To The Point

05/09/2022

Former Amb. Steven Pifer on whether the UN still has purpose in light of its inability to prevent the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
And political scientist Yascha Mounk speaks about his latest book; “The Great Experiment; Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure.” Mounk says although diversity in a democracy is important, it should be "neither a melting pot nor a salad bowl!"

The United Nations can’t stop Russia’s war on Ukraine. And author Yascha Mounk says more diversity is a threat to democracy, but he’s still hopeful.

03/03/2022

https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/to-the-point/russia-ukraine-invasion-putin
Georgetown University's Angela Stent and NYT's David Sanger assess some of the unintended consequences of the invasion.

10/27/2021

10/29/2020

Latest podcast features wonderful discussions with both Evan Osnos author of “Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now,” and John Dean, former White House Counsel under President Nixon and co-author of “Authoritarian Nightmare: Trump and His Followers.”
https://www.kcrw.com/news/shows/to-the-point/joe-biden-donald-trump-authoritarianism-evan-osnos-john-dean

Win or lose, Joe Biden has a personal story of tragedy and ultimate survival. KCRW’s Warren Olney talks with Evan Osnos, author of “ Joe Biden: The Life, the Run, and What Matters Now.”

09/11/2020

Great interview Warren had with Isabel Wilkerson. In a caste system, separate from the United States is it possible for an untouchable in India to rise out of the caste that they've been born into? Check out Isabel's answer.

The U.S. has a history of repressing people of color, but systemic racism doesn’t tell the whole story. Isabel Wilkerson traces it to the caste system in India, which had echoes in Hitler’s Germany.

09/10/2020

In case you missed our latest episode here it is -- vaccines and athlete activism. Both could have an impact on November's election. Great convo with some of our favorite guests.

The Trump administration claims a COVID-19 vaccine could be available as early as November, just in time for the election. Also pro athletes are being more politically active — will their message resonate with African American men?

08/18/2020

An insightful and scary discussion about the danger posed by nuclear weapons, many of which are on hair trigger alert and for which one man, the President, has sole authority to use. Warren speaks with former Secretary of Defense William Perry and former California Governor Jerry Brown.

It’s been 75 years since two atom bombs destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the world learned that nuclear weapons could annihilate civilization. Today, America’s nuclear weapons policy makes that as likely as ever.

07/14/2020

"The Coronavirus outbreak is now literally burning through the Sunbelt." Ron Brownstein on the political implications for Trump and the GOP

Scientific evidence shows that wearing a mask can protect both the wearer and the community around them from COVID-19. Yet some Americans, including President Trump, are still reluctant to put on a mask.

06/26/2020

Warren discusses the history of "warrior training" with Seth Stoughton, with former city police officer and now a professor of law at the University of South Carolina.
Also in this episode, an update on a potential travel ban from the European Union and the latest on the much anticipated June decisions from the Supreme Court.

After killings and other violence recorded on camera, Black Lives Matter supporters are demanding police reform.

06/16/2020

Will a historically white environmental movement embrace racial justice and equality? Warren discusses the link between racial and environmental justice.
Later, Warren talks with two people who are anxiously awaiting this month’s Supreme Court decision on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The police killing of George Floyd has protesters focusing on another key issue — environmental injustice. Will a historically white environmental movement embrace racial justice and equality?

06/04/2020

Professors Melina Abdullah and Peniel Joseph on what it will take to confront racism in America. Later Warren talks to civil rights attorney Connie Rice about the 1992 riots and the LAPD - make sure you listen through till the end.

The killing of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, in Minneapolis has inspired nationwide protests against injustice and police violence. Marchers are targeting cities of white affluence. What does all this say about confronting racism in America?

05/27/2020

Hope you've been keeping up with our podcasts. This week Warren's in conversation with Ron Brownstein, E.J. Dionne and A.B. Stoddard about the future of political conventions amongst other things.

Party Conventions nominated presidents since 1831. Will Covid-19 put an end to balloons, bunting and long-winded speeches? Will it also put an end to privacy?

04/27/2020

Warren says hello from his home studio. We need your help to keep going. at kcrw.com/give

04/16/2020

Listen to Norm Ornstein and Judge Steven Leifman's compelling personal stories on why they are so committed to fighting for those suffering with mental illness. The documentary "The Definition of Insanity" featuring Judge Leifman is currently running on your local PBS stations.

Coronavirus among farmworkers is a threat to America’s food supply chain. Are these workers being protected? Also, courts in Miami-Dade County are keeping people with mental illnesses out of jail.

04/10/2020

"Voter after voter after voter were saying the same thing, which was they had asked for an absentee ballot, they had applied with plenty of time and never received one in the mail." - Natasha Korecki, Rick Hasen and Andy Slavitt join Warren this week. Don't miss the choir at the end!

Andy Slavitt helped save Obamacare. Now he’s tweeting to help the Trump White House cope with COVID-19. He says the pandemic is more important than partisanship. Does the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority agree?

03/27/2020

"A lot of people in journalism are going to have to ask themselves, why did they get into this business? Was it to ensure the president has a voice?" NYU journalism professor Jay Rosen.

Americans see coronavirus in terms of politics more than public health. Blue states are enforcing “social distancing.” Red states are reluctant. Is President Trump dividing the country when it needs unity more than ever?

03/19/2020

We're making it our mission to provide you with informative Covid-19 related content. Please let us know specifically if there's an issue you want Warren to address.
Meanwhile, here's our latest pod on the virus and on climate change; can either crisis teach us about the other?
Stay healthy!

There’s been early denial and official inaction when it comes to both the coronavirus outbreak and climate change. Can either crisis teach us about the other?

