Politics with Amy Walter

Latest Episodes:

The Politics of Climate Change Sep 20, 2019

Show notes

Scientists have painted a bleak picture of the future if we fail to curb greenhouse gas emissions, but we’ve already started to witness the fallout of a warming planet. Politics with Amy Walter looks at the role climate change is playing across politics and at the vulnerable communities that stand to lose the most.

Our coverage this week is part of a collaboration with 250 other media organizations called “Covering Climate Now.”

President Donald Trump was elected in 2016 fresh off of giving campaign speeches that promised to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement and bring back coal jobs. Just over two years later, we look at whether or not he's made good on those promises.

Guests:

Rachel Cleetus, Policy director with the Climate and Energy program at the Union of Concerned Scientists

Kendra Pierre-Louis, Climate reporter for The New York Times

Christine Todd Whitman, Former Governor of New Jersey and Former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency

Zahra Hirji, Climate reporter for BuzzFeed News

Rich Fitzgerald, County Executive (D) for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

Leandra Mira, Pittsburgh climate activist

Comment from Shell:

"Shell received its Air Quality Permit in 2015 from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, with oversight from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency. In line with its permitting requirements, Shell will meet the regulatory standards created to protect people and the environment."

Democratic Candidates Battle It Out in Houston Sep 13, 2019

Show notes

The third Democratic primary debate is behind us now--all three hours of it. On Thursday night, the top ten polling Democratic candidates met in Houston, Texas. And for the first time, frontrunners Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders shared a single stage. So, did anything from the latest debate reshape the battle for the nomination? That’s the question at the center of today's show.

We also look at how the caucus process works in Nevada and what we might expect in the first primary state, New Hampshire. Finally, a conversation about the Democrats and impeachment, in light of the House Judiciary Committee vote this week to move forward with an impeachment inquiry.

Guests:

Claire Malone, senior politics writer for FiveThirtyEight

Joel Payne, former aide to the Hillary Clinton Campaign

Issac Dovere, staff writer at The Atlantic

Shelby Wiltz, caucus director for the Nevada State Democratic Party

Rebecca Katz, founding partner of New Deal Strategies

Karen Hicks, founder and CEO of Civix Strategy Group

Kyle Cheney, Congress reporter for Politico

What Have We Learned on the Campaign Trail? Sep 08, 2019

Show notes

Amy Walter's take:

There’s something of a consensus-building within the so-called mainstream political media that it’s only a matter of time before Biden’s Teflon shield is deflated. His debate performances have been shaky. He is not as quick on his feet as the other candidates. And, he’s spent most of the campaign on defense - either explaining past votes, or changing long-held positions on policy.

But, it also seems to me that many in the political class may be underestimating the staying power of a flawed - but popular and well-known - candidate. In 2016, for example, the assumption among the political elites - me included - was that once the summer ended, so would Trump’s hold on the lead in the GOP race. Voters would start to get serious about electability and stability and would reject this unorthodox candidate. Obviously, we know that didn’t happen.

This isn’t to say that Biden’s destined to win the nomination. But, just that his staying power may be more durable than we think. He’s built up a lot of goodwill over his many years in office that no one else can claim.

Guests:

Annie Linskey, National politics reporter for The Washington Post

Josh Jamerson, National politics reporter for The Wall Street Journal

Elaina Plott , White House correspondent for The Atlantic

Matt Paul, Democratic Strategist based in Des Moines

Will Unions Deliver 2020 to the Democrats? Aug 30, 2019

Show notes

In the episode before Labor Day, we look at the rise and fall of the labor movement, particularly unions. By collectively bargaining for better work conditions, unions elevated the middle class. Over the years, we've watched their membership numbers decline. As a result of a few Supreme Court decisions, a loss in manufacturing jobs, and a lack of increased federal protections, unions saw their influence reduced.

As we edge closer to 2020, candidates hoping to win the Democratic nomination have made rebuilding the middle class the central tenant of their candidacies. What role will unions and organized labor play in 2020? Plus, we look at domestic workers and caregivers and how they've been left out of the conversation when it comes to labor protections.

Guests:Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers

Lee Saunders, President of AFSCME, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

Mary Kay Henry, President of Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

Stephanie Bloomingdale, President of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO

Rusty McAllister, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada ALF-CIO

Rick Bloomingdale, President of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO

Dave Jamieson, Labor Reporter at the Huffington Post

Ai-jen Poo, Director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance

Should We Be Worried About a recession? Aug 23, 2019

Show notes

The ongoing trade war with China, a weakened global economy, and a lack of investment by companies indicates that a recession might be looming. President Trump has spent his first term saying that the economy is in better shape than ever before, but is that really the case? Who stands to suffer most during another recession? Has the trade war with China fulfilled President Trump's objective for the economy?

Also, when it comes to understanding economic opportunity in Africa, the continent is still largely overlooked by the West. We look at the African Continental Free Trade Area and the opportunities it could unlock.

Finally, a conversation with the political heavy-hitter from New Hampshire that Democratic hopefuls are trying to woo.

This episode was guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino.

Guests:

Nancy Cook, White House Reporter, POLITICO

Andria Smythe, Assistant Professor of Economics at Howard University

David Luke, Coordinator of the African Trade Policy Centre at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

Howard French, Journalism Professor at Columbia University and former New York Times foreign bureau chief in Africa and China

Carlos Cardona, Laconia Democratic Party Chair

Texodus: Can Democrats Turn the Lone Star State Blue? Aug 16, 2019

Show notes

A number of Republicans in the House have announced their retirements... and turns out many are in suburban districts, where the GOP’s support has been dwindling. In June, we saw one of the more high-profile Republican retirements when Congresswoman Susan Brooks, who represents Indiana’s 5th congressional district, announced that she would not seek reelection.

