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Left, Right & Center

KCRW

Left Right & Center is for listeners who feel like people on the other side of the political divide are on Mars. David Greene pieces together the big picture by inviting people from the left and the right to unpack their ideological differences, not to smooth them over, and look at what’s truly at stake. The show offers a rare kind of clarity. It doesn’t ask you to agree. It asks you to look more closely at what’s happening and to challenge your assumptions. 

You might not always agree – you might even get angry – but you’ll know why you feel the way you do. No knee-jerk reactions or name calling. This show doesn’t promise easy answers or warm fuzzies; it promises more clarity for the chaotic political era we’re all living through.

KCRW 2020, 498771

Left Right & Center is for listeners who feel like people on the other side of the political divide are on Mars. David Greene pieces together the big picture by inviting people from the left and the right to unpack their ideological differences, not to smooth them over, and look at what’s truly at stake. The show offers a rare kind of clarity. It doesn’t ask you to agree. It asks you to look more closely at what’s happening and to challenge your assumptions. 

You might not always agree – you might even get angry – but you’ll know why you feel the way you do. No knee-jerk reactions or name calling. This show doesn’t promise easy answers or warm fuzzies; it promises more clarity for the chaotic political era we’re all living through.

KCRW 2020, 498771
20hr 23min
Thumbnail for "Trump Bets On Himself To Win The Midterms".
President Trump threw a convention to rally Republicans, but was it more to celebrate himself? Some in the GOP worry about the midterms if the president keeps stealing the spotlight.
September 11, 202649min 59sec92.85 MB
Thumbnail for "The Supreme Court Starts Its New Term Politicized And Unpopular".
The Supreme Court started its new term, and the justices will tackle issues like the President’s immigration policy, they might get drawn into fights over voting access, and more. But how does the court regain the public’s trust when it’s been more politicized than ever?
October 9, 202649min 58sec98.98 MB
Thumbnail for "Trump Runs Midterm Ads About Himself Fighting America’s “Enemies”".
Affordability is driving many midterm voters’ choices, but new Trump ads – paid for by the government – warn Americans that we’re in “final battle.” But with who, and is it propaganda for your vote?
October 2, 202650min 1sec93.12 MB
Thumbnail for "Trump’s Media Ban Threatens The First Amendment".
President Trump is at war with the press after he tried to ban three news outlets from the White House. When the president doesn’t like how he’s being covered, is he going too far to control the message?
September 25, 202649min 59sec92.33 MB
Thumbnail for "Introducing: Reaching Out".
A story about fathers, sons, and the distance between.
September 23, 202638min 45sec92.93 MB
Thumbnail for "Pressure Builds To Regulate AI Before It’s Too Late".
AI is the future, but whether that future is bright or dystopian might depend on lawmakers. Top AI execs recently said they actually want guardrails for their industry. Trump and others said no, you need free rein.
September 18, 202650min 14sec120.58 MB
Thumbnail for "Politicians Are Struggling To Keep Up With A.I. Backlash".
President Trump says AI data centers are important for the economy and competition with China. But the revolt against data centers is here, and where lawmakers stand could cost them the midterms.
September 4, 202650min 5sec47.97 MB
Thumbnail for "Trump Launches Economic War On Canada & Iran".
President Trump launched an economic war on Iran and sparked a trade war with Canada. Trump hopes these get him some important victories, but they could also cost the GOP this November.
August 28, 202650min 1sec47.91 MB
Thumbnail for "The Iran War Weighs On Troop Morale & Voters’ Patience".
Six months into the Iran War, voters’ patience is wearing thin and so is the military’s morale. Is it enough for Republican lawmakers to say we need to see this through as a reason to keep them in Congress?
August 21, 202650min 23sec48.26 MB
Thumbnail for "Let’s Make Sense Of Democrats’ Conflicting Primary Results".
Are the midterms about progressives vs. moderates? Insurgents versus establishment? The real story might be “change,” but “change” looks different depending on the candidates.
August 14, 202650min 15sec71.94 MB
Thumbnail for "The ‘Socialist’ Brand Helps Some Democrats…For Now".
The Democratic Socialist movement is boosting progressive candidates during the primaries. But what happens during the generals where independent voters will be pivotal, and most say “socialism” is a dirty word?
August 7, 202650min 16sec69.7 MB
Thumbnail for "Affordability Rules the Midterms. Trump Calls It 'Made Up'".
Most voters this November say they care about one thing – fixing America’s affordability crisis. Which party has the most convincing pitch and will get your vote?
July 31, 202650min 30sec48.37 MB
Thumbnail for "The Midterm Impact Of Progressives, Election Deniers & Iran".
