Patt Morrison looks at the current state of the trail; tips and tricks on delivering the most effective public speech; and a new book pays tribute to the women who paved the landscape for California's art scene.
AirTalk election 2016: Previewing West Virginia’s primary, plus a look at the widening GOP rift
The next big primary day for the 2016 presidential candidates will be June 7th, when California and several other states will cast their votes.
This week, the candidates turn their focus to West Virginia, a blue collar state where coal mining is king. Republicans in Nebraska also head to the polls on Tuesday.
Both frontrunner candidates made news in the state last week; Hillary Clinton for stumbling through an answer to a question about how she’d pitch herself to poor white voters and upsetting some in the coal mining industry, and Donald Trump for putting on a miner’s hat and pretending as if he was mining after being introduced at a West Virginia campaign event. Bernie Sanders, meanwhile, is turning his attention to New Jersey, where he’s campaigning today.
There’s also evidence that the rift between the Republican establishment and Donald Trump is growing wider, as Trump said this weekend that he wouldn’t rule out blocking House Speaker Paul Ryan from serving as chair of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland this summer.
This week on AirTalk’s political roundtable, our expert analysts take a look at the implications of West Virginia’s primaries for each candidate and the race as a whole, what the continued discord in the GOP could mean for the election, and preview the rest of the week on the campaign trail.
Guests:
Steve Phillips, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and author of the book “Brown is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority”
Jack Pitney, professor of political science at Claremont McKenna College
Dwyane Wade takes heat for practicing during the Canadian national anthem
Saturday, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade was in the middle of his pre-game ritual for game three against the Toronto Raptors.
Wade got an assist from his teammate, and tried to make his customary 15-foot bank shot. It took him a few tries but he finally sunk the shot and was ready to play.
Only one problem: ‘O Canada,’ the Canadian national anthem, was being sung as he was prepping, as is customary when a sporting event features teams from different countries.
This drew the ire of many Canadian basketball viewers, including Toronto mayor John Tory.
Hey @DwyaneWade a Canadian invented the game. Respect the anthem. #WeTheNorth #RTZ
— John Tory (@JohnTory) May 8, 2016
, Tory reminded Wade that the game of basketball was invented by a Canadian and asked asked him to, "Respect the anthem."
Was Wade out of line with his actions? Does this sort of thing further drive the idea that public U.S. figures aren't taking into account how their behavior could be perceived by others outside the country?
Guest:
A Martinez, host of KPCC's Take Two and an avid follower of all things sports
How to become a better talker, according to the guy who curates TED Talks
Chris Anderson launched more than 100 magazines and websites in his career, and the one venture he’s affiliated with that has best withstood the fickle taste of the masses is probably the TED Conference.
As curator of TED, Anderson has brought to the stage speakers from Bill Clinton to novelist Elizabeth Gilbert to talk about topics ranging from how to end world hunger, to the power of empathy. But Anderson doesn’t just line them up, he also works with speakers on how to shape and deliver their talks.
In this conversation with guest host Patt Morrison, Anderson offers pointers on how we can all become better public speakers.
Chris Anderson will join writer Pico Iyer to talk about his book tonight at The Aero Theatre at 8 p.m., the event is presented by Live Talks LA. Click here for more information.
Guest:
Chris Anderson, curator of TED. He is the author of the new book, “TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016)
North Carolina sues federal government over ‘bathroom’ law
(AP) North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory's administration sued the federal government Monday in a fight for a state law that limits protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
The lawsuit seeks to keep in place the law, which the U.S. Justice Department said last week violated the civil rights of transgender people against sex discrimination on the job and in education.
The Justice Department had set a Monday deadline for McCrory to report whether he would refuse to enforce the law that took effect in March. McCrory's defiance could risk funding for the state's university system and lead to a protracted legal battle.
Federal civil rights enforcement attorneys focused in their warning letters particularly on provisions requiring transgender people to use public restrooms that correspond to their biological sex. The letters threatening possible federal lawsuits were sent to McCrory, leaders of the 17-campus University of North Carolina system, and the state's public safety agency.
Guests:
Matthew McReynolds, senior staff attorney at Pacific Justice Institute in Sacramento, which works to defend religious liberties and parental rights
Peter Renn, staff attorney at Lambda Legal, an LGBT legal organization. He is working on Carcaño v McCrory, which was filed in March by the ACLU, Lambda Legal and other organizations against the NC law
Noise pollution’s impact on whales
Whales see the ocean through sound, so a new documentary from the Natural Resources Defense Council immerses you in the underwater world, now polluted with industrial and military man-made noises that have impacted marine mammals' survival.
In 'Sonic Sea' airing on Discovery May 19th and narrated by Rachel McAdams, using beautiful cinematography, audio recordings, and sleek graphics, the documentary tracks deaths and distress of marine mammals, including some whales more than 150-years old who never knew man-made sounds before the 20th Century.
The NRDC has litigated and lobbied for limits on industrial developments and shipping adjustments near habitats and migration routes. For more background on litigation, check out this stories:
"Navy to limit Some training that harms whales in Pacific"
"AirTalk: Can the Navy train in SoCal waters without harming whales?"
Guest:
Michael Jasny, Director, Marine Mammal Protection Project, Natural Resources Defense Council; Jasny is a leading expert in the law and policy of ocean noise pollution.
The forgotten women who helped shape California's art culture
A new four-volume collection has captured the efforts of 320 artists who advance the art culture in the Golden State.
Collectively, there are more than two thousand featured art pieces created between 1860 and 1960, many of which are making a debut in a publication.
Maurine St. Gaudens, editor of “Emerging from the Shadows,” chose to recognize artists who dedicated much of their life to art, but were never publicly acknowledged. Artwork ranging from realism to modern illustrations can be found in every volume.
Why have these women received little to no prior recognition? Have you been inspired by any of the artists mentioned by St. Gaudens?
Guests:
Maurine St. Gaudens, editor of the book, “Emerging from the Shadows,” a fine arts conservator and historian
Joseph Morsman, a collaborator on the book, “Emerging from the Shadows,” a historian and film producer