In fact, 4 of the 11 retirements are Congressman in Texas. This on top of 5 Texas Republican retirements in 2018 and two districts where Democrats flipped the seat. Could this turn Texas -- a historically red state -- blue, or at least purple?

This week, we break down these Republican retirements.

Guests:

Brendan Buck is a partner at Seven Letter Communications and the former chief communications advisor and counselor to Speaker Paul Ryan.

Susan Brooks (R), represents Indiana’s 5th congressional district.

Pete Sessions (R), former Congressman from Texas.

Cal Jillson, professor of political science at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

Manny Garcia, executive director of the Texas Democratic Party.

The Past and Present of Gun Control Aug 09, 2019

Show notes

Last weekend, there were two mass shootings in the span of 13 hours. In El Paso, 22 were killed in what federal authorities are considering a domestic terrorist attack. And in Dayton, nine people were killed when a gunman opened fire in the city’s Oregon district.

After horrific events like these, there's always questions like "Will lawmakers take action?" and "Will this time be different?" While there has been some small movement in the wake of the Parkland and Las Vegas mass shootings, the issue of gun control is largely at a standstill.

This week, we're revisiting the last time major gun control legislation was signed into law. Twenty-five years ago, Congress passed two major gun control bills, but the votes didn’t line up exactly as you’d expect. The Brady Bill, which was signed in 1993, didn’t go into effect until February 1994, and that was followed by the Assault Weapons Ban later that year.

Plus, we take a look at the complex world of absentee ballots. Last week, a new round of charges were filed against a political operative in North Carolina. He's being investigated for alleged voter fraud related to his handling of absentee ballots during the 2016 and 2018 elections. We also break down another voter fraud scandal in Brooks County, Georgia, from 2010.

Guests:

Hank Brown (R), former Senator from Colorado

Glen Browder (D), former Congressman from Alabama

German Lopez, senior correspondent at Vox

Professor Barry Burden, director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Steve Harrison, political reporter for WFAE

Jon Ward, national political correspondent with Yahoo News

Andra Gillespie, associate professor of political science at Emory University

Michigan, Michigan, Michigan: the Upcoming 2020 Elections in the Battleground State Aug 02, 2019

Show notes

This week, Politics with Amy Walter is coming to you from Detroit.

The city has gotten a lot of attention over the course of the week as it hosted the latest round of democratic debates. But why Detroit? Because — Michigan.

President Donald Trump won Michigan by just over 10,000 votes in 2016. But Democrats are hoping to put the state firmly back in their column. After a strong showing in the 2018 midterms, Democrats are feeling hopeful. Republicans say there's still a lot of support for President Trump — even in the counties, the Democrats were able to flip.

Guests:

Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D), representing Michigan's 12th District

Lavora Barnes, Chair of the Michigan Democratic Party

Congresswoman Haley Stevens (D), representing Michigan's 11th District

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D)

Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, a progressive activist who ran against Whitmer in the primary

Congressman Paul Mitchell (R), representing Michigan's 10th District

Jamie Roe, a Michigan-based Republican strategist

Mueller's Testimony Underscores a Crisis of Faith in Democracy Jul 26, 2019

Show notes

Much of the coverage of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's congressional testimony this week focused on optics, with pundits on both sides framing the hearings as either beneficial or damaging to a particular political narrative.

But where the hearings may have lacked in made-for-TV soundbites, Mueller's comments reiterated the fact that the United States remains under attack from a foreign adversary, one that seeks to undermine our faith in the foundational principles of democracy.

We hear from cybersecurity experts about how this problem goes far deeper than just election meddling, and what needs to be done to address the continuing threat.

Plus, we take a look at the growing amount of student debt owed in the US, which passed a staggering $1.5 trillion in 2018. With more and more students struggling to pay for a college education, what are political leaders, and 2020 Democratic presidential candidates, doing to address this crisis?

Guests:

Suzanne Spaulding, former Under Secretary for cyber and infrastructure protection at the US Department of Homeland Security.

Lisa Kaplan, founder of the Alethea Group.

M.H. Miller, editor at The New York Times, and author of a forthcoming book about his experience with student debt.

Danielle Douglas-Gabriel, a reporter covering the economics of education for The Washington Post.

There's a Generational Divide Upending U.S. Politics Jul 19, 2019

Show notes

After a bruising political week in which President Trump's feud with "The Squad" reached a fever pitch, Amy Walter reflects on how both Republicans and Democrats could be alienating crucial voters ahead of the 2020 elections.

Plus, we look at the yawning generation gap, as voters from different eras compete for political relevance.

With the U.S. electorate divided along generational lines, there are transformational demographic trends already having clear impacts on the way 2020 presidential candidates are trying to appeal to voters. But while the Baby Boomer bloc is increasingly eclipsed by the combined numbers of Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z, so far it's an open question whether or not the influence of younger voters will have the final say in determining the results of the Democratic primary, or the general election.

This week, we look at the different generations active in U.S. politics, and try to figure out the forces at play in deciding the country's future.

Guests:

Dave Weigel, national political reporter for The Washington Post

Paul Taylor, author of The Next America: Boomers, Millennials, and the Looming Generational Showdown

Clare Malone, senior political writer at FiveThirtyEight

Manuel Pastor, professor of sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California