Progressives are battling establishment Dems in primaries. Party leaders on both sides think many will lose to Republicans in the fall, but should they be so sure?
July 24, 202650min 15sec77.24 MB
Thumbnail for "How Should Lawmakers Balance Privacy and Transparency About Their Health?".
Senator Mitch McConnell returned to the public eye after a weeks-long absence and after rumors about his health spread. What do politicians owe the public when they’re ailing or aging, and should they be expected to trade privacy for transparency with the people they represent?
July 17, 202650min 15sec76.71 MB
Thumbnail for "Graham Platner Drops Out In Maine Senate Race".
How did Graham Platner’s Senate campaign get so far despite the problems with his past? Plus, Trump embraces the image that he can get what he wants, even if it seems like corruption.
July 10, 202650min 14sec73.44 MB
Thumbnail for "No, The Supreme Court Didn’t Make Trump Unilaterally More Powerful".
Some say the Supreme Court gave the president unprecedented levels of power this term, but it’s way more complex than that. We look at how the justices redefined the powers of the presidency.
July 3, 202650min 15sec73.95 MB
Thumbnail for "Who Speaks For The Parties? Dems and GOP Fight It Out".
Democratic primaries this week tested the power of Zohran Mamdani to reshape his party. Meanwhile, President Trump’s power in the Republican Party was tested when he met with GOP Senators.
June 26, 202650min 15sec71.54 MB
Thumbnail for "Is Anyone Happy With Trump’s Iran Deal?".
President Trump says his peace deal with Iran is better than Obama’s, but some in his own party disagree. Plus, the White House is party crashing the planning for America’s 250th birthday, and a listener asks if Americans actually want a strong executive branch.
June 19, 202650min 15sec71.61 MB
Thumbnail for "The World Cup Is Getting Outplayed By Politics".
Sports have a chance to unite the world, but is the White House border policy pulling the welcome mat out from under World Cup visitors? Plus, Democratic voters in Maine picked Graham Platner to challenge Senator Susan Collins in November, and how fixing mail-in voting could help combat conspiracy theories.
June 12, 202650min 15sec71.29 MB
Thumbnail for "Why Did Iowa Republicans Snub The Trump-Backed Candidate?".
Iowa Republicans picked Zach Lahn over his Trump-backed opponent in the gubernatorial primary. Was this a rebuke of Trump? We debate whether the president’s tough immigration policies are needed to keep the country safe. Also, Trump’s Anti-Weaponization Fund seems to be dead, and a listener asks when A.I. political ads cross a line.
June 5, 202650min 15sec68.93 MB
Thumbnail for "Introducing "Intention to Treat: Money and Misdiagnosis"".
June 1, 202624min 58sec59.94 MB
Thumbnail for "Senate Control Rides On Paxton, Texas’ Flawed GOP Pick".
Senate control could ride on Texans’ pick for a GOP candidate impeached by his own party. The Pope warned about the dangers of AI, and we answered a listener frustrated with President Trump’s “Anti-Weaponization Fund.”
May 29, 202650min 16sec48.23 MB
Thumbnail for "Trump’s $1.8B Fund Draws Cries of ‘Brazen Corruption’".
Trump created the Anti-Weaponization Fund to help those wronged by the government, but who’s it really going to benefit? Plus, Trump worked to oust disloyal Republicans, but they might have the last laugh.
May 22, 202650min 16sec74.74 MB
Thumbnail for "The Gerrymandering Rush Is Leaving Voters In the Dust".
States rushing to redraw congressional maps have left some voters in the dark. Is our government ready for the next health crisis? And the MAHA movement struggles to fight the junk food lobby.
May 15, 202654min 59sec107.47 MB
Thumbnail for "The Abortion Debate Returns With Risks For Both Parties".
Abortion is back in the spotlight and both parties are hedging on its place in the campaigns. Trump shook up several primary races in Indiana, and the California governor’s race heats up with a complex primary that could lock Democrats out.
May 8, 202650min 16sec75.14 MB

Trump Bets On Himself To Win The Midterms

Thumbnail for "Trump Bets On Himself To Win The Midterms".
September 11, 202649min 59sec

This week’s Republican Party convention was a bit odd to have in a midterm election year. But President Trump spoke there for nearly two hours and said he wants voters to imagine that he is on the ballot. If that’s his strategy to help his party, will it work or backfire? 

Democratic Senator John Fetterman made a surprise video cameo at the convention, and it was his first big appearance since the Wall Street Journal reported that he’s not really interested in doing his job anymore. What does Fetterman’s presence at the GOP rally tell us about the relationship with his own party, and the Democrats’ outreach to working class voters? 

Also, is an AI president really something we should be contemplating? What if AI proves better at, say, preparing for natural disasters or keeping us out of wars? 

And we mark 25 years since the September 11th attacks. 

Producer: Leo Duran

Host: David Greene 

Guests: 

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