Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

Latest Episodes:

Talking Washington Books, with NYT Columnist Carlos Lozada...author of The Washington Book Apr 16, 2024

Show notes

Carlos Lozada is currently an Opinion columnist at The New York Times, after spending nearly 20 years at The Washington Post - where he earned the Pulitzer Prize in 2019 for criticism as The Post's nonfiction book critic. He's also an author, with his second book - The Washington Book - recently published: a collection of essays exploring what books by and about D.C. power players reveal about the people and political conflicts that define Washington. In this conversation, Carlos talks his path from Peru to South Bend to D.C., his accidental route to working in the press, some of his favorite Washington books and stories, and deeply mining his own insights into our current political moment.

IN THIS EPISODE

Carlos' personal journey from Lima, Peru to Washington D.C...

Carlos "gateway drug" books into the genre of Washington books...

How Carlos defines what exactly is a "Washington Book"...

Carlos weighs in on what he considers some of the earliest Washington Books...

Carlos' rave review of the U.S. Grant memoir...

The place of All The President's Men in the pantheon of Washington Books...

Carlos' favorite cliches from presidential campaign memoirs...

The D.C. corridors of power that are undercovered in Washington Books...

The Washington Books that are purely exercises in settling scores...

Carlos compares the Donald Trump of 2016 to the Donald Trump of 2024...

The Washington Books that never were that Carlos would love to read...

What reading Vladimir Putin revealed to Carlos about the Russian leader...

Carlos' 101 on sharp essay-writing...

Carlos waxes nostalgic about the late Washinton Post Outlook Section...

AND The 1619 Project, Alexis de Tocqueville, all sorts of minutia, Jody Allen, the American Enterprise Institute, Carol Anderson, animating impulses, The Appalachian Trail, Appomattox, asymmetric polarization, Peter Baker, Steve Bannon, Bob Barnett, beleaguered officials, Joe Biden, Joan Biskupic, Kate Boo, George H.W. Bush, Robert Caro, Jimmy Carter, Jesus Christ, Julie Davis, drop-down menus, enabling environments, farm foremen, The Federal Reserve, Craig Fehrman, Foreign Policy magazine, full absorption, Susan Glasser, Garret Graff, Lindsay Graham, Alan Greenspan, Stephanie Grisham, Maggie Haberman, Susan Hennessey, Fiona Hill, Dustin Hoffman, holy crap anecdotes, David Ignatius, joining-ness, Jurassic Park, Bob Kaiser, Ibram X. Kendi, the Kerner Commission, Adam Kushner, Robert E. Lee, Joe Lieberman, Steve Luxenberg, Thomas Mann, David Maraniss, Mark Meadows, mid-level authoritarian regimes, military duds, Mark Milley, Robert Moses, Robert Mueller, murdered darlings, murky institutions, The New York Review of Books, Kirstjen Nielsen, Notre Dame, Barack Obama, obligatory campaign memoirs, obscene crescendos, Norm Ornstein, parallel histories, the paralysis of power, George Pataki, Tim Pawlenty, policy wonks, John Pomfret, Robert Redford, Marco Rubio, Mark Sanford, Michael Schaffer, Brent Scowcroft, Michael Shear, silent Moscow, John Sununu, Barton Swaim, targeted excerpts, Mark Twain, Mario Vargas Llosa, velociraptors, Scott Walker, Ben Wittes, Michael Wolff, Bob Woodward...& more!

Whit Ayres & 30+ Years as a Top GOP Pollster Apr 02, 2024

Show notes

Send a text

Whit Ayres, founder and president of North Star Opinion Research, has been a leading GOP pollster for more than 30 years. First a high school teacher then an academic, he cut his political teeth as state Budget Director for South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell. As a pollster, upset Senate victories for Georgia Senator Paul Coverdell in 1992 and Tennessee Senator Bill Frist in 1994 put Whit and his firm on the map. And since then he's worked for some of the biggest names in GOP politics: Strom Thurmond, Lamar Alexander, Marco Rubio, Bob Corker, Lindsey Graham, Ron DeSantis, among others. In this conversation, Whit talks his path to politics, favorite campaign stories, most famous clients, best polling practices, thoughts on the trajectory of the GOP and much more.
IN THIS EPISODE

Whit's interest in politics sparks in an Ames, Iowa high school classroom...

The "searing experience" that influenced him in 1970s Berlin...

What Whit learned teaching 8th grade public school for three years...

Whit's gets his start in politics working for future South Carolina Governor Carroll Campbell...

How a vetoed pay raise encouraged Whit to take up political polling...

