Ken Rudin's Political Junkie

Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 45th President … and wasted no time in making the changes he said he would do.  But he also remains unable or unwilling, to let go of personal grievances and slights.  Aaron Blake of the Washington Post gives an assessment after less than a week of the Trump presidency. While there’s still a ways to go, thus far the Trump Cabinet nominees have, with a few bumps, advanced their cause in Senate hearings.  Secretary of State designate Rex Tillerson was thought to be in jeopardy of losing the support of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who gave him a tough grilling in the Foreign Relations Committee.  But ultimately Rubio voted yes.  Adam Smith of the Tampa Bay Times, a long time Rubio watcher, talks about the limited options he had.  We go back nine years to January 2008, remembering the ultimate collapse of the presidential candidacy of Fred Thompson, once a leading candidate for the GOP nomination. And we get some good news from Jim McGrath, the spokesman for former President George H.W. Bush, who is still hospitalized, but improving, for bacterial pneumonia at a Houston hospital. Photo via AP Images/Patrick Semansky Music used in this podcast: Monster by Steppenwolf Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind by The Lovin’ Spoonful Everybody’s A Star by The Kinks Broke And Lonely  by Tab Benoit When I Dream by The Teardrop Explodes This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

With just days to go before Donald Trump is sworn in, Matthew Dallek of George Washington University talks about the history of inaugurations — including his choice of some of the more memorable ones. And while we will have a new president on Friday, it’s less sure when the new Cabinet will be in place; some of Trump’s nominees face a modicum of difficulty in getting confirmed.  Linda Chavez, who was President George W. Bush’s choice to head up the Labor Department in 2001 talks about her experience. Chavez was forced to withdraw her name after it was revealed she had sheltered an illegal immigrant in her home. Next month the Democratic National Committee will choose its new chair.  One of the candidates for the job, Ray Buckley, the head of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, makes the argument for his election. And Mark Shriver of the famously Catholic Kennedy family — his mother was Jack Kennedy’s sister — talks about his new biography of Pope Francis.  The book is about not only the rise of the Pope but about Shriver’s own faith, how it had wavered, and how it bounced back thanks to the pontiff. Photo via The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Music used in this podcast: You Are Not Alone by The Eagles Words by the Bee Gees I Won’t Back Down by Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers Party Weekend by Joe “King” Carrasco London’s Burning by The Clash God Knows I’m Good by David Bowie This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

