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Left, Right & Center

KCRW

Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly civilized yet provocative confrontation over politics, policy and pop culture.

KCRW 2020, 498771

Left, Right & Center is KCRW’s weekly civilized yet provocative confrontation over politics, policy and pop culture.

KCRW 2020, 498771
21hr 4min
Thumbnail for "The Court Tester".
The White House calls a wave of lawsuits a threat to the will of the people. Is Trump welcoming those challenges? Plus, campuses tackle a new diversity problem.
Thumbnail for "Trump keeps US and Europe in the dark on Iran plans".
What does “America First” mean when it comes to U.S. plans for Iran? The business community puts pressure on immigration policy. Plus, June marks 10 years since the Charleston church shooting.
Thumbnail for "Could ICE protests sink Trump’s immigration policy?".
Will the protests over the National Guard hurt Trump politically? Plus, will the “Big, Beautiful Bill’s” unpopularity on Wall Street keep it from passing?
Thumbnail for "Breaking up is hard to do".
Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s whirlwind bromance comes to an end. Plus, why are Israel and the UN at odds over a new humanitarian aid group in Gaza?
Thumbnail for "Corruption, Putin… Burritos?".
President Trump invites a few high rolling guests to dinner. Will there be political costs for Trump’s handling of Ukraine? Plus, should we regulate temptation?
Thumbnail for "GOP infighting creates a big, beautiful nightmare".
Cracks within the GOP turn the “Big, Beautiful Bill” into a mess. President Trump visits the Middle East. Plus, Democrats’ past and future collide.
Thumbnail for "Is the White House budget an attempt to test presidential power?".
Is the White House budget proposal an attempt to fight with Congress? Is America’s birth rate a policy problem? Plus, KCRW examines ChatGPT’s impact on campuses.
Thumbnail for "Voters push back on Trump … in Canada".
Donald Trump influenced an election in Canada — could it happen elsewhere? Plus, what’s driving Trump’s approach to Ukraine?
Thumbnail for "Chaos, conclaves and other concerns".
Can the “chaos” at the Department of Defense be resolved, or is it just how this White House operates? Plus, KCRW examines the political legacy of Pope Francis.
Thumbnail for "For the White House, when you’re wrong, you’re right".
A federal judge ordered the return of a wrongfully deported man — will the White House comply? What’s the likelihood of Harvard University losing $2 billion over antisemitism laws?
Thumbnail for "Market Madness: Do the best-laid plans sometimes get reversed?".
The president reversed course on his tariff plan hours after it took effect. Can he bring back the nostalgic economic prosperity voters desire?
Thumbnail for "Is the economy about to have a degrowth spurt?".
Were the April special elections a win for Democrats? How will Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs affect American consumers? Plus, KCRW discusses the feasibility of a third Trump term.
Thumbnail for "That awkward moment when your war plans leave the group chat".
KCRW reacts to the mishandling of White House war plans. Donald Trump takes center stage in Canada’s snap election. Will any excuse for tariffs make sense?
Thumbnail for "Trump’s White House fights over flights".
Did President Trump defy court orders with deportation flights? Can Democrats recover from historically low polling? Plus, KCRW examines The Kennedy Center culture wars.
Thumbnail for "Thou doth protest too much … so leave?".
The arrest of a student protester raises questions on free speech. Is the White House picking which speech is illegal, or are they enforcing anti-discrimination laws?
Thumbnail for "Can Democrats fight Trump’s political power?".
Donald Trump flexed presidential powers during his address to Congress. But did punishing Ukraine weaken America’s image? Plus, KCRW analyzes how Democrats could gain influence.
Thumbnail for "Reality or reality TV?".
Which news headlines are worth the worry? If Democrats want to raise the alarms on Trump, they’ll have to communicate. Plus, KCRW takes listener questions.
Thumbnail for "Friend or foe? Trump turns foreign policy norms on their head".
Donald Trump points fingers at Volodymyr Zelensky about the war with Russia. Should the president take accountability for the DOJ? Plus, how valuable are political rallies?
Thumbnail for "Is ‘cancel culture’ cancelled?".
The right says it’s pushing back on cancel culture. Are they just redefining it? Plus, the president banishes pennies and paper straws.
Thumbnail for "Trump and Musk play disruptor".
KCRW unravels a disruptive White House week. Is the president just stirring outrage? Plus, we discuss Elon Musk’s influence on the foreign aid fight.
Thumbnail for "Is there a right time to push policy after tragedy?".
Donald Trump bashed DEI policies in response to a tragic plane crash. He’s bucked heads with LA’s mayor over the wildfires. Is now the time to focus on policy?
Thumbnail for "Can the president do that? Should he?".
Are Trump and Biden setting a dangerous precedent through their use of pardons? Will Congress retake its power to check the White House?
Thumbnail for "Trump’s Inauguration Day 2.0 is all about tone".
What can we expect from President-elect Trump’s inauguration? Will he squander the goodwill of the moment? Plus, KCRW takes pre-inauguration audience questions.
Thumbnail for "So long, Scranton Joe".
KCRW reflects on Joe Biden’s presidential legacy. How will the tumultuous events of his term be remembered, and what moments stood out most?
Thumbnail for "The ballad of the one-term Democrats".
Will the Senate defer to Trump on Cabinet nominees? Why does the transition to Trump’s second term feel familiar? KCRW looks at what’s ahead for 2025.

The Court Tester

Thumbnail for "The Court Tester".
May 30, 202550min 34sec

The Trump administration has faced over 200 lawsuits in its first four months. The legal challenges range from deportation orders to Trump’s direct attacks on Harvard University’s funding. The White House has called the judges overruling their policies a “threat to the will of the American people.” Could Trump be making an enemy of the judiciary branch to help create a stronger executive?

The battle between Trump and Harvard has put intellectual diversity on college campuses back in the spotlight. Some universities acknowledge that it is a real problem they’re working on. But what do those solutions look like?

Thumbnail for "The Court Tester".
The Court Tester
00:00
50:34