Whit's first big client, Paul Coverdell, wins an upset Georgia Senate race in 1992...

Whit's role in Lamar Alexander's insurgent 1996 GOP Presidential Primary campaign...

Whit helps re-elect South Carolina Senator Strom Thurmond at age 94 to his last term in the Senate...

Whit polls for Marco Rubio's underdog first US Senate race in 2010 over Florida Governor Charlie Crist...

Whit talks his role working for Ron DeSantis in 2018...and his take on the DeSantis 2024 presidential...

Whit remembers the 1994 Bill Frist upset Senate win in Tennessee...

Whit's take on the evolution of the GOP over the last decade...

Whit on what makes for an effective pollster...

Whit talks his time as active airplane pilot...

AND academic towns, ballistic donors, Bob Barr, the Bernoulli Principle, bionic men, Brexit, Pat Buchanan, William Jennings Bryan, Checkpoint Charlie, Chris Christie, Bill Clinton, commuting marriages, Bob Corker, Steph Curry, Davidson College, Bob Dole, Mr. Enquist, flaming underdogs, Wyche Fowler, Cheryl Glenn, hail fellow well mets, Alex Haley, Nikki Haley, Tom Ingram, Dan Judy, Ted Kennedy, Rush Limbaugh, Huey Long, Dick Lugar, mainframe computers, Jon McHenry, Mike Murphy, Barack Obama, plaid work shirts, Adam Putnam, Dick Riley, Ronald Reagan, Jim Sasser, Floyd Spence, the Tea Party, totalitarian regimes, Donald Trump, two scrubs, Vanderbilt Hospital, George Wallace, Susie Wiles, Joe Wilson, & more!

Larry Huynh & His Unconventional Path as a Digital Trailblazer Mar 19, 2024

Show notes

Send a text

Larry Huynh is a Partner and founder of Trilogy Interactive, a trailblazing digital political firm. His path to politics is anything but typical...his family coming to the U.S. as refugees after the Vietnam War, his academic background in biochemistry, and early career in the finance sector. In this conversation, Larry talks his unconventional route to working in politics, the 2004 campaign that changed his trajectory, early days of the political internet, plus some of his favorite case studies, best practices, and thoughts on digital trends that have the potential to change politics.

IN THIS EPISODE

How Larry's family had to flee Vietnam after the fall of Saigon...

Growing up a Texan in a low-income family in Houston...

Larry talks his pre-political interest in biochemistry and work in the financial sector...

The 2004 movement to Draft General Wes Clark into the presidential race pulls Larry into politics...

Memories of meeting General Clark the first time and the 2004 Clark campaign...

What contributed to the massive spike of online fundraising in the 2004 presidential campaign...

Larry starts one of the first digital political firms after the 2004 elections...

How Barbara Boxer's approach to Senate hearings blazed a path for effective use of digital political tools...

Larry on current trends in digital politics...

Larry talks studies his firm has done to better utilize AI...

Larry's perspective on the right type of people who should pursue a career in digital politics...

Larry talks his role as President of the AAPC and smart ways to utilize the organization...

AND alchemy, Bank of America, Stacey Bashara, best laid plans, Brent Blackaby, Blackrock, Doug Boxer, Howard Dean, Fort Chaffee, genetically-modified seeds, hard science, Jeff Hauser, jacked-up arms, Paul Johnson, Rose Kapolczynski, John Kerry, kill lists, Blanche Lincoln, Terry McAuliffe, John McCain, Jason McIntosh, Katie Merrill, Monsanto, MoveOn, Eli Pariser, Condaleeza Rice, Diana Rogal, Josh Ross, Randy Stearns, vice principals, windowless rooms....& more!

Chancellor & Congressman Kent Hance, the Best Storyteller in Texas Mar 05, 2024

Show notes

Send a text

Kent Hance served 6 years in the House from West Texas, was Chair of the Texas Railroad Commission, and had an 8-year tenure as Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System - but his most famous political accomplishment is as the only person to ever defeat George W. Bush in a political campaign. He also hosts his own podcast, The Best Storyteller in Texas, where he mines his favorite political stories and weighs in on the news of the day. In this conversation, Chancellor Kent Hance talks about his famous 1978 win over George W. Bush in an open-seat congressional...his preceding time in the Texas State Senate, his time in the House carrying landmark legislation for President Reagan, running statewide, helming a major public university system, memories of iconic political figures, and some of his best stories from 6+ decades in politics.

IN THIS EPISODE...

Growing up in rural West Texas...

How the books his mother chose to read to him as a child led to a lifelong interest politics...

A Kent Hance best-practice for avoiding troublemakers at town hall meetings...