It was a week of beginnings and endings. President-elect Donald Trump held his first press conference since July, a raucous event held at Trump Tower in Manhattan.  Janet Hook of the Wall Street Journal is here with a scorecard. And President Obama gave his Farewell Address, a speech before 20,000 adoring supporters in Chicago, where he not only reminded the audience of his accomplishments but urged them to stay involved — and he hinted he expected to as well.  Paul Glastris of the Washington Monthly summed up the outgoing president’s remarks. Roll Call’s Walter Shapiro gave us a rundown on what’s going on with the Senate confirmation hearings for Trump’s Cabinet nominees. And speaking of farewell addresses, Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution remembers one of history’s finest: that of Dwight Eisenhower, in 1961, when he warned of the “military-industrial complex.”  Back then Hess was a speechwriter for the Republican president. Photo via Getty Images Music used in this podcast: Jackie’s Strength by Tori Amos Applause by Lady Gaga Death With Dignity by Sufjan Stevens Goodbye by The Psychedelic Furs The End by Sibylle Baier The Cost of Freedom by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Happy New Year!  President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration is just weeks away. Neal Conan, the former host of Talk of the Nation, joins us for a recap of 2016, and how the early goings of 2017 are shaping up. Bob Schieffer, the former host of CBS’ Face the Nation, talks about how he prepared for his role as moderator in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 debates. And former Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer talks about the relationship between evangelical voters and Donald Trump. Music used in this podcast: Don’t Stop The Party by The Black Eyed Peas The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie Caught in the Beat by Broke for Free Main Title: Glengarry, Glenross by James Moody We Are Family by Sister Sledge This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Stuart Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Gonzales Political Report and Jill Lawrence of USA Today join Political Junkie Ken Rudin for a look back at the giants in the political world who passed away this year — it’s the 2016 Political Junkie Remembrances Special. Among those whose careers were remembered include Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, former Attorney General Janet Reno, First Lady Nancy Reagan, Arkansas’ Dale Bumpers, Ohio’s George Voinovich and John Glenn, TV host John McLaughlin, conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly, liberal activist Tom Hayden, and PBS’ Gwen Ifill.  The world is much worse off with their passing. As part of the program, we played back parts of interviews we conducted in the past year with Amy Howe of SCOTUS Blog, Janine Parry of the University of Arkansas, and Howard Wilkinson of WVXU.  And we also played back parts of the conversation we had in 2015 with Tom Hayden. Music used in this podcast: Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers Space Oddity by David Bowie Wishing by A Flock of Seagulls  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Donald Trump has finally decided on a nominee for secretary of state, but it turns out that this may be the most controversial Cabinet appointee of all.  Carl Hulse of the New York Times reviews Rex Tillerson’s relationships with Vladimir Putin and Russia and speculates on what could be a difficult confirmation hearing. Remember all the conservatives saying before the election that Trump was not a real conservative?  David Keene, the opinion editor at the Washington Times and the former head of the American Conservative Union, says that after seeing Trump’s Cabinet picks and the direction he wants to move the country, there should no longer be any doubt about Trump’s ideological direction. Jerry Austin, the veteran Ohio Democratic strategist, reflects about John Glenn, the former astronaut and four-term senator, who died last week at age 95. And for all the talk about a presidential recount in 2016, we go back to the long recount of 2000, where it took an eventual decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to stop the recount in Florida and award the White House to George W. Bush. Photo via Associated Press Music used in this podcast: John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt by The Boogers From Russia with Love from Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Bloody Well Right by Supertramp  Dust in the Wind by Kansas Where You Lead by Carole King Space Oddity by David Bowie  This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Donald Trump has gone to the military, to Congress, to the business world — to even a former rival — in assembling his new Cabinet.  Neal Conan, here for his monthly visit to the Political Junkie, assesses what has happened in the month since the election. More election news in Louisiana and North Carolina to report.  Tyler Bridges, the co-author of a new book on Louisiana’s unpredictable 2015 governor’s race, talks about Saturday’s contest for the Senate, which is being vacated by Republican David Vitter but where the GOP is favored.  Jeff Tiberii, a political reporter with North Carolina public radio station WUNC, talks about the belated concession this week of Republican Gov. Pat McCrory, a defeat that was mostly attributed to his backing of HB2, the so-called “Bathroom Bill.” And we remember the death of Eugene McCarthy, 11 years ago this week, by chronicling his bid for the 1968 Democratic presidential nomination, and how his crusade against the war in Vietnam helped topple President Lyndon Johnson. Cover illustration by Lizzie Chen. Music used in this podcast: Old Man by Neil Young Do You Like Worms by The Beach Boys Comin’ Up From Behind by Marcy Playground She Came In Through The Bathroom by Joe Cocker Happy Jack by The Who Eugene McCarthy for President by Peter, Paul, and Mary This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Even though it was Donald Trump who said he might not accept the results of the presidential election, it turns out that Jill Stein — the Green Party nominee who finished well behind in fourth place — who is pushing for a recount in three states that narrowly went for Trump: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.  Mike Haas, the administrator of the Wisconsin Election Commission, explains how the Badger State recount would work. Fidel Castro, the longtime Cuban leader who died last week, has bedeviled American presidents since Eisenhower.  Patrick Haney, an expert on U.S. policy towards Castro and Cuba, discusses the evolution of the relationship — and how Trump’s election might affect it. And we remember the shocking assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk, 38 years ago this month.  Mike Weiss, a former Time magazine reporter who was written a book on the murders, brings us back to that awful time. Photo via Reuters/Prensa Latina Music used in this podcast: I Could Be Good for You by 707 Do It Again by The Beach Boys Revolution by The Beatles State of Shock by The Jacksons feat. Mick Jagger Harvey’s Last Day from the “Milk” Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Oops!… I Did It Again by Britney Spears This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Because we’re all spending Thanksgiving with friends and families this week, we decided to leave you with three past interviews that are completely timeless and worth another listen. Before there were Bushes & Clintons, there were the Tafts.  Former Ohio Gov. Bob Taft remembers his grandfather, Mr. Republican himself, Sen. Robert A. Taft. John Dickerson, the host of “Face the Nation,” has a new book that is filled with his favorite political moments in history.  He brings many of them to life, not only in his book “Whistlestop,” but on the Political Junkie. And, Larry Tye talks about his new biography, “Bobby Kennedy: The Making of a Liberal Icon,” and chronicles how RFK went from working with Joe McCarthy in the early 1950s to fighting for peace in Vietnam and social justice in the 1960s … until his tragic assassination in 1968. Photo via John Lent/AP Music used in this podcast: Popcorn by Hot Butter A Family Affair by Sly & The Family Stone Howard Dean Mega Mix Abraham, Martin & John by Dion This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

One week after Donald Trump’s historic upset victory, both parties are preparing for what comes next.  Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor and 2004 presidential hopeful, has put forward a bid to return as Democratic National Committee chair.  He talks about the lessons of this year’s campaign and what role the DNC could play in the future. With Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote — but not the majority of the electoral votes — there is once again a movement to get rid of the Electoral College.  George Edwards, a presidential historian at Texas A&M University, lays out his argument why the EC has outlived its usefulness and why electing the president via popular vote would be more fair. One of the weaknesses of the Electoral College is the ability of electors to ignore the wishes of how their state went in the election and vote for whomever they prefer.  Mike Padden, a Washington Republican state senator who was an elector for President Gerald Ford back in 1976, explains why he decided to vote instead for Ronald Reagan … who wasn’t even on the ballot that November. And we talk with Ray Suarez, a journalist who spent 14 years working closely with Gwen Ifill at PBS.  Ifill died this week of cancer.  She was 61. Photo via Brendan Smialowski / Getty Images Music used in this podcast: Real Love by Wendy Wall The Road to Utopia by Utopia Change by Tracy Chapman Birthday by The Beatles You Can’t Always Get What You Want by The Rolling Stones Suzanne by Leonard Cohen This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License