Today on AirTalk, we have a conversation with presidential candidate Joe Biden who's campaigning in Iowa ahead of the primaries next week. We also take a look at the aviation investigation into the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and analyze the San Francisco DA's proposal to end cash bail.
A Conversation With 2020 Candidate Joe Biden
Former Vice President Joe Biden joins us to talk about campaigning in Iowa, how the democratic party is changing, and makes the case for why he should lead the party into the general election.
With the Iowa primaries less than a week away, presidential hopefuls seeking the democratic nomination are in the last stretch of campaigning before Iowans hit the polls on Monday. Former VP Joe Biden is on a bus tour throughout the state, meeting with voters to discuss issues such as healthcare, labor and gun control. Over the weekend, a surge of new polling showed Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders in a dead heat for the lead in the primaries, with Biden trailing behind by an average of a few points. As impeachment looms over the primaries, and with Biden’s implication to the inquiry, it’s difficult to tell which candidate will take Iowa and what the race might look like going forward into other state primaries.
Joe Biden built a political name for himself first as a U.S. senator representing Delaware then as former President Barack Obama’s VP. The 2020 race marks his fourth time running for president. Biden is hoping to attract voters as the moderate-choice candidate, touting his years of political experience.
Guest:
Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States under President Barack Obama from 2008-2016; 2020 Democratic presidential nominee; he joins us from Marion, Iowa, where he’s been campaigning
Investigators Slowly Release Details Into Helicopter Crash That Killed Kobe Bryant And Eight Others
Laker legend Kobe Bryant often traveled by helicopter, so traveling by one last Sunday morning to his sports academy was nothing new. Details regarding what happened during the last minutes of the flight before it crashed in the hills of Calabasas are slowly coming to light as the National Transportation Safety Board investigate what caused the accident.
According to CNN, in the final moments before the helicopter crashed, the pilot told air traffic control he was climbing in order to avoid a cloud layer. The weather conditions were reportedly foggy. But it’s still not quite clear why the helicopter crashed into the hillside, though investigators say they’re confident they will determine the cause. The crash left nine people dead, including 41-year-old Bryant and his daughter, Gianna and the pilot. NTSB officials called the scene devastating. Today on AirTalk, we check in with a former disaster response expert to discuss the latest details and what we’re likely to soon learn regarding the tragic crash.
Guest:
Peter Goelz, former managing director, National Transportation Safety Board where he coordinated disaster response and directed investigative activities at several aviation accidents; Currently the senior vice president of O'Neill and Associates, a lobbying firm; he tweets
San Francisco Is Doing Away With Cash Bail. We Take A Look At The Alternatives.
Fulfilling a promise he made on the campaign trail, San Francisco’s new district attorney Chesa Boudin has announced he’ll be doing away with cash bail as a condition for pre-trial release.
San Francisco will implement a risk-based system that will consider if a defendant might be dangerous or is likely to run away. Bail reform advocates have lauded the move and have long argued that the cash bail system puts low income and people of color at a disadvantage. Certain law enforcement voices, including the San Francisco police union, have opposed the decision, citing public safety as a concern.
Meanwhile, controversy has roiled New York’s bail reform law. How is San Francisco’s system different?
We take a closer look at the pros and cons of eliminating cash bail, as well as the landscape of alternatives.
Guests:
Lara Bazelon, professor of law and director of the Racial Justice Clinic and Criminal Juvenile Justice Clinic at the University of San Francisco School of Law; she tweets
Eugene O’Donnell, lecturer in law, police science and criminal justice at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, he is a former NYPD officer and prosecutor with the Brooklyn and Queens District Attorney’s Offices