Let’s Find Common Ground

Latest Episodes:

Trojan Family Weekend: How's Biden Doing? What about the GOP? Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

For the 2023 USC Trojan Family Weekend, CPF Co-Directors and veteran political strategists Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy participate in an insightful and entertaining discussion on the latest political news. 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; NBC Political Analyst

Post Covid: The Unequal State of Health in America Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

CPF Director Bob Shrum joins a panel of public health experts for a discussion on post-pandemic health inequities in America. Featuring:

Sofia Gruskin: Director, USC Institute on Inequalities in Global Health
Sujeet Rao: Former Senior Policy Advisor, White House COVID-19 Response Team; Director, USC Dornsife Public Exchange Health and Wellbeing Practice
Dr. Bradley Stoner: Head of the Department of Public Health Sciences, Queens University; Former President of the American Sexually Transmitted Diseases Association
Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife

The Challenge of Fixing Congress Sep 28, 2023

Show notes

What a time to try and fix Congress. But that’s what our guests on this episode are determined to do. This show features two politicians from the newly launched Fix Congress caucus. Reps Derek Kilmer (D-Wa) and William Timmons (R-SC), first appeared on our show last year as members of the House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress.

The stakes were high when we recorded this latest interview: the budget deficit had once more taken center stage, and the countdown to a possible government shutdown was underway.

These members of Congress are frustrated but also hopeful. They discuss dealing with the vast amount of federal government debt, the support congressional leaders have shown for their efforts, and how technology can play a part in fostering bipartisanship.

Does Polling Still Work? Sep 26, 2023

Show notes

CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join Fall 2023 CPF Fellows Arnon Mishkin and Reince Priebus for a conversation on polling and its ability or inability to predict voting outcomes as the 2024 presidential race approaches.

Featuring:

Arnon Mishkin: Political Analyst and Director of the Fox News Election Decision Team; Fall 2023 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
Reince Priebus: Former White House Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Republican National Committee; Fall 2023 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife
Mike Murphy: Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; NBC Political Analyst

A New Definition of Citizenship: Rights and Obligations. Richard Haass Sep 14, 2023

Show notes

When we consider the meaning of citizenship, most Americans usually think about individual rights. In this episode, we hear a bold call for change. Our guest, Richard Haass, says that if democracy is to survive, we must re-envision citizenship and consider our obligations to one another.

He argues that the greatest threat the country faces comes not from foreign adversaries but from none other than ourselves. Finding common ground and healing bitter divides, he says, requires placing obligations on the same footing as rights. "We get the government and the country we deserve. Getting the one we need is up to us."

A highly experienced diplomat and policymaker, Dr. Haass served in the Pentagon, State Department, and White House under four Presidents, Democrat and Republican alike. His new book is "The Bill of Obligations. The Ten Habits of Good Citizens". For 20 years Richard Haass was president of the nonpartisan Council on Foreign Relations. Today he serves as CFR's president emeritus.

How States Hold Fair Elections. Secretaries of State Michael Adams and Steve Hobbs Aug 31, 2023

Show notes

Until recently most of us outside of state government didn’t know much about the role of Secretary of State, the state’s top election official. We simply didn’t think about it. But since 2020, election laws and procedures have been in the spotlight – and election officials have come under attack.

In this episode of Let’s Find Common Ground, we meet Democrat Steve Hobbs, Secretary of State for Washington, and Republican Michael Adams, Secretary of State for Kentucky.

Kentucky is a vote-in-person state, while Washington has voting by mail and at the dropbox. But no matter how people vote, suspicion of the entire process is rife. In recent years both men have encountered election deniers and faced threats to themselves and their staff.

“These abuses, even if they’re not full-fledged threats of violence - it adds up,” says Michael Adams, “and it begins to really lay some strain on our election process.

Hear what each of our guests is doing to protect democracy in his state, why being part of the Electronic Registration Information System (ERIC) is important to them, and how volunteers play a vital role in free and fair elections.

Fellows Discussion: Trump Indictments and the Politics of 2024 Aug 28, 2023

Show notes

CPF Co-Directors Bob Shrum and Mike Murphy join Fall 2023 CPF Fellows, Addisu Demissie, Arnon Mishkin, Mike Schmuhl, and Betty Yee, for a lively discussion on former President Trump’s indictments, what this means for President Biden, and how the 2024 presidential race is shaping up. The conversation also explores their USC study groups and impressive careers in politics. Featuring:

Addisu Demissie: Principal and Founder of 50+1 Strategies; Fall 2023 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
Arnon Mishkin: Political Analyst and Director of the Fox News Election Decision Team; Fall 2023 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
Mike Schmuhl: Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party; Former Campaign Manager for Pete Buttigieg 2020; Fall 2023 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
Betty Yee: Former California State Controller and Board of Equalization member; Fall 2023 Fellow, USC Center for the Political Future
Bob Shrum: Director, Center for the Political Future; Warschaw Chair in Practical Politics, USC Dornsife
Mike Murphy: Co-Director, Center for the Political Future; NBC Political Analyst

Broken Media? Restoring Trust in News Coverage. Mark Sappenfield, Story Hinckley Aug 17, 2023

Show notes

The United States has one of the highest news avoidance rates in the world. Tens of millions of Americans don’t read, watch or listen to the news each day. The media is generally held in low regard. So, is there a better way to report and analyze current events that will satisfy readers’ interests?

In this repeat episode, we hear from Mark Sappenfield, Editor of The Christian Science Monitor, and Story Hinckley, the paper's National Political Correspondent. We’re re-releasing this podcast as the 2024 campaign begins to gather pace — a time when many news outlets have amped up their coverage speculated about winners and losers, and put additional emphasis on the nation’s deep partisan divides.

We discuss evolving news values with the Monitor and how reporters and editors are striving to highlight constructive solutions that unite rather than divide. We also hear about election coverage and why the media need to challenge readers, build trust, and report the news truthfully.

Two Friends— a Democrat and a Republican— Search Together for Common Ground. Jordan Blashek, Chris Haugh Aug 03, 2023

Show notes

Are Americans really as divided as we think we are? One liberal and one conservative jumped in an old Volvo and drove along nearly 20,000 miles of roads and highways in a series of journeys to find the answer. They went through 44 states and met an extraordinary range of people along the way.

At a time of political gridlock and hyper-partisanship, Republican Jordan Blashek and Democrat Chris Haugh formed an unlikely friendship that blossomed, not in spite of, but because of their political differences.

The result of their remarkable road trips is their book Union: A Democrat, A Republican and a Search for Common Ground." In this podcast episode, we hear a mixture of wisdom and humor and discover what Chris and Jordan learned about American politics, culture, civics, and our potential to find common ground.

Anti-Racism: Fighting Bigotry With Love. Chloé Valdary Jul 20, 2023

Show notes

Love is a central force in mitigating conflict, says writer and entrepreneur Chloé Valdary. She founded the diversity and inclusion training company, The Theory of Enchantment, and has a unique take on how we can heal racial division and hatred inside organizations and across American society.

Chloé developed a program for "compassionate anti-racism" that combines social-emotional learning (SEL), character development and interpersonal growth as tools for leadership development in businesses and the workplace. She calls her method "an anti-racism program that actually fights bigotry instead of spreading it."

Her three principles of enchantment are: "Treat people like human beings not political extractions", "Criticize to lift up and empower, never to tear down and destroy," and "Root everything you do in love and compassion."

This episode is an edited version of a conversation first recorded for Village SquareCast, produced by The Village Square. Both Let's Find Common Ground and Village SquareCast are members of The Democracy Group podcast network.

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