AirTalk Oct. 29, 2026

Today's show: AirTalk host Larry Mantle speaks with incumbent Karen Bass on the mayoral race, MacArthur Park overdose crisis, past presidencies and the war on terror, Prop. 44, Prop. 2, ballot uncertainty and TV Talk.

Mayor Karen Bass on why she should get a second term

Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass faces off against one-time ally City Councilmember Nithya Raman at a time when the city is grappling with rampant homelessness, the skyrocketing cost of housing and a paucity of basic city services like pothole repair — all while trying to get the city ready to host the Olympic Games in 2028. She discusses the race and her campaign.

Guest:

• Karen Bass, mayor of Los Angeles running for a second term

MacArthur Park overdose crisis

MacArthur Park has found itself in a difficult position with the highest rate of violent crime in Los Angeles and one of the highest for overdose deaths. From the mid-1980s to the 1990s, the neighborhood saw issues, like the crack epidemic impact its perception, eventually leading to less investment in the community. Today on AirTalk, we’ll dig into LAist reporting on the area.

Guest:

• Jordan Rynning, watchdog correspondent for LAist; his latest piece is titled MacArthur Park is one of LA’s deadliest places. Inside the fight to reclaim it. It's part of a three part series releasing this week

New book dissects past presidencies and the war on terror

Sept. 11, 2001, marked the deadliest attack on America since Pearl Harbor, killing 2,976 people and injuring thousands. Marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Peter Bergen's new book, All the Presidents' Wars: Twenty-Five Years of America's War on Terror, recounts how four presidential administrations tackled the subsequent war on terror and the consequences that came about their involvement.

Guest:

• Peter Bergen, journalist, professor and the author of numerous books

Prop. 44: community health clinic spending

On this year’s November ballot, voters are presented with a proposition that could require community health clinics to spend 90% of their revenue on patient care. The prop is being spearheaded by SEIU-UHW and is receiving pushback from organizations like California Primary Care Association and California Medical Association. Today on AirTalk, we lay out the basics of Prop. 44.

Guest:

• Ana Ibarra, health reporter at CalMatters

Prop 2: rainy day fund

Proposition 2 would let California save more money in its rainy day fund. It would double the cap on deposits into this fund, raising it from 10 to 20% of the state’s general fund tax revenue. We lay out the arguments.

Guest:

• Guy Marzorati, California politics & government desk correspondent for KQED

Ahead of election day, what issue or race are you still unsure about?

This year’s election cycle has seen so much literature and advertisements sent our way. Whether it's tied to state propositions, local measures or candidates, it's sometimes hard to make a final call on something you’ve been on the fence over. Join the conversation: Is there something on your ballot this year that you’ve uniquely had trouble filling out? What’s made you so torn over the options? Join the conversation by calling (866) 893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.

TV Talk: ‘The Mob,’ ‘Dexter: Resurrection,’ ‘The Gilded Age’ and more

Have you felt completely overwhelmed when deciding what new show to watch these days? Us too. There’s just so much content out there between network TV and numerous streaming platforms. This week, listeners will get the latest scoop on what’s worth watching.

Guests:

• Roxana Hadadi, TV critic for Vulture
• Liz Shannon Miller, senior entertainment editor at Consequence