How he took on a West Texas political machine to beat a sitting State Senator in 1974...

Chancellor Hance shares his memories of iconic Texas political figures John Connally, Lloyd Bentsen, and Ann Richards...

Going in-depth about his good friend and former colleague, Congresswoman Charlie Wilson...

How Kent Hance beat George W. Bush for Congress in an open seat race in 1978...

The 1978 Hance campaign tactic that stuck with George W. Bush for 30+ years...

Memories of sponsoring President Reagan's historic, controversial tax cut in the early 1980s.

Highlighting a major difference in the leadership style of Presidents Reagan and Trump...

Coming up short running for Senate in 1984...

Demystifying what it's like serving on the Texas Railroad Commission...

What led to becoming Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System...

The curveball of the Texas Tech football coach he helped hire becoming now-US Senator Tommy Tuberville...

AND $1.2 Billion, AT&T, Jodey Arrington, Coalter Baker, Jim Baker, bank charters, Choc Blanchard, Doc Blanchard, Laura Bush, The Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress, Barber Conable, dealmakers, Bob Dole, Ken Duberstein, Phil Gramm, hardcore Navy guys, Tommy Joe Harrison, hating Communists, Chic Hecht, Vic Henry, Bill Hobby, Lee Iacocca, Jack Kemp, LBJ, Little Britches, George Mahon, mail carriers, Wilbur Mills, Walter Mondale, the New England Journal of Medicine, Don Pease, Sam Rayburn, Walter Rogers, Dan Rostenkowski, Preston Smith, talking heads, trial lawyers, Donald Trump, Paul Weyrich, whipping the Russians, Clayton Williams, windfall profits tax...& more!

What Morgan Searcy Learned from 200+ Interviews with First-Time Political Staffers Feb 20, 2024

Show notes

Send a text

Morgan Searcy is a graphic designer whose work has supported some of the top brands in corporate America (Nike, MTV to name a few) and has also worked in campaigns for names like Warren and Ossoff. After the 2020 cycle, she embarked on a new project to capture and record experiences of first-time political staffers - a project that turned into the book One Year in Politics. In this work, she chronicles interviews with more than 220 first-time political staffers...with in-depth information about their motivations, challenges, concerns, aspirations, and more.

IN THIS EPISODE

Morgan's roots growing up as an Asian American in Huntsville, AL...

What drew Morgan to politics from a largely non-political family...

Morgan talks her background in graphic design and best practices for effective visuals...

How Morgan transitioned from corporate design work to working in politics in the 2020 cycle...

What led Morgan to tackle the project that turned into her book, "One Year in Politics"...

Morgan's takeaways from 220+ interviews with first-time political staffers...

Hurdles identified by first-time BIPOC staffers...

What interviews from 2020 revealed about staffer experiences during the pandemic...

The types of "burnout" first-time staffers report feeling...

How first-time staffers' ideology compared to the candidate or cause for whom they worked...

Morgan's advice to staffers early in the career...

AND 5-Star hotels, all-hands meetings, art kids, bigger logos, Boeing, brand recognition, Emerge, EMILYs List, Google Forms, hierarchies of information, Jason Kander, NASA, Jon Ossoff, traditional job boards, video game designers, Werner Von Braun & more!

Jim Margolis, Founding Partner of Democratic Media Firm GMMB Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

Send a text

Jim Margolis, partner at GMMB media, is a pioneering Democratic media consultant who is featured in the new documentary, The Bigger Hammer, by filmmaker Keith Gaby that focuses on the message war behind the Obama vs. McCain 2008 race (now available on Amazon). In this conversation, Jim talks his path to politics through student activism in Kalamazoo, managing House campaigns, and working on the Hill before partnering with Frank Greer to start GMMB. He also goes in depth on his work for the Obama Presidential campaigns and shares some of his favorite stories and spots from a career atop the world of political media.

IN THIS EPISODE

Jim's early entry into politics as a high schooler in Kalamazoo, MI...

Why a narrow loss in one of the first races he worked was "the best thing that ever happened" to him...

Jim talks the important role Congressman Howard Wolpe played in his development...

Lessons learned from his early days as a campaign manager and Hill Chief...

A one-of-a-kind story from Kent Conrad's upset 1986 Senate win in North Dakota...

How his partnership with Frank Greer started and Jim's early days as an ad-maker...

A deep dive into Jim's role spearheading media on the Obama '08 presidential campaign...

Why Jim had the '08 Democratic Convention stage dramatically changed at the last minute...

Jim's 101 on producing political conventions...

