The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi

WAMU 88.5

Join Kojo and resident analyst Tom Sherwood on Fridays at noon for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. Each week Kojo and Tom help make sense of legislation, hold elected officials accountable and provide in-depth analysis of local issues and elections. The Politics Hour is also a vital forum for Washingtonians to engage directly with their local leaders.

7hr 47min

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: Why a candidate's text messages are shaking up Virginia's elections".

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine talks about the continuing federal shutdown. Plus, D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson talks about D.C. police's continued cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

October 10, 202538min 18sec36.78 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on the District’s future".

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on her decision to not run again, her tenure, and who might be the city’s next police chief.

December 12, 202538min 2sec36.52 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: With Muriel Bowser bowing out, D.C. mayor’s race heats up".

Ward 4 D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George on jumping into the D.C. mayoral race and Montgomery County Council President Natali Fani-González on her journey to leading the council.

December 5, 202549min 33sec47.57 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: U.S. Rep James Walkinshaw on what’s ahead for Virginia".

The Politics Hour is live in Fairfax, Virginia at Fair Oaks Mall with U.S. Representative James Walkinshaw and former House Delegate David Ramadan.

November 21, 202550min 29sec48.47 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: Sen. Tim Kaine voted to end the shutdown, drawing fire from some Democrats".

U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Chris Van Hollen were on opposite sides of the vote to end the federal shutdown. They join us to discuss. Plus, D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie discusses his political future.

November 14, 202550min 30sec72.61 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: Virginia Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi on what’s next after Democrats’ big election wins".

Virginia Lieutenant Governor-elect Ghazala Hashmi on what’s next after her historic victory and Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell on what Democrats’ “trifecta” means for redistricting.

November 7, 202550min 58sec48.93 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: Virginia’s redistricting push ahead of the election".

WAMU’s Margaret Barthel and former U.S. Rep. Tom Davis previews next week’s Virginia elections. Plus, Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon talks redistricting and funding SNAP.

October 31, 202549min 16sec47.3 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: Federal cuts are hitting Montgomery County hard".

Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart explains how the county is dealing with federal cuts an shutdown. Plus, Ward 1 D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau explains why she decided not to run for reelection.

October 24, 202550min 28sec48.45 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: Maryland Sen. Angela Alsobrooks on the local impact of the shutdown".

We talk with U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks and Clark Mercer, head of the regional leadership group known as COG, about how the federal shutdown is threatening the region’s economy.

October 17, 202550min 28sec48.45 MB

Thumbnail for "The Politics Hour: What a federal government shutdown means for the region".

U.S. Rep. Glenn Ivey on the economic fallout of the federal shutdown and Loudoun County Board Chair Phyllis Randall on federal worker anxiety.

October 3, 202538min 42sec37.16 MB

The Politics Hour: Why a candidate's text messages are shaking up Virginia's elections

October 10, 202538min 18sec

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) joined the show to discuss the Trump administration's threat to withhold back pay from furloughed federal workers, despite 2019 legislation guaranteeing pay in the event of a shutdown. We also asked Sen. Kaine to weigh in on this week's Virginia gubernatorial debate which pitted Democrat Abigail Spanberger against Republican Winsome Earle-Sears.

He said the differences between the two candidates were stark as they sparred over transgender rights, political violence, and immigration.

"For those who haven't made their minds up, I think the temperament issue will really tip them Abigail's way," Kaine said. "For those who have made their minds up, their minds probably didn't change."

Plus, violent text messages sent by the Democratic candidate for Attorney General in 2022 continue to shake up Virginia's statewide elections. Sen. Kaine gave his thoughts.

Protestors rallied on Wednesday, calling for D.C. police to stop collaborating with federal immigration enforcement agents. D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson joined the show and said MPD's continued cooperation with ICE is eroding public trust.

He noted that District law bars police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. A recent video shows D.C. police officers and federal agents detaining several individuals and threatening several bystanders with arrest for interfering in a possible immigration arrest.

"Our MPD needs to respect what our law is. More than that, they need to respect ordinary citizens of the District," he said.

Also, the council debated emergency legislation this week that would have extended the youth curfew. Despite some drama, the lawmakers ultimately put off a final decision. We asked Chair Phil Mendelson why the vote became so controversial.

Sorting political fact from fiction, and having fun while we’re at it. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies, and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.

Send us questions and comments for guests: kojo@wamu.org

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