03/13/2020

Our latest pod on COVID-19 testing and the takeaway now that Elizabeth Warren has suspended her bid for the presidency.

A private lab in Southern California says it’ll still take another two months before we know the extent of the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. President Trump wants a payroll tax “holiday.”

02/22/2020

"This president has a kind of genius we need to sing out, which is that he's a master marketer. He's a master of his megaphone. He has had an electric connection with his supporters who don't seem upset when he lies or when he misleads or when he doesn't deliver policies" . Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker on the leader of the free world. If you don't have time to read the book - check out this pod!

The president calls himself a “very stable genius,” and stories from a new book by that name are already part of Trump lore. He was confused about Pearl Harbor. He didn’t know India had a border with China. Some aides doubt his fitness for office.

02/13/2020

Socialism and disinformation - it's a great pod. Enjoy!

With Bernie Sanders leading the Democratic candidates, Republicans are reviving a political dirty word: “socialism.” Meantime, the Trump campaign has weaponized digital media, assaulting voters with disinformation.

02/12/2020

Be aware; 'as we get closer to the election, we're going to see micro-targeting and all the other tactics we've talked about deployed in much more creative ways and progressive ways in some cases to sow discord and confusion". More from McKay Coppins on this week's pod.

How new technologies and techniques pioneered by dictators will shape the 2020 election

01/22/2020

The Senate impeachment trial; "a purely partisan political experience that has some trappings of the law". - Dahlia Lithwick. The trial, the politics and the Constitution on this week's podcast

Did President Trump abuse his power? That’s now up to the Senate. But is that even a crime? Democrats and Republicans agree on the facts, but not on the Constitution. Trump says he can do whatever he wants.

01/20/2020

The New York Times splits it's endorsement between Warren and Klobuchar. Are the male candidates either too old or too inexperienced?

In 2020, both the radical and the realist models warrant serious consideration.

01/20/2020

The impeachment trial in the Senate starts Tuesday. Will Chief Justice John Roberts do anything to steer the trial toward a conviction or acquittal? More on the SCOTUS Chief in the second segment of this week's podcast

While Trump cuts environmental protections, Democrats debate climate change -- when reporters give them a chance. CNN didn’t ask until the second half of the latest debate. We hear what the candidates said.

01/10/2020

Brace yourselves; this is some rage listening from Aaron Glanz on his new book "Homewreckers"

In 2008, the subprime mortgage crisis cost hundreds of thousands of American families their homes. A small group of predatory lenders ultimately made billions.

01/09/2020

This week; context and history on the killing of Qaseem Suleimani and reflections from an Australian climate scientist on the Bushfires. A worthy listen!

President Trump and Iran’s Ayatollah brushed with armed conflict this week. Did it all begin with the U.S. embassy takeover in 1979 or the violent replacement of Iran’s elected president in 1953?

01/04/2020

What should happen to those who leak classified information? For former black, CIA agent Jeffrey Sterling, who shared classified information with NYT reporter James Risen, the consequences were life changing. Don't miss this fascinating conversation on leakers and whistleblowers.

The White House insider who blew the whistle on President Trump remains under federal protection. But whistle-blowing is a dangerous game. Warren talks with a whistle-blower who did prison time after his identity was revealed.

01/02/2020

Happy New Year from all of us here at "To the Point". We appreciate your support and look forward to bringing you some great content in 2020! In keeping with our mission to stay on top of climate related issues, check out Paul Greenberg's article; "a kilogram of most American-caught finfish, like the Alaska po***ck, used for McDonald’s fish sandwich, comes in at a tofu-besting 1.6 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions".

How many tons of emissions can we trim in the new year?

12/19/2019

Wrapping up our 2019 podcasts with this great discussion on Boris Johnson's victory in the UK election last week. It also includes a little excerpt of Boris practicing his French - who knew? Enjoy and happy holidays to all!

Conservative leader Boris Johnson won big in the Brexit election. Labor’s Jeremy Corbyn lost disastrously. Is there a lesson for America’s Democrats who are still divided over next year’s presidential nominee?

12/13/2019

Looking for a great holiday gift? Peter Bergen on "Trump and his Generals; The Cost of Chaos". Warren's interview with Bergen is right here:

Donald Trump took office with more generals in his cabinet than any previous president. It didn’t take long for all to resign or be fired.

12/11/2019

Ahead of this months democratic debate in Los Angeles, this podcast is worthy of another listen:

Presidential debates have become reality TV, and performance is more important than substance. With 10 candidates onstage and two more in the wings, potential voters are far from consensus. Can the Democrats unite in time to take on the reality TV veteran now in the White House?

12/05/2019

This week, while many of you were enjoying a bit of turkey and pie, Warren sat down with Joel Stein to talk about his new book; "In Defense of Elitism" and expand on his view that impeachment is the wrong road for democrats to go down.
Enjoy!

“Draining the swamp” was a popular slogan, and President Trump has made good on his promise. Crucial firings and resignations have hit almost every department. Are Americans better off?

11/19/2019

The attack on science continues - under a new rule the EPA will not refer to medical studies when making policy. Andrew Rosenberg at the Union of Concerned Scientists explains the implications to America's public health.

Personal medical records behind public health regulations are now stamped "confidential." If they aren’t opened up, the Trump EPA says it will ignore them. Is that “transparency” really needed, or is it a way to avoid tough rules against new health risks that climate change is bound to require...

11/15/2019

"It was technically a bipartisan piece of legislation, but it is not necessarily good press for Republicans to see essentially mostly black folks, let's be real, out of jail" - Jamil Smith on this weeks podcast.

With support from Democrats as well as Republicans, President Trump agreed to release inmates from harsh prison terms due to the War on Drugs. But his own Justice Department wants them back behind bars.