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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 3min
Thumbnail for "Why Netanyahu’s latest move is a threat to a free press".
Are threats to a free press signs of bigger issues in Israel? Did Kristi Noem risk a shot at becoming VP to troll the left? Plus, we discuss bias in political satire.
May 10, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "Despite lost time, can Kamala Harris gain ground on Trump? ".
Joe Biden is out, Kamala Harris is in. What is next for Harris as she contends for the White House? Plus, how might age verification laws change online privacy?
July 26, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "Is Trump’s GOP departing from traditional conservatism?".
After surviving an assassination attempt, Donald Trump shared a new message of unity at the RNC. Does this signal a change in his GOP vision?
July 19, 202450min 33sec
Thumbnail for "Did Biden’s NATO presser save his candidacy?".
Where does the Biden campaign stand following the NATO summit? The RNC debuts a new party platform. Plus, Alabama faces questions about forced prison labor.
July 12, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "What’s the long-term impact of SCOTUS’ presidential immunity ruling?".
Will SCOTUS’ immunity ruling increase election stakes? Several states are bringing religion into education. LA’s mayor is pushing for a mask ban at protests.
July 5, 202450min 30sec
Thumbnail for "No spinning this one: Analyzing Trump, Biden debate performances".
KCRW discusses key moments in this week’s historic presidential debate. Plus, a Seattle community revisits the role of police officers in schools following a shooting.
June 28, 202450min 30sec
Thumbnail for "Will presidential candidates fare better than what polling suggests?".
What does polling get wrong about voters’ concerns? A new measure in North Dakota sets age limits for Congress members. Plus, KCRW previews next week’s presidential debate.
June 21, 202450min 30sec
Thumbnail for "Are Trump’s claims for political revenge more than rhetoric?".
Are Trump’s campaign promises a cause for concern? KCRW also discusses activism in journalism and the role of school vouchers in closing achievement gaps.
June 14, 202450min 28sec
Thumbnail for "Will Americans believe in Biden’s ability to lead? ".
Is a Hunter Biden plea deal the best thing for his father’s campaign? Why has Joe Biden’s executive order upset pretty much everyone?
June 7, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "With Trump’s trial over (for now), what’s next?".
KCRW examines the political response to Donald Trump’s guilty verdict. What impact will it have on undecided voters and the public’s faith in the judiciary?
May 31, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "How AI and deepfakes could affect this election".
How much could AI and deepfakes threaten election integrity? Is round two of the border bill dead on arrival? Plus, KCRW looks at the effect of unpopular presidential candidates on down-ballot politicians.
May 24, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "Will debates give Biden or Trump an edge? ".
What are the key takeaways from new election polling? Should Democrats be worried about protests at this summer’s convention?
May 17, 202451min 47sec
Thumbnail for "Is the media focus on student protests missing the mark?".
Have media outlets gone overboard in their coverage of campus protests? What’s at stake in (another) legal battle between states and the White House?
May 3, 202450min 30sec
Thumbnail for "Foreign aid bill passes US House. What’s next for Speaker Johnson?".
Will the GOP be more unified following the passage of a new foreign aid bill? What could shifts in support for RFK mean for the election?
April 26, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "Trump’s criminal trial takes center stage".
Is the media’s coverage adding to the difficulties of Donald Trump’s criminal case? Where does protest cross the line into hate speech?
April 19, 202450min 30sec
Thumbnail for "Trump’s abortion position? Leave it up to the states".
Is there anything about Trump’s abortion position for Joe Biden to capitalize on? Will Biden’s change of tune on Israel win him more supporters?
April 12, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "Will congressional candidates suffer from voters’ fatigue with Biden, Trump?".
Could the presidential nominees hurt their congressional colleagues down the ballot? Plus, we examine the president’s response to an Easter controversy.
April 5, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "What’s behind the recent wave of Congressional exits?".
Should a rise in Congressional retirements set off alarm bells? Are Democrats off base with their current platform? How will a new law impact campus free speech?
March 29, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "What’s driving the divide between Netanyahu and the White House?".
How will a continued offensive in Gaza affect Democratic support for Israel? Can SCOTUS clear up the lines between censorship and free speech?
March 22, 202450min 17sec
Thumbnail for "This election season, will media learn from past mistakes?".
How should the media cover a Biden/Trump rematch? What mistakes did we see in coverage of the special counsel testimony? Should perception influence policy?
March 15, 202450min 12sec
Thumbnail for "Voters, not courts, to decide 2024 election".
Was there a message behind the unanimous SCOTUS ruling on Trump’s eligibility to appear on the ballot? What’s driving a global trend toward authoritarian leaders?
March 8, 202450min 30sec
Thumbnail for "How Mitch McConnell changed the courts and US politics".
What lasting impact will Mitch McConnell leave on Senate leadership? Plus, will Biden or Trump change their tune on compromise at the border?
March 1, 202450min 28sec
Thumbnail for "Will Navalny’s death motivate the US to act in Ukraine?".
Will the death of a political rival to Putin push the U.S. to give more aid to Ukraine? Can a new bill help reduce crime in Washington, D.C.?
February 23, 202450min 29sec
Thumbnail for "Are we failing to put Trump and Biden concerns into proper context?".
How serious were Donald Trump’s NATO claims? Are skeptics of Biden and Trump’s ages missing the bigger picture? Plus, a legal DEI battle unearths difficult questions.
February 16, 202450min 28sec
Thumbnail for "Republicans’ horrible, no good, very bad week in Congress".
Will failing to pass a border security bill backfire on Republicans? Can Joe Biden reconnect with Arab and Muslim communities? Plus, a moving Grammys duet provides a lesson.
February 9, 202450min 33sec

Why Netanyahu’s latest move is a threat to a free press

Thumbnail for "Why Netanyahu’s latest move is a threat to a free press".
May 10, 202450min 29sec

The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shuttered the Israel offices of news network Al Jazeera this week. The country blocked the network’s website, and Israeli police raided their studios, confiscating broadcast equipment. Americans would expect this move from an authoritarian leader, not a democratic ally. Will the United States’ relationship with Netanyahu’s country change how it views the threat to press freedom?

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem is under fire for several controversies from her new memoir, including a reference to shooting a 14-month-old puppy she described as “untrainable.” Noem is pushing back at the criticism amid a bid to be Donald Trump’s running mate this fall, but her pursuit of the vice presidency may be over. KCRW speculates on Trump’s other options for VP, and wonders aloud why other Republican politicians seem unable to overcome controversy as easily as the former president.

There are plenty of reasons to argue that the news ecosystem is biased — does that also apply to satire? Hear an excerpt from the Cascade PBS Ideas Festival, where the Left, Right and Center panel discussed political comedy and applauded the uniting power of karaoke.