Today on AirTalk, our weekly political roundtable highlights the stories you might’ve missed over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come in national political news. We also take a look at the new HBO documentary 'Leaving Neverland' and the troubled legacy of Michael Jackson; and more.
Week in politics: What to expect as more Republicans defect on Trump’s national emergency declaration, two more drop their names into 2020 Democratic hat and more
AirTalk’s weekly political roundtable highlights the stories you might’ve missed over the weekend and looks ahead to the week to come in national political news. Here are some of the stories we’re watching this week:
Michael Cohen follow-up
2020 Dem field -- WA Gov. Jay Inslee joins, so does former CO Gov. Hickenlooper, speculation about Biden
Jared Kushner’s security clearance, House investigators accuse WH of blocking access
What’s next after Trump-Kim summit ends with no deal, Trump & Kim’s relationship
Bolton says “my opinion doesn’t matter” on Otto Warmbier
Pentagon announces it’s cancelling large-scale spring military exercises in South Korea
House Democrats explode in recriminations as liberals lash out at moderates
Is Medicare for all losing steam with Democrats?
LA Times: How California’s early primary illustrates the state’s political inferiority complex
With guest host Libby Denkmann.
Guests:
Lanhee Chen, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University; he was an adviser for Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign and served as policy director for the Romney-Ryan 2012 presidential campaign; he tweets
Matt Barreto, professor of political science and Chicano/a Studies at UCLA and co-founder of the research and polling firm Latino Decisions; he tweets
‘Leaving Neverland’ and the troubled legacy of Michael Jackson
The new HBO two-part documentary series “Leaving Neverland” is forcing a re-examination of the child molestation allegations against Michael Jackson.
Airing March 3 and 4, the documentary centers on Wade Robson and James Safechuck who allege that Michael Jackson began sexual relationships with the boys when they were ages 7 and 10, respectively.
The documentary shows a pop star who used his fame to groom boys and manipulate their families. While allegations of child sex abuse against Jackson were dismissed in a court of law, the documentary is a catalyst for many to re-evaluate their relationship to the King of Pop, his music and his persona.
Jackson was criminally tried and acquitted of child molestation and related charges in 2005.
If you watched “Leaving Neverland,” has it changed your mind about Michael Jackson? If you’re a fan of his music, will this make you perceive his music differently? How has this documentary resonated among fans, both those disappointed and defiant?
With guest host Libby Denkmann.
Guests:
Eric Deggans, TV critic for NPR; he tweets
Hank Stuever, TV critic for the Washington Post, where he covered the 2005 Michael Jackson trial and reviewed “Leaving Neverland”; he tweets
Tirhakah Love, journalist and TV columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle who wrote about watching the documentary for the paper; he tweets
Amazon, New York wants you back
A group of business leaders, elected officials and others haven't given up on Amazon building a headquarters in New York City, and are sending an open letter to CEO Jeff Bezos urging him to reconsider the decision to abandon the effort.
In the letter, published in The New York Times on Friday, the group acknowledged the loud opposition to the project, saying the public debate "was rough and not very welcoming."
"Opinions are strong in New York - sometimes strident," the letter said. "We consider it part of the New York charm! But when we commit to a project as important as this, we figure out how to get it done in a way that works for everyone."
The letter went on to say New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo would "take personal responsibility for the project's state approval."
Cuomo, at an unrelated event on Long Island, acknowledged that he has spoken to Amazon officials but hadn't heard anything that would indicate Amazon had changed its mind.
The deal would have had Seattle-based Amazon redevelop a site in the Long Island City section of Queens for one of two new headquarters. The company expected to base 25,000 jobs there.
But opposition built, over issues including the $3 billion in state and city tax incentives the company stood to receive and the way the deal was put together behind closed doors by Democrats Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Cuomo has spoken out against fellow Democrats in the state Senate who opposed the deal, including state Sen. Michael Gianaris of Queens, who opposed the deal and was put by state Democratic leaders on a state panel that potentially could have had some approval role over the project.
But state Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins on Thursday said she was in favor of job creation and "was disappointed with Amazon's decision and hoped they would reconsider."
With files from the Associated Press
With guest host Libby Denkmann.
Guests:
J David Goodman, political reporter for the New York Times who’s been following the story; he tweets
Steven Overly, technology reporter for POLITICO; he tweets