Political Breakdown

Latest Episodes:

Aaron McLear on Working for Arnold and the ‘Campaign’ Culture at Uber Jan 04, 2019

Show notes

Nancy Pelosi regains the gavel as the new Congress is sworn in, and California's new members fall in line behind the speaker (0:25). Then consultant Aaron McLear joins Marisa and Scott to talk about leaving the Republican Party, working for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, why working for Uber was like working on a campaign, and managing a gubernatorial transition (6:00).

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Kevin de Leon on Fatherhood, His Legislative Battles, and Taking on DiFi in the U.S. Senate Race Aug 10, 2018

Show notes

The state legislature continues to weigh reforms around utilities and wildfires, and Republicans jump on a failed attempt to audit the state DMV (00:40). Then, State Senator Kevin de Leon joins the show to talk about his childhood in San Diego, fatherhood, how he chooses his legislative battles, bringing organized labor into a clean-energy future, and his run for U.S. Senate (8:11).

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Eric Swalwell on His Iowa Roots, Lessons of Knocking Off an Incumbent, and How to Talk About Trump and Russia Aug 03, 2018

Show notes

The skyrocketing costs of California's wildfires raise new fiscal questions for the Governor and the legislature, while Barack Obama and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez make splashes in California (0:40). Then, Congressman Eric Swalwell joins Marisa and Guy Marzorati to talk about his Iowa roots (6:31) student loans (8:57), why his dad got fired from an Iowa police department (10:51), being the lone Democrat in his family (12:32), why Dianne Feinstein is not Pete Stark (15:49), and what event to focus on in the saga of Russian election interference and President Trump (21:24).

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Governor Brown Unveils Controversial Plan on Wildfire Damages, and Drew Godinich Talks Orange County Swing Seats Jul 27, 2018

Show notes

Governor Brown proposes new changes to laws governing utility liability in response to the state's wildfires (1:12) and Scott and Marisa talk about new data that sheds a different light on poverty in California (6:46). Then, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesman Drew Godinich discusses Democrat's prospects in Orange County House races (9:19), political diversity in his Texas family (13:20), how to make health care a top voting issue (16:25), and asking candidates to drop out in order to avoid a top-two primary disaster (23:25).

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Attorney General Xavier Becerra on California’s Legal Battles with the Trump Administration Jul 13, 2018

Show notes

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra joins Scott and Katie Orr to talk about the recent dismissal of challenges to California's sanctuary state law (1:30) how his parents dealt with bigotry as Mexican immigrants (6:30) what's to blame for California's increase in hate crimes (10:00) how he prepared for an interview with Stephen Colbert (13:17) and the story behind his appointment by Governor Jerry Brown (21:30).

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Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg on His Reforms to California’s Initiative System and Addressing Homelessness Locally Jun 29, 2018

Show notes

Marisa and Scott run through a wild day in the state legislature, with last-minute deals on digital privacy, lead paint cleanup, and soda taxes to avoid ballot measure battles in November (0:50). Then, Sacramento mayor Darrell Steinberg talks about his 2014 law that allowed the legislature to negotiate ballot measures (8:32), his reputation as a nice guy in politics (14:50) the difference between addressing homelessness as a mayor and a legislator (16:47), the "cutting the ribbon syndrome" (17:45), how Jerry Brown has dealt with homelessness (19:02), and the statewide effort to expand rent control (22:27).

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Emergency Breakdown: Anthony Kennedy, California’s Supreme Court Justice, Announces Retirement Jun 28, 2018

Show notes

Scott and Marisa discuss the retirement of Supreme Court Justice (and Sacramento native) Anthony Kennedy, and his departure's impact on California.
With McGeorge School of Law Dean Michael Hunter Schwartz, Loyola Law School professor Jessica Levinson, Cook Political Report senior editor Jennifer Duffy, and the Family Research Council's Travis Weber.

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Reporting from Border Migrant Camps and State Senator Connie Leyva on Labor Politics and #WeSaidEnough Legislation Jun 22, 2018

Show notes

California Report host John Sepulvado joins Scott and Marisa to share his experience of reporting from migrant camps in Tornillo, Texas (0:45) Then, State Senator Connie Leyva makes the case for visiting Chino (9:49), her rise from working at a supermarket to leading the California Labor Federation (11:55), why California Democrats need to choose more progressive candidates (19:55), and lessons from the legislature's handling of sexual misconduct claims (21:55).

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The #MeToo Movement’s Primary Impact and Josh Newman on the Lessons of His Recall Jun 08, 2018

Show notes

Scott and Marisa are joined by KQED's Katie Orr and the San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofoli to recap Tuesday's primary, look ahead to the general election in the Governor's race, and analyze the impact of the #MeToo movement on some state contests. State Senator Josh Newman, recalled by Orange County voters, calls in to discuss his gas tax vote and the impact of his recall on politics in Orange County and the state legislature.

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June Primary Special: Newsom and Cox Advance to November Governor’s Race Jun 06, 2018

Show notes

After a heated jungle primary, Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom and Republican businessman John Cox are set to face off in the November governor's race. Plus, both Democrats and Republicans appear pleased with their performances in some of the state's hotly contested Congressional races. In this Political Breakdown special, hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined by pollster Mark DiCamillo and reporters from across the state to discuss all the latest numbers in California's June primary election.

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