Jim on working for two of his most prominent Senate clients, Barbara Boxer and Harry Reid...

What got Jim in Harry Reid's doghouse for a couple of weeks...

Jim talks the evolution of his firm GMMB over the years...

Jim breaks down the art of political ad-buying...

Jim's advice to the next generation of political media consultants...

AND 3/10/83, Brock Adams, Africanists, Mark Andrews, David Axelrod, blue suits, Quentin Burdick, the Chicago Tribune, Cinderella years, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, crazy hats, Fred Davis, disease implications, Byron Dorgan, ending apartheid, extra chips, fancy Florida hotels, Dianne Feinstein, Fort Defiance, Wyche Fowler, game show sets, good ears, Larry Grisolano, herculean tasks, Anita Hill, Paris Hilton, Invesco Stadium, John Kerry, Jim Messina, Michigan State University, Walter Mondale, Robby Mook, mosquito nets, Navajo reservations, David Plouffe, punch cards, Bernie Sanders, tax commissioners, Western Michigan University...& more!

Pro Politics Podcast Update: New Episodes Coming Soon Jan 09, 2024

Show notes

Send a text

Listen to a brief update about the Pro Politics Podcast, with the upshot that you should stay tuned for new episodes coming soon. For any feedback, feel free to drop me a line at mccrary.zachary(at)gmail.com. Thanks for listening.

Mark Z. Barabak, L.A. Times Political Columnist, on the Changing Politics of the New West Nov 21, 2023

Show notes

Send a text

Mark Barabak, the veteran political reporter and columnist for the L.A. Times, has just helmed a six-part series analyzing the political evolutions across the New West - Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon. In this conversation, Mark talks his recent series, touches on the politics in all six of these states, and breaks down what it says about the trajectory of the region and the impact on the national landscape. He also mines his reporter's notebook to talk some of his favorite stories and personalities from 35+ years covering politics.

IN THIS EPISODE

Mark talks how he was drawn to working in political journalism...

The one state Mark hasn't covered yet...

What led Mark to helm his recent series on the New West...

The biggest surprise in the recent political evolution of the West...

How much remains of the historical, libertarian political character of the West...

How Cindy McCain has recently played an important symbolic role in Arizona politics...

Mark on Governor Jared Polis and political trajectory of Colorado...

Why emigration from California is not helping Republicans in the rest of the region...

Mark talks the importance of Latino voters in the West...

Mark's take on what it would take for Republicans to finally break through in Oregon...

What Bend, OR reveals about politics in the state...

How resilient is Democratic strength in the West if the party moves more to the left...

How Bill Clinton muscled California into becoming a safe Democratic state...

The anecdote Mark has waited 30 years to use...

Mark recalls the importance of the Berman/Waxman So Cal "machine" and Northern CA's Burton "machine"...

Mark's memories covering Nancy Pelosi's political career from her very first race in the 80s...

Mark weighs in on the '24 California open Senate seat...

The most charismatic politicians Mark has seen over the years...

AND 801 Chophouse, accelerants, Joe Biden, Barbara Boxer, Harry Britt, broad libertarian streaks, Pat Brown, Ron Brown, Willie Brown, bundling, Sala Burton, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, California tattoos, criminal malpractice, Gray Davis, Michael Dukakis, election deniers, John Emerson, extractive industries, fingertip sensitivity, Diane Feinstein, Greek Lit, Kamala Harris, Peter Hart, John Hickenlooper, the hoi polloi, Mark Kelly, Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Kari Lake, Adam Laxalt, Barbara Lee, Mel Levine, Bill Lunch, Maricopa County, Blake Masters, Leo McCarthy, Narragansett, Grover Norquist, Tip O'Neill, Mike Ovitz, Leon Panetta, Pablo Picasso, Katie Porter, RINOs, Ronald Reagan, Dick Riordan, Brian Sanderoff, Adam Schiff, John Seymour, Derek Shearer, Bob Shrum, sourdough bread, unhelpful quotes, Pete Wilson...& more!

How Beshear Kept the Bluegrass State Blue, with Beshear '19/'23 Manager Eric Hyers Nov 14, 2023

Show notes

Send a text

Eric Hyers, manager of both Andy Beshear's '19 and '23 gubernatorial races, goes deep on last week's election of Governor Beshear in Kentucky. Eric talks his initial theory of the race, key strategic decisions from both campaigns, how the Beshear campaign fought back against transgender attacks and leveraged the issue of abortion against GOP nominee Daniel Cameron. In addition to getting under the hood of the 2023 race, Eric outlines his path to politics, experiences helping Democrats win in red states, theories on effective campaign management and much more.

