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

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.

February 28, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

June 6, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

May 30, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

May 23, 202550min 33sec48.54 MB

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.

May 16, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

May 9, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

May 2, 202550min 33sec48.54 MB

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.

April 25, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

April 18, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

April 11, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

April 4, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

March 28, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

March 21, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

March 14, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

March 7, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

February 21, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

February 14, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

February 7, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

January 31, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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?

January 24, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

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.

January 17, 202550min 34sec91.24 MB

KCRW reflects on Joe Biden’s presidential legacy. How will the tumultuous events of his term be remembered, and what moments stood out most?

January 10, 202550min 33sec48.54 MB

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.

January 3, 202550min 34sec48.55 MB

Should media outlets be concerned about free press under Trump? What were the biggest stories of the year? Plus, the panel answers questions from listeners.

December 27, 202450min 34sec48.55 MB

Thumbnail for "Why are health officials worried about RFK’s ‘MAHA’ moment?".

What can we expect if RFK Jr. becomes health secretary? Will Trump take action on Dreamers? Plus, KCRW analyzes how progressives influenced the Democratic mandate.

December 20, 202450min 34sec48.55 MB

Reality or reality TV?

February 28, 202550min 34sec

Donald Trump’s return to office has inspired constant breaking news headlines. This week: The administration faces scrutiny after the Elon Musk-led DOGE team instructed all federal workers to justify their employment via email. Should government workers take the threats seriously?

Differentiating what’s worth worrying about might be difficult when words like “oligarchy” and “autocracy” get thrown around. Trump may be a polarizing figure, but is he definitionally an oligarch? KCRW examines how messaging affects the national conversation about the presidency.

Later, the Left, Right, and Center panel takes a listener question about the merits of American bicameral politics over parliamentary systems. Does our current government enable this kind of disconnect between executives and the electorate? Could a parliamentary shift fix our problems?