”

We're back for Season Two! On our first episode, former FBI special agent and counterterrorism expert Clint Watts joins Daniella and Ed to discuss the Russian disinformation campaign waged throughout the 2016 presidential election. He recounts how he researched for his new book—Messing with the Enemy: Surviving in a Social Media World of Hackers, Terrorists, Russians, and Fake News—by engaging with terrorists and terrorist sympathizers on social media. The conversation also touches on what can be done to protect American election security in 2018 and 2020 and why our current social media usage makes us targets for manipulation and hacking. Lastly, Watts shares what he has been paying attention to in pop culture.

Thinking CAP is back Thursday, September 6, with two new co-hosts: Daniella Gibbs Léger, senior vice president for Communications and Strategy at the Center for American Progress, and Ed Chung, CAP vice president for Criminal Justice Reform. This season, they will tackle some of the biggest questions at play in our democracy with the biggest names in politics, comedy, sports, and activism. Season 2 will feature interviews with Clint Watts, a former FBI special agent for counterterrorism; Vanita Gupta, who previously led the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice; Jason Kander, an Afghanistan veteran and former Missouri secretary of state; Jeh Johnson, former secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; and Jeffrey Toobin, best-selling author, longtime staff writer for The New Yorker, and CNN’s chief legal analyst.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Weldon Angelos join Michele and Igor LIVE from Washington D.C. to discuss decriminalizing marijuana. Booker discusses his efforts in Congress to reform outdated federal marijuana policies that predominantly affect people of color, the drastic need for real sentencing reform, and the role activists must play to get this work done. Angelos shares his own experience with harsh marijuana laws—sentenced to 55 years for a first time offense. Booker also shares his initial thoughts on Justice Kennedy’s retirement from the Supreme Court. For more like this, check out Senator Cory Booker’s podcast “Lift Every Voice”: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/lift-every-voice/id1334991206?mt=2 and follow @SmartonCrimeUS on twitter

Ryan Deitsch, a student activist from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, and Dejuan Patterson, executive director of the BeMore Group, sit down with Michele and Igor to discuss efforts they are both taking to prevent gun violence and how we can prioritize perspectives from young people of color in the conversation. Patterson shares his personal experience with gun violence in Baltimore, when after he was robbed and shot in the head, the police presumed he was the perpetrator of a crime. Deitsch also shares how he was put off by interactions with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) following the shooting in Parkland, Florida, and his suggestions for all elected officials: Open your DMs.