IN THIS EPISODE

Eric's early days in political organizing and how that prepped him to run campaigns...

Eric weighs in on the three traits of effective campaign managers...

What Eric has learned about fostering the right relationship between a candidate and campaign manager...

Eric's memories of helping elect Governors Gina Raimondo and Steve Bullock...

Why the office of Attorney General makes a good launching pad for Democrats running for higher office...

The Eric Hyers' 101 of Kentucky politics...

How Eric entered the political world of Andy Beshear...

How Andy Beshear ousted GOP incumbent Matt Bevin in 2019...

How Governor Beshear talked Eric into managing the 2023 re-elect as well...

Eric's theory of the race when it kicked off in early 2023...

Eric breaks down the strengths and weaknesses of GOP nominee Daniel Cameron...

How the Beshear campaign responded to attacks on transgender issues...

How the Beshear campaign went about targeting securing Trump / Beshear voters...

The strategic decision to communicate on the issue of abortion exceptions...

The messaging importance of Governor Beshear always "showing up" for Kentucky...

What Eric can report about the turnout dynamics of the 2023 race...

Eric's most unusual work habit...

AND 17% approval ratings, 20,000 yard signs, Rocky Adkins, Steve Beshear, the Brent Spence Bridge, bus tours, David Cicilline, Cincinnati suburbs, complete jerks, crisis governors, DraftKings, John Edwards, GPS Impact, getting to yes, Greg Gianforte, Kirsten Gillibrand, good luck gourds, Mandy Grunwald, Jack Harlow, Bill Hyers, Nicole Kayner, Patrick Kennedy, Colin Lauderdale, managing multiple humans, Mitch McConnell, The Mountain Parkway, playoff beards, primetime players, Pulaski VA, red to pink, Saratoga Springs, setting a tone at the top, Josh Shapiro, Skidmore College, spreadsheet guys, TV Andy, Erin White, Williams College, Fred Yang....& more!

Author & Pollster Patrick Ruffini on His New Book, PARTY OF THE PEOPLE, & the Changing GOP Coalition Nov 07, 2023

Show notes

Send a text

Patrick Ruffini, pollster at Echelon Strategies, returns to talk about his new book (released today, 11/7/23) PARTY OF THE PEOPLE - on the transition of the Republican Party from being dominated by wealthy, suburban white voters to a more blue-collar and increasingly-multi-racial coalition. In this conversation, Patrick lays out the data behind these shifts, what is driving the GOP's new-found success with blue-collar voters, why this movement came as a surprise to many, the balance of economic vs. cultural priorities, how Latino/AAPI/Black voters are increasingly persuadable audiences in elections, and expecations as to how these shifts will continue to define American politics for the forseeable future.

IN THIS EPISODE

Patrick lays out the core thesis of Party of the People...

Patrick's favorite data points that illustrate the changing face of the GOP...

Patrick's take on the role of "educational attainment" in changing voting patterns...

Patrick gives a quick tutorial on when and how Democrats have historically been the party of working-class Americans...

How flawed 2012 exit polls have contributed to shifting party coalitions more than a decade later...

Patrick's take on how the "In This House..." yard signs unwittingly speak to tensions within the Democratic coalition...

Economic vs cultural drivers of voter behavior...

Missteps and missed GOP opportunities from the trifecta control of government in 2017 and 2018...

Mining recent data among Hispanic voters...

What Patrick learned about border communities on a trip to the Rio Grande Valley...

Why Lester Chang is important...

Why Black voter behavior has been more stable than Latino and Asian voters...

Patrick's take on the growing segment of biracial and multi-racial Americans...

The impact of free trade and foreign policy on changing partisan coalitions...

What Patrick learned in the process of writing his first book...

AND 7:3 coalitional splits, anti-globalization sentiments, Joe Biden, blurbs, Brexit, George W. Bush, census buckets, charts and data, Hillary Clinton, Nate Cohn, Thomas Dewey, Tom Edsall, Ryan Enos, existential demographic crisis, fading historical patterns, faint echoes, frontier mentalities, the Great Recession, the green transition, Hamiltonian tendencies, illiberal populism, instinctive hawks, Andrew Jackson, jettisoning first principles, Chryl Laird, majority popular tendencies, mercantile progress, the New Deal, Barack Obama, Mike Podhorzer, Ronald Reagan, the Republican autopsy, rivalrous groups, Mitt Romney, sheepskin effects, David Shor, social taboos, Starr County, Steadfast Democrats, Harry Truman, Donald Trump, the UAW, Ismail White, white phenomenons....& more!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Pro Politics with Zac McCrary

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected