Let’s Find Common Ground

Latest Episodes:

Depolarizing America: Bridge Builders: Bringing People Together. Nathan Bomey Sep 16, 2021

Show notes

Common Ground Committee is part of a robust and growing national movement of bridge builders, who are working to reduce incivility and toxic polarization in America today. We look in-depth at this diverse, vital coalition.

Who's involved and how are they tackling racial, cultural, and political schisms that threaten American democracy?

Our guest, Nathan Bomey, is a reporter for USA Today, and author of the new book, "Bridge Builders: Bringing People Together in a Polarized Age." In this interview, we hear stories about people from many walks of life who are building the structure of a new, more united America.

"Despite its transformational qualities, bridge building often attracts considerable resistance," says Bomey. "In many cases, that's because bridges promise to disrupt the status quo for people who previously benefited from or preferred social isolation." This episode looks at a constructive way forward.

Assessing the Campaign to Recall Gavin Newsom Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

Center Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy are joined by journalists Carla Marinucci and Seema Mehta, strategist Roger Salazar, and USC Professor Jennifer Cryer to assess the campaign to recall California Governor Gavin Newsom. They unpack how the effort gained momentum, weigh criticisms for and against the recall, and discuss potential outcomes of the upcoming election.

Featuring:

Robert Shrum - Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife
Mike Murphy, Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; MSNBC Political Analyst
Jennifer Cryer - Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Relations, USC Dornsife
Carla Marinucci - Senior Writer, POLITICO California Playbook
Seema Mehta - Political Writer, Los Angeles Times
Roger Salazar - Political Strategist; Former Campaign Press Secretary for CA Gov. Gray Davis

Monuments and Marriage. The Most Personal Lessons About Race: Errol & Tina Toulon and Caroline Randall Williams Sep 02, 2021

Show notes

The need to find common ground for improving race relations has rarely been more urgent than it is today. In this episode, we share profound insights from an interracial couple and an African-American scholar and poet.

Caroline Randall Williams wrote a widely-read opinion column for the New York Times that added fresh insight to the debate over Confederate monuments and how America remembers its past. As a Black southern woman with white ancestors, she brings an innovative and passionate first-person point of view.

We also share the deeply personal story of Errol Toulon, the first African-American Sheriff of Suffolk County, New York, and his wife, Tina MacNicholl Toulon, a business development executive. She’s white. He’s black. Tina tells us what she’s learned since their marriage in 2016 about racism, “driving while Black,” and other indignities that are often part of a Black person’s daily life.

This episode includes edited extracts from longer interviews that were first published in 2020.

The Future of Los Angeles with Gloria Molina, Former LA County Supervisor and CA Assemblymember Aug 23, 2021

Show notes

Gloria Molina, former LA County Supervisor, CA Assemblymember, and Fall 2021 Fellow at the Center for the Political Future, joins co-directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy to discuss the future of Los Angeles. LA County made history last year with an all-women Board of Supervisors elected to lead the largest local legislative body in the nation. Molina was the first Latina elected to the Board of Supervisors (1991) and the first Chicana elected to the California State Assembly (1982). In 1987, she was elected to the Los Angeles City Council. She shares her experiences from her storied career in politics and looks ahead to the future of LA, from the nearly $35 billion budget, mayoral candidates, homeless crisis, and pandemic fallout.

Featuring: Bob Shrum - Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

Mike Murphy - Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; MSNBC Political Analyst

Gloria Molina - Former LA County Supervisor and CA Assemblymember; Fall 2021 Fellow, Center for the Political Future

American Foreign Policy: Challenges, Threats, Opportunities. Ned Temko and Scott Peterson Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

The takeover by the Taliban in Afghanistan; a more aggressive China and Russia; a newly-elected hardline President in Iran: All are all major challenges facing President Joe Biden and his Administration.

Our podcast guests are Ned Temko, who writes the weekly international affairs column “Patterns” for The Christian Science Monitor, and Scott Peterson, the Monitor's Middle East bureau chief. Both are highly experienced and well-traveled foreign correspondents, who bring depth and expertise to coverage of global affairs.

Among the many topics covered in this episode: Similarities and differences to Trump's "America First" approach, the implications of the rapid withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan, why China is the biggest overseas challenge for the Biden Administration, relations with America's allies, and the increased threat to human rights in Asia and Middle East. Join us to gain fresh insight on the rapidly evolving international situation.

Education Reimagined with Becky Pringle and Gisele Huff Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

Everyone wants the best education for their children. But parents and teachers don't always agree on how to get there.

In this episode, we hear from two education leaders whose views clashed when they first met. Gisele Huff is a philanthropist and longtime proponent of school choice, including charter schools. Becky Pringle spent her career in public education. A science teacher for three decades, she is now President of the National Education Association, the nation’s largest labor union.

After some deep initial skepticism, these women and other leaders came together and developed a transformational vision for US education. Along the way, they developed a deep respect for one another, and a friendship that has helped each of them through personal tragedies.

This episode is co-produced in partnership with Convergence Center for Policy Resolution— one of a series of podcasts that Common Ground Committee and Convergence are producing together.

The Long-Term Care Crisis: Howard Gleckman, Stuart Butler and Paul Van de Water Jul 22, 2021

Show notes

America’s long-term care system needs much more than a facelift. Is there a common path to solutions?

Most baby boomers who retire today can expect to live years longer than their parents or any previous generation. That’s the good news. But there’s a greatly increased need for long-term care as they age. The current system is in crisis and needs much more than a facelift.

In this episode, we hear first from a policy expert, Howard Gleckman, of the Tax Policy Institute, who explains why solutions to this crisis have been so hard to find. We also interview Stuart Butler and Paul Van de Water on their differences over paying for long-term care, and how they came to find common ground.

This podcast was co-produced in partnership with Convergence Center for Policy Resolution and is one of a series of podcasts that Common Ground Committee and Convergence are producing together.

Convergence brings together key stakeholders of an issue to develop policies that deliver the most value to the greatest number of people. These projects emphasize collaboration and often result in friendships among people with strongly held opposing positions. Convergence recently published Rethinking Care for Older Adults, a report with recommendations to improve care, housing, and services for seniors.

How to Take Direct Action Against Hate: Daryl Davis and Ryan Lo'Ree Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

What steps are needed to cause people to leave white supremacist and other hate groups of their own volition? In this deeply personal podcast episode, we explore the tactics and commitment needed to be successful in this work.

Daryl Davis, an award-winning Black musician, race reconciliator and renowned lecturer, has used the power of human connection to convince hundreds of people to leave white supremacist groups. His fellow guest, Ryan Lo’Ree, a former white supremacist, is now an interventionist working to deradicalize people who have been lured into right and left-wing extremism.

These two men, who came from very different backgrounds and belief systems, discuss their life experiences, lessons learned in their work, and what motivates them to convince people to change their convictions.

Watch the recording of the Common Ground webinar with Daryl and Ryan: “Turning Racism and Extremism into Hope and Healing.”

Listen to our 2020 podcast with Daryl: “KKKrossing the Divide – A Black Man Talks With White Supremacists.”

Read Nicholas Kristof’s profile of Daryl in The New York Times— “How Can You Hate Me If You Don’t Even Know Me?”

Sport, Politics, and Community Engagement with Nichol Whiteman, LA Dodgers Foundation CEO Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

Nichol Whiteman, CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and Fall 2021 Fellow at the Center for the Political Future, joins co-directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy to discuss the intersection of sports, politics, and community engagement. Whiteman also highlights the power of diversity in advocating for resources and opportunities for marginalized populations.

Featuring:

Bob Shrum - Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife Mike Murphy - Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; MSNBC Political Analyst Nichol Whiteman - CEO, LA Dodgers Foundation; Fall '21 Fellow, Center for the Political Future

This event is part of the National Week of Conversation #ListenFirst.

Depolarizing America: #ListenFirst and America Talks. Kristin Hansen and Mizell Stewart Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

We learn about two brave and successful attempts to get Americans of differing backgrounds and political convictions to engage in personal face-to-face conversations.

America Talks and the National Week of Conversation, both held in mid-June, were part of expanding efforts to push back against deep divides and toxic polarization.

In this episode, we discuss lessons learned, insights gained, and the vital difference between talking and listening. Our guests are Kristin Hansen, Executive Director at Civic Health Project and Director at AllSides, and Mizell Stewart, Vice President, News Performance, Talent & Partnerships for Gannett and the USA Today Network. Both were involved in this new initiative.

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